Sir Charles in Charge
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Sacramento Kings: One really good summer away from NBA relevance

By Mason McFee

Apr 9, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield (24) warms up before the game against the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield (24) warms up before the game against the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 15, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Langston Galloway (9) reacts on the bench in the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Langston Galloway (9) reacts on the bench in the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /

Let (Almost) All The Other Guys Go

Here is the list of the possible free agents the Kings could be deciding on who they want to keep this offseason:

  • Darren Collison
  • Tyreke Evans
  • Langston Galloway
  • Rudy Gay
  • Ty Lawson
  • Ben McLemore

Of that group, the only one I think they should keep is Langston Galloway. While he looks like a middle-aged man, he’s only 25. He’s a fine scoring combo-guard to have off the bench, and showed during his time in the Big Apple that he’s a capable fill-in as a starter; but the Kings actually already have their SG of the future in Buddy Buckets so….. moving on.

Collison has always been a scorer. You know what you’re getting with him – double digit scoring and zero defense. Lawson is a poor man’s Collison but with legal trouble. Tyreke getting traded back to Sacramento was just cruel – he still didn’t get the playing time he deserved; but luckily for him he can leave if he wants as an unrestricted free agent. I’ve already touched on Mr. Gay, so all that leaves is McLemore.

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McLemore has been a curious case since he was drafted 7th overall back in 2013. Still just 24, he’s still got room to grow, and is still as explosive as he was at Kansas (#RockChalk), if not more. And that’s why the Kings need to let him go.

The Kings have a (recent) history of drafting promising guards only to trade them or mismanage their minutes (Nik ‘Sauce Castillo’ Stauskas, Ben McLemore, Isaiah Thomas, Isaiah Cousins). While the I.T. trade stings the most despite him being the last pick in his draft class, the Kings have a good thing going with Buddy Hield and can’t afford to mess up his development. Not with me? Allow me to elaborate.

I honestly think that Ben McLemore is going to get offers north of $15 million dollars annually in his next contract. While the Kings could certainly afford to retain McLemore, where is he going to play? The 3? While he has the size, I don’t think that’s his natural position, and he’s been called up and down between the starting lineup and the bench so much the past few years I’m surprised D.J. Khaled hasn’t called him up to make a new music video for his new single ‘All I Do I Lose’.

Bottom line: #FreeMcLemore

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