Trae Young apparently could have ended up with the Sacramento Kings before being traded to the Washington Wizards.
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The Kings just weren't interested.
According to Sacramento insider James Ham, the Atlanta Hawks offered Young to the Kings in a deal that would have sent Zach LaVine to Atlanta. Sacramento rejected the proposal, with Young's contract situation reportedly playing a major role.
"The Kings, of course, had been offered Trae Young at one point in exchange for Zach LaVine," Ham said. "LaVine to Atlanta and Trae Young to the Sacramento Kings."
On the surface, that's a pretty fascinating offer.
But Ham said Sacramento knew acquiring Young would almost immediately lead to another conversation: a lucrative long-term extension.
"They said no because they knew that the second he got off a plane, he would want an extension and the Kings were not fully prepared to be in the long-term Trae Young business," Ham said.
Young ultimately landed with Washington, ending his run with the Hawks.
The four-time All-Star is unquestionably one of the NBA's most productive offensive guards, but his enormous salary and defensive limitations can make roster construction complicated. Ham noted that Sacramento already faces some similar issues with Domantas Sabonis, another highly paid All-Star whose defense has been questioned.
So the Kings apparently had an opportunity to pair Young with Sabonis and passed. Whether they'll eventually regret that decision is another matter.
But Sacramento evidently decided that acquiring Young was one thing: Paying him for years to come was another.
