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Richaun Holmes. Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Three reasons why Sacramento's Richaun Holmes trade worked

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 6/23/23

Last season, the Sacramento Kings made their long-awaited return to the NBA playoffs. Led by Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento become one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the NBA.

As such, this offense projects as a chance for the Kings to push forward with their current roster. Making the postseason won't be enough for their hungry fanbase. Championship contention should always be the goal.

With that in mind, the Kings swung a deal on draft night, packaging the 24th pick and Richaun Holmes in a cap-clearing move. The Dallas Mavericks were the recipients of the Kings' generosity and will feel confident in their own dealings on June 22, and the Boston Celtics could also end up being part of that deal. However, it's the Sacramento front office that will now be licking their lips ahead of free agency.

Here are three reasons why the Kings trading Holmes works for them.

The Kings created major cap room.

According to reports, the Kings have opened up somewhere in the region of $30M in cap space by trading Holmes.

After the Richaun Holmes trade, I have the Kings at a maximum of $38.3 million in cap space. Some projection is involved in that figure, but basically, they're in the high 30's.

Plenty of room to chase basically any free agent they want.
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) June 23, 2023

After showing significant signs of growth last season, the Kings will be viewed as an intriguing prospect for this year's free-agent class. The Kings now have the finances to chase any free agent or disgruntled star of their choosing in the hopes of further juicing their rotation. After years of front-office mismanagement, Sacramento is building something sustainable. Smart trades like this one will reassure fans that a bright future is on the horizon.

Holmes was struggling for playing time.

At points during his tenure with the Kings, Holmes was a key contributor. However, last season, Holmes struggled to crack the rotation in a meaningful way. In 42 contests, the 29-year-old only started one game. Furthermore, Holmes' production of 3.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.2 assists on 61.8% shooting from the field wasn't enough to justify his $11M-a-year salary.

Holmes will now have the chance to resurrect his career with the Mavericks while the Kings utilize their newfound cap space. There's a chance this deal works out well for everyone involved.

A potential raise for Sabonis

Last year, the Indiana Pacers used some of their additional cap space to give Myles Turner a pay rise. By doing this, their front office could then negotiate a contract extension based on his new salary, thus allowing them to pay him more money on his next deal. There's a chance the Kings do something similar with Sabonis. By increasing the veteran big man's salary this year, a contract extension would then be at a higher rate of pay than it would otherwise.

"The deal will include a $17.1M renegotiation bump -- the largest in NBA history -- on Turner's $18M salary this season, with an additional $41 million over the next two seasons that ties Turner to the Pacers through the 2024-25 season," Adrian Wojnarowski reported at the time of Turner's deal.

If moving Holmes and a late first-round draft pick is the price of keeping your star player long-term, that's a move you have to make. If that decision ends up working out, and Sabonis is happy to re-sign, this trade is a win for the Kings.

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