Hot topics: Kings GM talks NBA draft, Devin Carter, Mike Brown, Malik Monk and trade talks
Kings general manager Monte McNair said his offseason work is far from over while addressing a variety of subjects Wednesday following the first round of the NBA draft.
McNair held a news conference at Golden 1 Center after the Kings selected Providence guard Devin Carter with the No. 13 pick in the draft. Sacramento will have the 45th overall pick in the second round of the draft Thursday.
McNair was asked about coach Mike Brown’s contract extension, Malik Monk’s new deal and Sasha Vezenkov’s future with the organization. More than anything, though, McNair raved about Carter’s length, versatility and potential as a two-way player who can man both guard spots and defend multiple positions.
Carter, 22, is 6-3 ½ and 193 pounds with a 6-8 ¾ wingspan. He averaged 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks while shooting 47.3% from the field and 37.7% from 3-point range on 6.9 attempts per game.
“You mentioned the wingspan,” McNair said. “I think he’s plus-7, really long. At 6-2 plus without shoes, we’re talking 6-3, 6-4. Played both guard spots, but I think even more than that, he just plays even bigger. He rebounds on both ends. He blocks shots. He’s tough. He’s strong. One of the best athletes in the class at the combine. I think he had one of the fastest sprints and one of the best verticals, so all those things I think tie together for somebody who can guard multiple positions. ... I think that’s one of the big keys is the versatility that he brings.”
Trade talks
Sacramento explored the possibility of trading the No. 13 pick to acquire another key rotation player to a core that features De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Monk.
The Kings reportedly came close to trading the pick for Alex Caruso before the Chicago Bulls opted to send Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey. They were also linked to trade talks involving Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma and New Jersey Nets forwards Dorian Finney-Smith and Cameron Johnson.
Ultimately, none of those deals materialized and the Kings chose to draft Carter.
“As always, lots of discussion around the pick,” McNair said. “It’s a lottery pick so there’s always great interest in that. What ended up happening at the end of the day is we had a guy really high up on our board, who many were predicting was going to be a top-10 pick, ended up there for as at 13. When that happened, nothing else on our board beat that and we were excited to select him.”
More work to do
The Kings are looking to upgrade their roster after losing in the play-in tournament last season, a disappointing finish for a team that ended a 16-year playoff drought in 2023.
McNair acknowledged there is more work to do.
“We know we’ve got to internally improve our players,” McNair said. “... At the same time, external improvement — draft, trade and free agency — and we’re right smack dab in that window. We’ve got a couple more weeks and our goal is to come out with the best chance to get our goal. And the good thing about Sacramento is, right now, the playoffs is the goal and anything less than that is not acceptable, so that’s where we’re headed.”
Mike Brown’s extension
The Kings recently signed Brown to a new three-year deal that will keep him in Sacramento through the 2026-27 season. Brown will reportedly receive a $4 million raise to $8.5 million for the 2024-25 season with two additional years at $8.5 million.
“Mike is just an amazing coach,” McNair said. “I think we’ve seen what he’s done here the last two years, two of the best years in Sacramento in a long time, 94 wins, breaking the playoff drought.
“I think Mike does a great job of getting on guys and then putting his arm around them, and just the stability that he brings. He’s such a great leader, great face of the organization, way more charismatic than I am up here, so you guys should be glad you get to talk to him 82 times and me three, but he’s just a great partner and we think he’s the guy to lead us where we want to go.”
Re-signing Malik Monk
Monk, the runner-up for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, recently signed a four-year, $78 million deal to stay with the Kings. Monk could have commanded a higher annual salary as an unrestricted free agent, but he chose to stay in Sacramento.
McNair couldn’t discuss Monk’s new deal because the contract can’t be finalized until the free agent ends July 6.
“Can’t get into free agency,” McNair said. “We’ll talk about that when the time comes, but obviously Malik is somebody who’s been a huge part of our success the last two years and a fan favorite. We all love Malik, certainly, but we’ll talk about other stuff when the time comes.”
Logjam at guard position
Sacramento has a full stable of guards with Carter joining a backcourt that already includes Fox, Monk, Kevin Huerter, Keon Ellis, Davion Mitchell and Colby Jones.
McNair hinted at the possibility of trades when asked about the logjam at the guard position.
“We understand the importance of roster balance, not just across positions but skillsets,” McNair said. “We’re at the beginning of the offseason where we’ll be able to continue to shape the roster, but as I’ve continually said about the draft, the draft is not about right now. The draft is about adding somebody to our team that can be here for a long time and we try to draft the best player available.
“We look for versatile guys and I Devin Carter just checks all the boxes. If you watched the playoffs this year, there were a lot of Devin Carters out there. I’ll put it that way. We try to find tough, physical guys who can play on both ends, make a shot, score the ball, switch, guard guys, rebound. A guy like that we couldn’t pass up. We understand the rest of the roster and what we’ll have to do there, but tonight was about that.”
Sasha Vezenkov’s future
Vezenkov’s future in Sacramento has been the subject of speculation amid reports suggesting he is seeking a trade or a return to Europe.
Veznkov signed a three-year, $20 million contract with the Kings last summer after being named EuroLeague MVP. Vezenkov shot 37.5% from 3-point range last season, but he was frustrated over playing time after averaging 5.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game while ankle injuries stunted his acclimation to the NBA game.
“Won’t get into any of those rumors,” McNair said. “I think Sasha, we saw when he got on the court last year, can make a positive impact for us, obviously one of the best shooters, and we’re hopeful that we can find a way for him to continue to do that here for us and help us win games.”
