Sacramento Kings Open For Business — Murray, Clifford Untouchable

Merlin sees Sacramento is "open for business" before the February deadline — willing to listen on most players except Keegan Murray and Nique Clifford, who "both will be off the table in upcoming trade talks." Veterans like Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis could be shopped, though the Kings are unlikely to net a huge haul. Keon Ellis, described as holding "the most immediate trade value," stands out as a likely movable piece. Merlin notes the why: the Kings are 4-13 and drifting toward a long rebuild, so draft compensation matters more than short-term wins. Salary and fit make Sabonis hard to sell — "It's tough to pay a center that much..." — and LaVine’s tradeability hinges on his contract choices. Expect Sacramento to trade role pieces for picks and young assets as they try to speed their return.