The Road to Re Signing Malik Monk with Cap Space

First you need to find landing spots for Barnes, Huerter and one of Lyles, Mitchell, Duarte or Vezenkov, for this exercise I’m using Vezenkov.

Barnes - Of the bunch Barnes might be the hardest to find a home for without taking money back. There has been a lot of talk of Detroit being interested in Harris with their cap space. If this is the case, if your Detroit would you rather pay Harris $25-30m over 3-4 years, or would you rather absorb Barnes for $18-19m over 2 years? Detroit needs shooting and secondary scoring Detroit would need to attempt to take a Houston like leap. I think you could maybe get a 2nd or 2 in this trade with Detroit.

Huerter - At 25 years of age Huerter still has a bunch of trade value as a movement shooter and secondary play makers. For Huerter I’m looking at Brooklyn’s $20m TPE from the Dinwiddie trade, for him to join Jordi in Brooklyn. I even think you could also get the worst of the 3x 27 1sts Brooklyn own. The trade: Huerter (into TPE) + for 27 1st (worst of BKN/HOU/PHI/PHX). A guaranteed 1st in 27 allows the Kings to package their own 27 1st, which they currently can’t do.

Vezenkov - I like Vezenkov for Orlando. They desperately need shooting and I think Vezenkov can help off the bench. He also has a team option for 25/26 which is a flexible contract that would also be useful for Orlando next offseason. I don’t expect anything back in return from Orlando.

So with those 3 players moved on that leaves the rosters as followed:

• 1 Sabonis $41.8

• 2 Fox $34.85

• 3 Murray $8.81

• 4 Lyles $8

• 5 Mitchell $6.46

• 6 Duarte $5.9

• 7 Ellis $2.13

• 8 Jones $2.13

• 9 13th Pick $4.71

• 3x Roster Spot (3x1.16 = $3.48)

Total = $118.27

• 24/25 Cap = $141

Remaining Cap-space (Monk Contract) = $22.73

• 10 Monk $22.7m ($102m / 4yr)

• 11 Len MIN $2.1

• 12 Edwards MIN $2.1

• 13 $8m (Room Exception)

• 14 MIN $2.1

• 15 Open Roster Spot or MIN $2.1

I think if you could sign Naji Marshall or Derrick Jones Jnr, both 25, both would be great fits next to Murray/Sabonis and somewhat reasonable/realistic signing for $8m. You would still have the option to start Lyles. Depending on how high you are on Kessler Edwards, I like the idea of giving him a real opportunity. With the 14th pick there are plenty of options to go for as a Barnes replacement (Smith / Filipowski /Da Silver would be good fits). I think it’s a drop off for sure short term but long term it gives some guys real opportunity. That’s how you find your next Keon Ellis.

What kills it for me is the lack of mid sized contracts you’re left with after the initial deals just to re sign Monk to $20m per. It would be very difficult to swing a trade, which is how I think this team really takes the next step.

To get ready for a bigger trade Sac needs to get some $10m deal. They move of Mitchell + 2nds for Vanderbilt. The Portland 25 is a projected to be a good one. Mitchell would be an interesting swing for the Lakers and a good fit.

Sac then fills out there roster with a dependable back up in Dunn and an upside swing in Garuba.

They draft Smith 14th to finish out there roster.

• Fox / Dunn / Jones

• Monk / Ellis / Duarte

• Murray / Marshall / Edwards

• Vanderbilt / Lyles / Smith (14th Pick)

• Sabonis / Len / Garuba

That’s the ideal road to re signing Monk with cap space.