The Sacramento Kings are working through a rebuild with the kind of payroll constraints that make every move feel loaded. The draft has helped, no doubt, but the bigger swings in trades and free agency are still hard to line up until more money comes off the books. That leaves the front office hunting for the right opportunities, and a few names could be worth tracking.
The clearest opening may come next offseason, when the contracts of Zach LaVine and De'Andre Hunter expire. If Jalen Duren and/or Jonathan Kuminga become realistic options, Sacramento is expected to go after them. But with a lot of moving parts that need to fall into place, the Kings also have to keep other possibilities on the radar.
RJ Barrett is one of them. His deal runs through 2027, and with Ja'Kobe Walter projected to take his place, Barrett’s run in Toronto may be nearing its end.
Kings GM Scott Perry, who is a big relationship guy, was the one who drafted Barrett to the Knicks years ago. A mid-season trade would make sense because of Barrett’s expiring contract, though that only becomes workable if Sacramento clears out other shooting guards.
Davion Mitchell is another intriguing name, and this one comes with a familiar face. The former King has settled in with the Heat and is slated to start at point guard.
He is paired with Bam Adebayo as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo. His current contract expires after this season, and what happens next will hinge on his play.
If Miami decides to move on, Mitchell would be a strong candidate to return to Sacramento and fill the point guard spot.
Jake LaRavia carries a different kind of appeal. There’s still a “one that got away” feel to his brief stint with the Kings, who had to let the young power forward leave because of salary cap issues and CBA rules.
Sacramento wanted him around, and if the chance comes up again, there’s reason to believe he’d fit the rebuild well. He could also give the Kings useful depth at power forward.
Grant Williams would bring a more veteran flavor to that same position. Whether the Hornets keep him after this season will determine whether he becomes available, but his physical defense would be a strong addition for Sacramento. So would his three-point shooting, which would help the floor spacing.
Then there’s Luguentz Dort, whose defensive reputation makes him hard to ignore. After spending years as an OKC fixture, he is now with the Hawks on an expiring contract.
His suffocating defense was a major part of the Thunder’s championship run. The Kings don’t need another shooting guard, but adding a defender of Dort’s level would still make sense, especially if the price lands under $20 million per season.
If he becomes available next offseason, Sacramento should be ready to move.
In Other News...
Kings Interest In Jalen Duren Just Got A Lot More Serious
Jalen Durens contract situation in Detroit has suddenly become one of the more interesting plot lines on Sacramentos radar. After declining a five-year offer from the Pistons, he is now in a stalemate with the team as Thursdays deadline to accept a one-year qualifying offer approaches. For the Kings, that only sharpens the appeal of a big man who has already drawn mutual interest from Sacramento, whether through a trade or a future free-agent pursuit.
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 🡒]