The NBA trade deadline is an emotional time for players, and not only the ones involved in the deals.
On Wednesday, one day before Thursday's deadline at 3 p.m. ET, the Kings made multiple moves to improve their roster and possibly help push them into the playoffs. It all started with veteran wing Iman Shumpert.
Prior to the Kings' game against the Rockets, Sacramento shipped Shumpert to the team it was playing in a three-way deal that also involved the Cavs. In return, the Kings received shooting guard Alec Burks from Cleveland, along with a future second-round draft pick.
Shumpert expressed his love for Sacramento and everything the Kings meant to him with a heartfelt tweet after the trade.
Sacramento...I really can't thank you enough for accepting me in full ever since I got off the plane when I was traded here. For the open arms, loving energy and stories we now share together as the #scores. THANK YOU.#piecedelafoutupie pic.twitter.com/hyhVdt38lC— Iman. (@imanshumpert) February 7, 2019
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The trade clearly impacted the Kings on the court, too. The Rockets ran all over them in a 127-101 loss later in the night at Golden 1 Center.
"He was great, especially for the culture he helped create," De'Aaron Fox told NBC Sports California. "It was great chemistry, but in this business, a lot of things happen. Guys get traded, guys get moved around, but you still have to go out and perform."
But the Kings weren't done after trading Shumpert and acquiring Burks. Harrison Barnes is back in Northern California, this time in Sacramento instead of Oakland.
Hours after the Shumpert trade, the Kings added Barnes in a deal with the Mavs that had Sacramento sending Zach Randolph and Justin Jackson to Dallas.
Barnes is excited for his next chapter with the Kings, and showed gratitude for the Mavs.
pic.twitter.com/xLRQjjriMN— Harrison Barnes (@hbarnes) February 7, 2019
But many people didn't like how and when Barnes was traded. The news was announced in the middle of Dallas' game, one in which Barnes was playing. LeBron James of all people wasn't happy about it.
Despite the uproar of Barnes being traded in the middle of a game, it appears he understood what was going on and decided he still wanted to be on the court, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times.
Hold onto your seats. You never know what could happen in the NBA.
