As the Sacramento Kings keep reshaping their roster, the direction in the front office has become hard to miss: younger is the priority. That puts Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis squarely in the spotlight, with both former NBA All-Stars carrying major money and plenty of trade speculation into the season.
The Kings are set to pay LaVine and Sabonis nearly $100 million next season, and both names have been floating around the rumor mill all offseason. Given the amount of time each missed last year, the expectation is that they’ll remain in Sacramento, at least to open the year.
Still, there was real movement behind the scenes. ESPN Kings insider James Ham reported Tuesday that Sacramento had a major offer from the Atlanta Hawks for LaVine, with the framework centered on a Trae Young swap.
The Kings passed, and Ham said the reason was simple: they weren’t ready to lock themselves into Young long term.
"They said no because they knew that the second he got off a plane, he would want an extension and the Kings were not fully prepared to be in the longterm Trae Young business," Ham said.
Young, the Hawks’ former All-NBA point guard, has been one of the NBA’s most dangerous scorers since entering the league in 2018. But by the end of last season, his time in Atlanta was winding down, and the Hawks made clear they were open to moving him.
He was eventually sent to the Washington Wizards, where he quickly landed a 4-year, $212 million extension.
For Sacramento, the decision lines up with what the draft told us. The team took Darius Acuff Jr., and that move reinforces the idea that the Kings wanted a lead guard of their own rather than taking on Young’s contract situation. Acuff, the reigning SEC Player of the Year, has already been described internally as a franchise cornerstone.
Like Young, Acuff brings scoring and playmaking in a package that can bend a defense. He can get buckets from all three levels and create for others, which is exactly why the comparison makes sense.
His Summer League run offered a mixed bag. Acuff averaged 19 points, 5.3 assists, and one steal while helping the Kings finish with a winning record, but his shooting numbers were rough: 36.5% from the field, 26.3% from 3-point range, and 64.3% from the free-throw line.
That kind of early inconsistency isn’t unusual for offensive guards trying to find their footing at the next level. Young went through a similar stretch in his own brief Summer League stint, posting 17.0 points, 6.8 assists, and one rebound per game while also struggling from the floor.
It didn’t stick. Young followed that up with a strong rookie season and earned All-Rookie Second Team honors.
In the end, Sacramento’s choice says plenty about its plan. Young would have raised the team’s immediate ceiling, but Acuff gives the Kings a younger path forward, plus the flexibility that comes with a team-friendly rookie deal.
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Kings Passed On A Proven Star And Fans Will Debate Why
The Kings had a chance to take a swing on a proven scorer when the front office considered a trade offer for Trae Young involving Zach LaVine, according to team insider James Ham. It was the kind of decision that can shape a franchise for years, especially for a club trying to find the right blend of star power and financial flexibility in a crowded Western Conference.
Sacramento ultimately passed, with concern over Youngs contract extension demands weighing heavily in the decision. Young later landed with the Washington Wizards and signed a four-year, $212.8 million deal, which only sharpens the debate around whether the Kings were being disciplined or too cautious when the opportunity was there. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Linked To Proven Guard As Point Guard Depth Looms
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Sylvain Francisco has emerged as a name worth watching because he brings real EuroLeague credentials, along with a reputation for scoring and disruptive defensive energy. The French guard has won multiple titles and individual honors overseas, and his rsum suggests a player accustomed to high-level responsibility. The question for Sacramento is whether his smaller frame can hold up defensively against NBA backcourts, but the fit as a bench option is easy to see if the Kings decide to keep adding experience behind their young starter. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Cap-Space Plan Could Finally Land A Frontcourt Upgrade
For the last two offseasons, Sacramento has been tied to restricted free agent Jalen Duren, a frontcourt name that keeps lingering around the Kings whenever talk turns to long-term roster upgrades. The bigger picture is starting to take shape after next season, when the Kings are expected to have meaningful salary cap space and a chance to go after more than one player at once, with Duren and Jonathan Kuminga both emerging as potential fits.
General manager Scott Perry also appears to be laying the groundwork early, building relationships that could matter when the team is ready to spend. Nothing is locked in yet, and the path to a major frontcourt addition still runs through future contract decisions, but Sacramento has clearly put itself in position to be aggressive if the timing lines up. [Read more 🡒]