Sacramento’s offseason could open with a very specific kind of swing: betting on young talent whose team options were turned down Tuesday.
Per Spotrac’s Kevin Smith, several prospects now sit on the Kings’ radar after those decisions were made on their 2027-28 team options. The group includes Isaiah Collier, Pacome Dadiet, Daron Holmes II, AJ Johnson, Tidjane Salaun, Nikola Topić and Cody Williams, all of whom will be unrestricted free agents in June 2027.
That matters for a Kings team that may have real financial muscle for the first time in years. ESPN’s Anthony Slater said during the Jalen Duren saga that Sacramento could get up to max cap space, and the article notes the team could have over $40 million in cap space for the first time since 2019. With that kind of room, the Kings are not likely to be shopping for stars so much as trying to stack useful pieces around Darius Acuff Jr.
General manager Scott Perry already made the direction clear in his exit interview, stressing that the team needs to get younger. That makes this crop of declined-option players worth a hard look, especially since every player on the list is 22 or younger except Holmes, who is 24.
Of the seven, Holmes stands out as the cleanest fit. Sacramento has spent seasons dealing with the same frontcourt issues: not enough shooting, not enough defense, not enough of the kind of big man who can do a little of everything. Holmes checks a lot of those boxes, even if the medical risk is part of the package.
The 6-foot-9 power forward/center tore his Achilles as a rookie in July 2024, missed the entire season, and returned in May 2025. After that, he went to the G League with the Nuggets’ affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, and put up big numbers: 20.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting 37.5% from 3-point range.
That production looked a lot like the player Dayton saw before the injury. Holmes spaced the floor, found open teammates in the post, blocked shots and finished lobs. In other words, he flashed the kind of versatility Sacramento has been missing for years.
Domantas Sabonis gives the Kings rebounding, offensive organization and physical screening, while Dylan Cardwell brings simple, efficient rim protection and lob finishing. Holmes sits in the middle of those skill sets, not as a superstar, but as a useful bridge between what Sacramento already has and what it still lacks.
That versatility is also a big reason Denver moved up to take him in the first round. For the Kings, the gamble is obvious: take a shot on a young player with upside, accept the injury risk, and hope the payoff helps speed up a rebuild that needs momentum.
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Darius Acuff Jr. may be the other half of the equation. The rookie has shown enough to make a pick-and-roll pairing with Cardwell worth watching, and the fit could give Sacramento a cleaner path to easy offense if the two build chemistry quickly. For a team that could use more stability inside, that combination is one of the more intriguing developments on the horizon. [Read more 🡒]
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Los Angeles comes in with a strong record, few injury concerns and the NBAs top-ranked offense, which is a daunting mix for a Kings team still working through its own absences. Sacramento has been piecing things together around those missing pieces, and Cardwells availability adds another layer to a game that already looks like an early test of where this roster stands when the competition is at its sharpest. [Read more 🡒]