The Sacramento Kings may look set on paper heading into training camp, but there are still a few players with plenty to prove before the roster picture fully settles. With a number of players already working out at the facility, the focus now shifts to who can separate themselves in camp and preseason.
Ben Simmons is one of the biggest names in that mix, and his place with Sacramento is not locked in yet. If he makes the opening night roster, the Kings will owe him $1 million, and if he remains on the team through January 10, the rest becomes guaranteed.
Even with that in mind, Simmons still has work to do. He is not only trying to stick on the roster, but also trying to earn a role once the games begin.
At the moment, he is competing to back up Darius Acuff Jr., though Sacramento could also use him at power forward to help balance out the bench backcourt.
Elfrid Payton faces a much steeper climb. He is on a training camp deal and is battling for the Kings’ 15th and final standard contract.
Sacramento had been linked to Payton before Simmons arrived, and once the former first-overall pick signed, it seemed like Payton’s path was blocked. Still, the Kings are keeping him around for camp, where he has a chance to make a case as a veteran point guard option.
Payton last played for the New Orleans Pelicans and Charlotte Hornets in the 2024-25 season, averaging 3.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game. At 32, he still brings passing and playmaking ability, but with Simmons now in the mix, the need for another guard in that same lane is far less urgent. If Payton can stand out in camp and preseason - especially through leadership - Sacramento could still decide to convert him to a standard deal.
Then there is rookie second-round pick Sharp, who is not in danger of being waived but is still very much fighting for opportunity. He is currently buried behind Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, Simmons, Nique Clifford, and Malik Monk on the Kings’ backcourt depth chart, so minutes will not come easily. To get on the floor, he has to earn it.
Sharp does bring a skill set that fits what Sacramento needs. He plays physical defense and can hit threes, which gives him a chance to help in two areas where the Kings struggled last season.
That gives him a real opening, even if the path is crowded. A strong camp and preseason could be enough to move him up the pecking order and give him a better launch point to his NBA career.
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For Sacramento, the frustrating part is that this is the stage where patience matters most, even as outside expectations keep sinking. Injuries have slowed the process, young players still need time, and the front office is clearly planning for the bigger picture rather than a quick fix. There may be reasons to watch the Kings closely anyway, but the broader verdict from the national conversation is blunt: this season looks like another grind in a rebuild that is still waiting for proof of progress. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Have One Chance To Shut Down This Brutal National Take
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Ben Simmons is part of the answer on the defensive side, with the former All-Defensive First Team guard expected to bring some much-needed resistance to a group that needs it. There is also optimism around rookie Darius Acuff Jr. adding offense, but for the Kings, the bigger task is turning all of those pieces into a team that looks nothing like the easy target many around the league think it will be. [Read more 🡒]