The Sacramento Kings may have quietly found a point guard worth watching.
After making only a few notable offseason moves, Sacramento’s most interesting swing came through its G League side in Stockton, which landed Tristen Newton’s rights in an early September trade. Now Newton is headed to Kings training camp, according to Spotrac’s Keith Smith.
“The Sacramento Kings have signed Tristen Newton to a training camp contract, a league source told @spotrac.”
Newton, 25, enters camp with a résumé that already includes a 49th overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft and a strong run through five college seasons at UConn. He also arrives with championship company: his back-to-back national titles came alongside new Kings rookie Alex Karaban.
The NBA minutes have been scarce so far. Newton has made nine career appearances across two seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets. But in the G League, he has done plenty to force attention.
Last season, Newton played 35 regular season games in the G League and put up 25.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per night. He shot 48.2% from the field and 37.8% from three on 8.2 attempts per game. That kind of production paints the picture of a guard who can do a little of everything - score, distribute, and defend without any obvious weak spot.
“The @HoustonRockets two-way Tristen Newton showed out his elite shot-making ability all season. He finished No. 3 in the league for points per game and earned All-NBA G League First Team honors. 👏 pic.twitter.com/RsefMtimHY”
Sacramento still has an open two-way spot, and right now Adam Flagler and Jonathan Mogbo occupy the other two. Newton has a real path to forcing his way into that final slot if he stands out in camp.
The Kings also had a clear need behind the lead guard spot. Before signing former three-time All-Star Ben Simmons, they did not have a true backup point guard.
Malik Monk and Nique Clifford could handle the ball, but both are natural shooting guards. Darius Acuff Jr. was the only true point guard on the roster before Simmons entered the picture.
Even now, the situation comes with risk. Sacramento is leaning on 30-year-old Ben Simmons, who has an extensive injury history, as its backup point guard. Newton would give the Kings another option there, and possibly a longer-term one if he keeps trending upward.
That’s what makes this such a smart low-risk look for Sacramento. If Newton carries his G League form into camp, the Kings could have a legitimate case to turn this into a two-way deal. And with Karaban already in the mix, the UConn connection gives this young group another layer worth tracking.
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The catch is the same one that has shadowed Sacramentos pursuit from the start: the Kings do not have the cap room to sign Duren to a max deal right now. So the focus has turned to creating a path, and that has reportedly included exploring a Domantas Sabonis trade to clear the necessary space. If Sacramento can get that flexibility, Duren becomes a much more realistic target either before or during the 2026 season, or when he reaches free agency in 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Kings New-Look Roster Is Already Fueling A Brutal 2026-27 Debate
On The Matt George Podcast, Josh Lloyd of Locked On Fantasy Basketball took a long look at where the Kings could be headed in 2026-27, and his read was not exactly comforting. He pointed to the possibility of defensive issues lingering on a roster that is still trying to sort out its identity, even as the front office adds new pieces and hopes the fit improves.
Lloyd also raised questions about whether newcomers Darius Acuff Jr. and DeAndre Hunter will live up to the expectations attached to them, which only adds to the uncertainty around Sacramentos next step. And if the Kings do decide Domantas Sabonis is part of the answer they want to move off of, Lloyd suggested they may have to be more realistic about the trade return than they would like. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Final Two-Way Spot May Be Down To One Young Guard
The Kings have brought Tristen Newton into 2024 training camp, putting the former UConn guard squarely in the mix for one of the team's two-way openings. Newton arrives with a G League-heavy resume and some real pedigree, since he was a 2024 second-round pick by the Pacers before Sacramento picked up his rights in a trade involving the Stockton Kings.
For a roster still sorting out its final developmental spot, Newton is the kind of player worth a long look: young, experienced in the G League grind, and familiar enough to the organization through the Stockton connection. He also went on to earn All-NBA G League First Team honors in 2026, which only adds to the intrigue around whether the Kings see him as the right fit for that last two-way slot. [Read more 🡒]