The Sacramento Kings are headed into the 2026-2027 NBA season with a lot to prove, but the long-term picture isn’t empty. This rebuild has to start somewhere, and it starts with the players already in the building. Sacramento still has work to do and more major changes coming, but these are the kinds of pieces that can help shift the franchise’s standing over time.
Dylan Cardwell is one of the clearest examples. His rise from undrafted player to a full contract in just a few months was one of last season’s best stories.
More than that, he brings the kind of edge the Kings have been missing at center. Cardwell is a disruptive defender around the rim, and he also brings value beyond the box score as a culture-setter and locker room leader.
Maxime Raynaud has already shown what he can do. The rookie French center stepped in when Domantas Sabonis was injured in 2025-2026 and quickly moved up the ladder among last season’s rookies.
Now comes the real test: proving that his breakout wasn’t a one-off. The expectation is that Mad Max can keep climbing and become one of the league’s best big men.
Emanuel Sharp was a second-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and his path in Sacramento should open up later this season with Zach LaVine’s departure. The Kings had a crowded shooting-guard group, but Sharp gives them something useful right away: a reliable three-point shot and a solid defensive presence. He has a chance to grow into a real rotational piece.
Alex Karaban is another name worth circling. Scott Perry worked to make sure Karaban landed in Sacramento in the last draft, and the Kings got a combo forward with real championship pedigree.
A two-time NCAA champion, Karaban brings versatility that gives Sacramento options. He can come off the bench at power forward or start on the wing, and either way he should have an impact.
Jonathan Mogbo might be the offseason addition with the most upside relative to the investment. Sacramento signed the former Raptor to a two-way contract, and that could end up being a savvy move by Perry.
Mogbo is a talented young power forward, and he stood out during the Kings’ Summer League run. Once the money and roster spot are there, the Kings need to convert him to a full contract.
In Other News...
Kings Still Have One Big Problem To Sort Out Before Opening Night
The Kings are getting close to opening night, but the roster still has a couple of loose ends to tie up before the real work begins. Sacramento is sorting through its final main roster spot and a two-way contract while also settling into a projected starting group of Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, Zach LaVine and Darius Acuff Jr., a lineup that already feels more like a starting point than a finished product.
For a team trying to get back on track, the issue is bigger than just paperwork. Sacramento is clearly balancing immediate expectations with player development, and there is a real chance the roster looks different as the season moves along. Even the coaching setup could end up part of that churn, which means the Kings are heading into 2026-27 with more questions than a contender usually wants this late in the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Sabonis Faces A Pressure Point That Could Shape Sacramentos Season
Domantas Sabonis is heading into his sixth season with the Kings carrying a very specific kind of pressure, the kind that comes with being both central to a teams present and part of its future uncertainty. Sacramento is expected to bring him back, and the organization seems intent on letting the market come to him rather than moving him before his value has a chance to rise.
For Sabonis, the season is about more than just steady production. He wants to sharpen parts of his game, especially his three-point shooting and passing, to make himself more appealing to contenders if his name comes up later. The Kings, meanwhile, are also trying to invest in their future by developing No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr., which makes Sabonis path all the more interesting as Sacramento tries to balance immediate credibility with long-term planning. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Suddenly Have A Real Maxime Raynaud Decision To Make
Maxime Raynauds rookie year gave the Kings a little more to think about than they may have expected. Once Domantas Sabonis went down, Raynauds minutes climbed, and he made enough of that opportunity to land on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, a promising sign for a player who looked increasingly comfortable as the season progressed.
Now the question is what comes next with Sabonis healthy again. Raynaud is still fighting for a role at center, and his path will depend on how much he continues to grow as a three-point shooter and a defender, along with how Sacramentos personnel settles around him. For a team that has already seen what he can do with expanded run, the issue is no longer whether he belongs in the conversation. It is how big a part of the rotation he can actually claim. [Read more 🡒]