The Sacramento Kings have been one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA thus far this season. This is a franchise determined to snap their 16-year playoff drought and so far, they look more than capable of achieving that goal.
A lot of credit should be given to head coach Mike Brown. He was hired this offseason to get this team back on track in large part because of the defensive principles that he is known for. Sacramento has improved on that end of the court, but it is the work that he has done offensively that is truly impressive.
Spending the last six seasons with the Golden State Warriors has been great for Brown’s growth as a coach. He learned a thing or two from his time there and it is paying dividends. De’Aaron Fox has been playing at an All-Star level, combining with Domantas Sabonis to make a dynamic duo. The roster around them complements their strengths as there is a lot of 3-point shooting and floor spacing on the court at all times.
There is a lot to be excited about in Sac-Town, but one player who has been lost in the shuffle is Richaun Holmes. He received his first extended opportunity in the NBA during the 2019-20 season and showed that he was a capable rotation player, averaging 12.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.
Holmes showed that wasn’t a fluke as he averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game the following season, starting 61 games. That earned him a four-year contract in free agency worth more than $46.5 million. However, things began souring during the 2021-22 season.
Holmes saw his opportunities drop throughout the season and things hit rock bottom once Sabonis was acquired. This season he has appeared in only 15 games, and according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, has emerged as a trade candidate.
“Since a breakout campaign during the 2020-21 season, Kings center Richaun Holmes has seen his role reduced drastically two seasons later. Holmes is owed a combined $36.14 million, including his player option through the 2024-25 season.”
His annual salary isn’t too bad to absorb, but the length of the deal is going to be an issue. That is not going to be an easy contract to move as teams aren’t going to be lining up to take on a player that is owed money through 2025 but hasn’t been a consistent part of the Kings’ rotation.
But, Holmes has shown that he is more than capable of providing production as a rotation center in the right environment. He is an efficient scorer and strong rebounder, offering some shot-blocking as well.
It won’t cost too much to acquire him, so there are probably some teams looking to shore up their frontcourt that would be willing to take a shot on him and hope he can return to the form he showed during the 2020-21 season.
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