Kings’ Kevin Huerter ‘Relatively Expendable’ Ahead of NBA Trade Deadline

As trade season gets underway for the NBA, we’re starting to see increasing rumblings around a few potential movers that could be on the way out from their respective teams ahead of the February 8th deadline. 

Of course, the Sacramento Kings have continued to be prime suspects in making a deal, with Kevin Huerter headlining the most recent rumor on the roster.

According to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, Huerter sticks out as one of the many candidates in the league who could be in for a potential change of scenery on their 2024 NBA trade board: 

"Even with his timely rotations and general effort, Huerter’s athletic limitations on defense hinder the Kings’ current roster. They need a legitimate plus-stopper on the wing, and that’s not Huerter. It becomes hard for this specific Kings team to have him on the court in important moments if he’s not shooting well. That makes him a relatively expendable player to an already high-powered Kings offense...Even if the Kings are looking for an upgrade, Huerter remains a solid, starter-quality NBA player on an eminently reasonable contract. He’d be a good get for just about any team, even if this year hasn’t been his best."

Vecenie continues to pin Huerter as a complimentary fit to teams like the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards. All are teams that could utilize the boost in offensive production, especially when shooting from the perimeter. In terms of what Sacramento could receive in return for the six-year league vet, his value projects as a first-round pick or a salary matching in a bigger trade.

Huerter has seen a bit of a step back from the numbers he saw a season ago, averaging 9.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 42.9/34.5/80.6 splits through 37 games. While the drop in scoring is grounds for concern, the greater questions may surround his lack of efficiency, shooting just 34.5% from deep.

For this Kings squad to hold up to their championship expectations, the threes need to start falling for a sharpshooter like Huerter. A large part of what made Sacramento successful in the 2022-23 season was thanks to the elite spacing guys like him and Keegan Murray provided alongside their All-Star duo’s playmaking ability.

Without that consistency, it may lead to Sacramento seeking a reliable two-way option on the market to help assist on both ends at the deadline, even if it comes at the expense of Huerter. Any team who was to acquire the Maryland product would have him signed onto a $50 million deal spanning until the summer of 2026.

Sitting just under three weeks until the long-anticipated deadline arrives, expect more rumors and speculation to come the Kings’ way.