Sacramento – which is 23rd in defensive rating but second in offensive rating – would get a significant upgrade in Hart, who would immediately become the Kings’ best on-ball defender and second-best rebounder.
Sacramento is third in the Western Conference standings and would love nothing more than to make a deep postseason run – they haven’t even been to the playoffs since 2006.
Holmes could become the Blazers’ starting center, at least until Jusuf Nurkic returns from injury. Even then, having Holmes soak up a few of Nurk’s minutes while relegating Drew Eubanks and Trendon Watford back to supporting roles would be of significant help to Portland.
The 6-10 center has completely fallen out of the Kings’ rotation, but when he did play a significant role, he was productive. Playing nearly 24 minutes per game last year in Sac Town, Holmes averaged 10.4 points, 7 rebounds, and nearly a block per game. He’s not Jarred Vanderbilt, but Holmes is also a bit more mobile with a more expansive offensive skill set than Nurk.
In 2019-20, more than 10 percent of Holmes’ 14.2 ppg came from the mid-range; he isn’t limited to simple post touches or wide-open threes.
Mitchell has also fallen down Sacramento’s backcourt pecking order, but he’s still only 24 years old, in his second NBA season, and has proven to be an above-average defender at the point guard spot. His defensive rating of 110.8 is nearly four points better than Hart’s.
This may be the most attractive deal for the Blazers as they would add more depth up front, but also a young guard to spell Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons. Mitchell’s fit off the bench beside Gary Payton II would create havoc on opposing guard tandems.