The Kings may have a path to clean up their roster, add RJ Barrett, and create a bigger role for Jonathan Mogbo all in one swing.
That possibility starts with a trade framework involving the Raptors, a move that would give Sacramento enough breathing room to convert both Adam Flagler and Mogbo from two-way deals into standard NBA contracts. For a team still shaping itself for 2026-2027, that kind of maneuver has real appeal.
Scott Perry’s connection to Barrett is the obvious thread here. Before taking over as the Kings’ general manager, Perry held the same job with the Knicks, where he was part of the turnaround that helped push New York back toward championship form.
One of the moves tied to that stretch was drafting Barrett in 2019, and the long-running buzz has been that Perry would like to bring him back into the fold. Perry has built a reputation as a relationship-driven executive, so the fit makes sense.
Barrett is on an expiring contract with Toronto, and the Raptors are already positioning Ja'Kobe Walter to step into his spot. From Sacramento’s side, a package built around Malik Monk, Daeqwon Plowder, and Nique Clifford could be enough to bring Barrett in. If that happens, the ripple effects are significant.
For one, it would help unlock a better path for the Kings’ two-way players. Sacramento used two of its three two-way slots on Flagler, a shooting guard, and Mogbo, a power forward, during the offseason.
Both are young, both bring versatility, and both fit neatly into a rebuild-minded approach. A trade like this would give the Kings the room to elevate them to the main roster.
Payroll is the hurdle. Sacramento is operating very close to the first apron and the luxury-tax line, which makes every roster decision matter. But converting two-way contracts to standard deals is far less costly than making a bigger splash, and that makes this route attractive.
It would also leave the Kings with open two-way spots to keep adding to the development pipeline. Right now, Sacramento still has one two-way slot available even without making the trade, and the fact that plenty of talent went undrafted in 2026 gives the team options there too. In other words, the Barrett idea could do more than just add another scorer - it could help clear the runway for Mogbo and Flagler while giving the Kings more flexibility to keep building.
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Acuff showed flashes of why people are excited during summer league, especially as a creator who can set the table and score in bunches. The next step, though, is the hard one for any young guard: handling NBA-level defense while tightening up his shooting efficiency, and if he gets there, the early comparisons to former Kings guard De'Aaron Fox will only get louder. [Read more 🡒]