Why didn’t Sacramento Kings make moves at NBA trade deadline? GM Monte McNair explains

Kings general manager Monte McNair held a news conference at team headquarters Friday to talk about the club’s direction following the NBA trade deadline. The Kings didn’t make any meaningful moves ahead of Thursday’s deadline, but there was still plenty to discuss.

McNair, the reigning NBA Executive of the Year, spoke for about 25 minutes. He thanked assistant general manager Wes Wilcox, vice president of player personnel Phil Jabour, vice president of player development Paul Johnson and the team’s scouting and analytics departments for months of work leading up to the deadline.

“We’re always active in trying to see what’s out there, but weighing that against what we already have here,” McNair said. “Obviously this year after exploring those opportunities, we ended up keeping this group together. We know the job is never done. We’ll continue to vet those opportunities to make our team better, but we’re excited for what we’ve got going forward.”

The Kings (29-21) were sixth in the Western Conference following Friday’s 135-106 victory over the Denver Nuggets. They are trying to build on last season’s success after going to the playoffs for the first time since 2006 as the No. 3 seed in the West.

Sacramento reportedly had interest in the likes of Kyle Kuzma and Jerami Grant, but those deals never materialized. The Kings made one move to acquire aging center Robin Lopez and cash considerations from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for the draft rights to Dimitrios Agravanis, but they waived Lopez the same day.

So, after months of speculation, Sacramento chose to keep its roster intact as the All-Star break nears and the stretch run begins. If the Kings are going to repeat last year’s run to the playoffs, they will do so with franchise cornerstones De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis and a supporting cast featuring Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes and Malik Monk, some of whom were the subject of trade rumors.

“I believe in this group and I was a proponent of bringing the group back,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “We had a good first year, but we need to take steps and we need to see if this group and this nucleus can take steps, and I think we have. ... So, I really believe in this group. I really fee like they believe in each other, so now it’s time to go get it.”

McNair said the advent of the play-in tournament has changed market dynamics around the trade deadline. There are more buyers and fewer sellers as more teams try to stay in the running for a playoff berth.

“I think it’s good for the league,” McNair said. “Most teams are trying to win and compete and get better. It maybe means some of those traditional straight-buyer, straight-seller trades aren’t there, but we still saw some movement around the league. Different teams felt they needed to do something. I think, for us, we’re always trying to put ourselves in a spot where we’re never pressed into something and we get to do it on our own terms.”

McNair specifically pointed to “draconian” provisions in the new collective bargaining agreement that will “start handcuffing” teams that exceed the first and second luxury tax aprons. The Kings signed Sabonis to a five-year, $217 million extension last summer. Fox, Monk and Murray will be next in line for big paydays.

“I do think the new rules are going to make it so that if you put yourself in a tough spot and you don’t reach where you want to go, it’s going to be hard to take that next step,” McNair said. “And if you do reach it, it may be hard to maintain it, so we’re always these days trying to figure out that balance.”

McNair reiterated his desire to set Sacramento up for long-term and sustainable success, saying a prudent approach to team building now could put the Kings in a position of strength later.

“We hope so,” McNair said. “I think that’s one thing that we’re always looking at because opportunity now versus opportunity in the future, and as teams become less flexible and more restricted by those things, that could be opportunity for us to add things or be in a position where other teams cannot do things that we can do.

“So, I think so, I hope so, and as we continue to learn and figure out what this new CBA’s going to look like, I do think we’re in pretty good position to take advantage of a lot of those things. ... I want to be here for many years where we’re fighting in the West to win multiple rounds, and to do that we have to balance improving now and, of course, the future.”