Report: Kings hoping to reunite Afflalo with new coach Karl

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The Sacramento Kings are already looking to build their roster around new head coach George Karl, who was introduced at a press conference on Tuesday.

Karl is known as an up-tempo coach, something that was understandably more extreme in his high-altitude days with the Denver Nuggets but has generally held true at other stops. In today's NBA, a fast-paced offense is best supplemented with shooters, something the Kings lack with a 32.4 percent mark from outside, one that has them dead last in the NBA in 3-point field goals per game.

Always active on the trade market, the Kings are hoping to inject a former Karl charge into their lineup, with the team working to land Arron Afflalo, according to a report from Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report.

The on-court fit makes plenty of sense, with Afflalo capable of playing alongside Rudy Gay and standing as an upgrade on Ben McLemore and Nik Stauskas. He's averaging 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 33.7 percent from long range, all respectable marks that are down appreciably from his past few seasons. Where the fit may not make sense is in the asking price, with the Nuggets believed to want at least a first-round pick for Afflalo. 

The Kings already owe the Chicago Bulls their pick this year if it falls outside of the top-10 and have already dealt four second-round picks through 2019. With a playoff spot not a possibility this season, dealing one of their lone remaining draft assets for a short-term upgrade seems short-sighted, unless they get an assurance that Afflalo will pick up his $7.9-million option for next season.

That option may scare some teams off from Afflalo and it would eat into Sacramento's cap space this summer, but the Kings have shown a willingness to add salary where others have balked. The chance to get Afflalo - a capable shooter, defender and playmaker - through trade rather than trying to sign a free agent for next season may be exactly the type of move the Kings' front office is looking for.

The question would then become whether the Nuggets are flexible on their asking price, and if a prospect like Stauskas - the No. 8 pick in this year's draft - would do in place of a pick.