Kings GM Scott Perry on potential trades: ‘I’m always going to work the phones’

The losses have piled up, but Scott Perry isn’t chasing shortcuts.

In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, the first-year general manager of the Kings said his focus remains on building a “sustainable winner,” even as the team sits near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Perry said he plans to stay active ahead of the trade deadline, acknowledging Sacramento has several veterans who could draw interest. Still, he made it clear that moves will be made only if they align with both short- and long-term goals.

“I’m always going to work the phones,” Perry told Spears. “But I’m not somebody who does things out of panic. It’s got to make sense for us.”

Perry understood the challenge when he took the job in April. Sacramento has made just one playoff appearance since 2007, and the current season has trended in the wrong direction. Even so, Perry said he is not interested in sacrificing the future to salvage the present.

“I was hired to build a sustainable winner,” he said. “Quick fixes usually don’t turn into something lasting.”

One bright spot has been the play of the team’s rookies, whom Perry described as high-IQ, hard-working players he values as building blocks. He also pointed to Keegan Murray as a central piece, citing his versatility, defense, and character after the Kings committed to him with a long-term extension.

“At 25, he’s entering what should be the prime of his career,” Perry said. “Those are the kinds of players you build with.”