The Sacramento Kings are heading into a season split between two timelines.
On one side is the veteran core, a group that can still carry minutes and give the team something resembling stability. On the other is the younger wave - the rookies and sophomores Sacramento needs to get on the floor if this rebuild is going to mean anything down the road.
That tension sits at the center of the Kings’ year. After a 22-60 finish in 2025-2026, one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the outlook around the league is bleak.
Some projections have Sacramento pegged as the worst team in basketball. Given where this roster stands, that’s not hard to understand.
The bigger issue is that the Kings can’t fully live in both worlds at once. They need to develop the next group while still leaning on the veterans who are actually capable of leading the team on a nightly basis. That creates a tricky balancing act, especially when the roster’s most established names are also the ones most likely to be moved.
Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, De'Andre Hunter, and Malik Monk all sit in that category. They’re productive players, but their futures in Sacramento look uncertain.
LaVine and Hunter are both on expiring deals after 2026-2027. Sabonis and Monk each have another season after this one, assuming Monk picks up his player option for 2027-2028.
Even so, the Kings will keep listening to trade offers for both.
So far, that’s reportedly been easier said than done, largely because of Sacramento’s high asking prices.
That matters because these are also the most expensive players on the roster. The Kings can’t simply push them aside and hand everything to the younger guys from day one. The more realistic path is to begin the season with the veterans carrying the load while the rookies and sophomores get their chances to grow before the real pressure starts to build.
By the time this season winds down, LaVine and Hunter are expected to be gone. If Sacramento gets its way, Monk and Sabonis won’t be far behind. For now, though, this remains the veterans’ team - at least until the younger generation is ready to take over.
In Other News...
Kings End Preseason With A Problem Fans Cant Ignore
The Kings closed preseason with another rough night, dropping a 126-97 decision to the Spurs and extending a five-game skid that leaves little question about how uneven these final tune-ups were. Sacramento opened with Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, Ben Simmons, and Domantas Sabonis, but San Antonio seized control early and never really let the Kings settle in.
The bigger concern was how one-sided the game became in the areas that usually travel well into the regular season. The Spurs owned the glass 61-38 and buried 17 three-pointers, while Sacramento managed only three, a spread that underscored how far off the Kings looked at both ends. Preseason results only matter so much, but this was the kind of finish fans notice because it exposed the same kinds of issues that can linger if they are not cleaned up quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Opening Lineup Looks Set But One Concern Still Looms
The Kings appear to be closing in on a starting group for the new season, with Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, Ben Simmons, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis lining up as the most likely opening five. It is a look that brings more clarity than Sacramento had at times last year, when injuries and constant roster shuffling kept the team from ever settling into much of a rhythm.
Even so, there is still a layer of uncertainty hanging over the roster. Rookie center Maxime Raynaud is already dealing with a preseason injury, and at least two starters are considered possible trade candidates, which means the group the Kings open with may not be the one they carry very far into the season. For a team trying to turn stability into real traction, health and cohesion may end up mattering as much as talent. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Preseason Created A Real Rotation Debate Before Opening Night
The Kings left preseason with plenty to sort through, and not much of it was flattering on the scoreboard. Sacramento went 0-5, losing by an average of 14.8 points, but the exhibition slate still offered a clearer look at the roster battle taking shape before opening night. Darius Acuff Jr. emerged as the team's top scorer in preseason action, giving the Kings a promising glimpse at what the rookie point guard might become as the regular season approaches.
Ben Simmons also made a case for more minutes after sitting out the previous season, and Jonathan Mogbo turned heads on a two-way contract with encouraging play. The tricky part for Sacramento is figuring out where that leaves everyone else, especially De'Andre Hunter, who struggled enough that his role could shrink if the Kings lean more heavily on Simmons and the other players who outperformed him in exhibition play. [Read more 🡒]