The Sacramento Kings may not have much financial wiggle room, but they still have a couple of roster openings to sort through - and Jerry Reynolds has a clear favorite among the free-agent names tied to the team.
Sacramento currently has 13 players on the roster and two two-way contracts in place, leaving two standard spots open and three more camp invites available beyond that. That matters for a team that’s projected to be near the bottom of the Western Conference next season and doesn’t exactly have a glamorous pitch for free agents.
The biggest issue sits right at point guard. Darius Acuff Jr., the incoming lottery pick, is the only true floor general on the roster right now. Russell Westbrook handled that role last season, but he chose retirement instead of coming back for another year.
That’s why recent reports have connected the Kings to Cameron Payne, Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo. Reynolds, who has worn just about every Kings hat possible as a former general manager, head coach and broadcaster, weighed in on The Drive Guys and made his preference pretty clear.
“Clearly they feel like they need somebody with NBA experience to play behind Acuff,” Reynolds said. “I think Cam Payne probably is the best of the three. Considering he’s actually played some level of NBA basketball recently.”
Payne’s case is straightforward. He appeared in 22 games for the Philadelphia 76ers and put up 7.4 points and 2.6 assists in 17 minutes per night.
Before that, he logged 78 games across three teams the previous season. At 32, the last pick of the 2015 NBA Draft lottery is still trying to stick in the league.
Payton brings a different profile. The former lottery pick spent time in the G-League with the Austin Spurs, where he averaged 6.3 points, 6.0 assists and 5.8 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game. He and Payne both fit the classic point guard mold, something Scott Perry and Doug Christie have publicly valued with the scoring already on the roster.
Reynolds also pointed out that none of the rumored options would threaten Acuff’s spot.
“I don’t think you have to worry about [Payne] beating out Acuff,” he said. “Certainly he’s got to be well aware that he’s not going to be a starter, and he can shoot.”
Oladipo is the wild card of the group. A former All-Star trying to work his way back after injuries, he hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since April 2023. He also stands apart from Payne and Payton in another way: all three players are under 32.
That age note gave Reynolds room for a joke.
“Why not see if we can’t get John Stockton out of retirement?” Reynolds joked. “See what he’s got left.”
Sacramento is moving toward training camp in late September, with preseason set to open on Monday, October 5th against Luka Doncic and the new-look Los Angeles Lakers at Golden 1 Center.
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Cardwells rise was especially encouraging after he saw his role grow following a teammates injury, and he finished third among rookies with 67 blocks in 44 games. Raynaud wasnt far behind, tying for eighth among first-year players with 39 blocks and earning All-Rookie Second Team recognition. Both showed enough timing and presence around the basket to make their defense matter, and Cardwell even came up with key blocks in a late-season win, the sort of moment that can stick with a team searching for signs of a different future. [Read more 🡒]