The Sacramento Kings made a few surprising splashes in free agency this year, adding to their young core of De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Willie Cauley-Stein and Skal LaBissiere with three veterans to help mentor them and improve the team in 2017-18: Zach Randolph, Vince Carter and George Hill.
While all three were a bit of a surprise (and a bit of an overpay, but that’s what you have to do to get a free agent to Sacramento), none is really a big financial commitment besides Hill.
Hill, with nagging injury issues, signed a three-year, $57 million contract with the Kings at the age of 31.
The thought of paying Hill $19 or $20 million in the final year of his deal at age 33 with a hopefully improved roster willing to spend elsewhere seemed a little worrisome.
Apparently there is no need to worry, the Kings structured the deal to defend against that…
I like the Sacramento Kings' structure w/George Hill $20m, $19m, $18m, last year only $1m guaranteed @BBallInsiders
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) July 11, 2017
This is an incredibly savvy move by the Kings as it easily allows them to get out of Hill’s contract essentially after year two when Fox is likely ready to completely take over the helm.
It also makes Hill a very trade-able target at the trade deadline if he plays well and stays healthy for a team in need of some better point guard play.
This sort of contract structuring is exactly the kind of thing the Kings wouldn’t do over the past 12 years or so, maybe they are on their way to being a well-managed NBA franchise again.
I have to say I like what the Kings did this off-season, why not continue to build for the future but also insert some well-respected veterans and adults who have been in the league a while to help mentor their young core in their NBA formative years and help them win a few more games.
