The Sacramento Kings are once again facing a familiar crossroads - a talented roster on paper, but a team that just can’t seem to make it click on the floor. Sitting at a dismal 6-20, despite boasting a lineup stacked with All-Star names like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Russell Westbrook, Sacramento is reportedly gearing up for some major changes. And it starts with the veterans.
According to league sources, there’s a growing disconnect between some of the Kings’ veteran players and head coach Doug Christie, who’s still trying to find his footing in his first full season at the helm. That tension, combined with the team’s struggles, has Sacramento exploring trade options for several of its veteran pieces.
LaVine has already been linked to the Milwaukee Bucks, a team in need of another perimeter scorer to complement Giannis Antetokounmpo. DeRozan, meanwhile, is reportedly drawing interest from both the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat - two playoff-caliber teams that could use his midrange mastery and veteran leadership. Sabonis and Westbrook haven’t surfaced in trade rumors just yet, but in a season where nothing seems off the table for Sacramento, that could change quickly.
The numbers tell the story of a team in freefall. The Kings rank near the bottom of the league in just about every major category: 28th in points per game, 27th in points allowed, dead last in offensive rating, 27th in defensive rating, and 29th in net rating. For a team that was supposed to be competing in the West, those are numbers that scream dysfunction - not just underperformance.
It’s a far cry from where this team stood just a couple seasons ago. In 2023, the Kings snapped their 16-year playoff drought and looked like a franchise finally turning the corner.
But the momentum didn’t last. They missed the postseason in both 2024 and 2025, and last season, they made the bold move of trading franchise cornerstone De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
Fox, for his part, didn’t mince words when asked about his time in Sacramento. “I don’t really have anything to say,” he said.
“It is what it is. I wish Keegan Murray the best.
Whether that is rebuilding, I want him to be in the best situation for him. The grass is greener on this side.”
That last line hits hard. Fox went on to explain that after the 2023 playoff run, he expected the team to build on that success - not necessarily by jumping from a three-seed to a one-seed, but by continuing to be a postseason mainstay.
Instead, things unraveled quickly. “Everything started going bad that summer [in 2024],” he said.
“I’m in a place where I want to be [now].”
It’s clear the Kings are at a tipping point. The talent is there, but the chemistry isn’t.
The coaching staff is under pressure, and the front office is staring down some tough decisions. With trade season heating up and the team’s playoff hopes fading fast, Sacramento could be one of the most active teams on the market in the coming weeks.
Whether this is the beginning of a full-scale rebuild or just a reshuffling of the veteran deck remains to be seen. But one thing’s certain: the Kings can’t afford to stand still.
Not with the season slipping away and the locker room reportedly out of sync. Change is coming to Sacramento - the only question is how big it’s going to be.