4 Trades the Sacramento Kings Should Make to Shake Up Team

In order to start becoming mildly successful in the future, the Sacramento Kings will have to look to trade their best players now. 

Let's face it, there's not a single move the Kings can make that will turn their team's fortunes around this season. 

With the pending movement of their home state, there isn't much excitement from the fan base given the team's current record and lack of star power. 

How does one expect their fans to stay engaged when their home court is called Sleep Train Arena? 

There are moves that they can make by the trade deadline to give themselves an established player going forward.

Contrary to what their record shows, there is a substantial amount of young talent that other teams will covet, especially contenders. 

By purging some of the logjams at various positions, the Kings can finally move forward with the players that they can build around in the future instead of becoming increasingly mired in the present. 

Not all trades will make perfect roster-building sense, but keep in mind that these four teams are looking to make a change and the Kings have the pieces to make it happen. 

Los Angeles Lakers

With the Kings unlikely to extend Tyreke Evans, he is the first person that they should look to move. 

Luckily for the Kings, they don't have to look any farther than down Highway 5 to find Pau Gasol. 

With the Lakers in flux and looking for point guard help, the Kings may be able to help them out with a point guard and forward.

We're looking at Tyreke Evans and Isaiah Thomas. Thomas has lost much of his playing time to Aaron Brooks since starting most of last season. He provides the Kings a valuable trade chip. He also comes with a trade exception that the Lakers can look to use later on. 

Gasol gives the Kings someone to build around until DeMarcus Cousins is able to take the reins going forward. He also has the ability to pass down the block to the bevy of shooters the Kings can throw out there. Remember, the Kings don't have any gifted passers and that's a reason why their offense has been so inconsistent. The lack of spacing is an issue. 

As for the Lakers, they can use Evans and someone like John Salmons as depth. Thomas is also a nice addition to run the backup unit with Steve Blake our for the next couple months. He has also shown the capability to run an offense as a starter. If not Thomas, Marcus Thornton, should be given a look as well since he is can be an excellent shooter off the bench. 

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are playing extremely well right now, but how long do we really think the Monta Ellis-Brandon Jennings backcourt will work out?

Even though they are winning, Ellis hasn't played nearly as well as he did when he was the main ball-handler. 

It didn't turn out so well in Golden State with two smaller guards in Stephen Curry and Ellis. 

Again, we look at what Tyreke Evans can bring to the Bucks. He can play his regular position as shooting guard and fit in better with Jennings and company. 

Evans' defense is a little suspect but he has more potential in that area than Ellis, who has been terrible his whole career. 

In this trade, the Kings get Ellis and Tobias Harris, who is a young player they can build with.

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz have a healthy glut of frontcourt players in Enes Kanter, Al Jefferson, Derrick Favors and Paul Millsap. 

Since Millsap is heading into free agency after this season, the Jazz may be looking to unload him and free up playing time for their potentially dominant frontcourt. 

The Kings would give up a valuable, young player in Marcus Thornton but, again, it would net them an extremely productive forward in Millsap. Of course, they would have to decide on his impending free agency but could lure him into staying with a winning season.

Getting Millsap would provide an efficient scorer and allow Cousins to do less with the ball. I'm sure Kings fans have had enough of him shooting mid-range jumpers and blindly spinning into double-teams.

This is a trade that nets both teams productive, young players that fill a need and open up logjams at clogged positions. 

Houston Rockets

This one is almost too easy. 

Both teams have a lot of talent and the Rockets have shown that they are ready to trade with anyone at any time (see: James Harden). The Rockets have a large supply of talented forwards with Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris, Terrence Jones and Royce White (whenever he is back). 

The Kings could unload a guard in Thornton or Evans and someone like Salmons or Hayes for salary relief. If they get Jones and Patterson back for a combination of Evans, Thornton and Hayes it would be a trade they would have to do. 

As for the Kings, they could get extremely talented players in Morris and Jones, who can provide defense and scoring all in one. It gives the Kings flexibility down low with Cousins, a pair of forwards, and more run for players like Thomas, Thornton and even Fredette. It'd be nice to see what the latter can do with extended run. 

Evans would fit in nicely opposite James Harden. He could also be the sixth man and play off Jeremy Lin who is an adept passer. Houston isn't exactly using their rookies at this moment and wouldn't mind paying a steep price for a chance at another franchise player. It wasn't so long ago that Tyreke averaged a 20-5-5 line through a whole season.