The Sacramento Kings still have work to do before the 2026-27 season gets rolling. After waiving DeMar DeRozan and Isaiah Stevens in July, they never filled those roster openings, and they’re still sitting on two open standard contracts plus one open two-way spot. That leaves room for as many as three additions before opening night.
A veteran point guard has been part of the conversation, and it’s easy to see why. Training camp is less than a month away, and the Kings are still sorting through what kind of help they actually need most. The answer may not be as simple as adding another ball-handler.
Forward depth looks like the bigger problem. Sacramento has Hunter and Murray penciled in as starters, with Karaban and Achiuwa behind them as the backup duo.
After that, the options thin out fast. Two-way Jonathan Mogbo is the only other forward currently in the room.
The Kings do have wings such as Daeqwon Plowden and Nique Clifford who could slide to small forward in a pinch, but that’s more of an emergency patch than a real solution. There’s also a possibility that Maxime Raynaud could move from center to power forward at times this season, especially next to either Domantas Sabonis or Dylan Cardwell.
If that happens, though, the center group would become light instead. Right now, the forward spots look like the weakest part of the roster unless Sacramento adds another body.
Point guard is another issue, just in a different way. Behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr., the Kings don’t have a true backup at the position.
Malik Monk is their best option to run the bench offense, but he’s naturally a shooting guard. Two-way Adam Flagler is in a similar boat and looks more like an emergency third-string option than a real backup point guard.
That’s why the idea of adding a veteran floor general keeps coming up, even if the guard room already looks crowded. The Kings probably won’t find a free agent who should be taking minutes from Acuff Jr., Monk, Zach LaVine, Nique Clifford, or Emanuel Sharp, but most of those players are better suited playing off the ball. Sacramento clearly has some faith in Monk handling the second unit, but if he or Acuff Jr. misses time, the point guard depth disappears.
That’s where Ben Simmons enters the picture. Plenty of Kings fans may still cringe at the thought of him joining the roster, but he checks a lot of boxes for this team. The 6-foot-10 three-time All-Star has the size of a forward and the handling and passing of a point guard, which gives him the flexibility to help at either spot.
Simmons has plenty to prove, and he hasn’t been a productive NBA player in a while. Still, on paper, he fits.
The Kings need defense, they need more guard depth, and they need help on the wing. Despite the obvious concerns about his health and jump shot, Simmons looks like a logical swing for a team trying to patch multiple holes at once.
In Other News...
Domantas Sabonis Rumor Puts Kings Fans On Edge This Offseason
Domantas Sabonis has given Sacramento plenty to think about this offseason, even before the Kings get deep into roster-building. Brian Windhorst raised the possibility that the All-Star center could eventually ask out, pointing to Sabonis recent switch to Aaron Mintz of CAA as one more sign that people around the league are watching the situation closely.
Sabonis has already been part of trade chatter before, including a rumored framework involving Charlotte that never came together. For the Kings, the concern is not just the noise but the context: since arriving in 2022, he has dealt with injuries and just put up career-low numbers in the most recent season, which only adds to the uncertainty around one of the franchises most important players. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Rebuild Still Hinges On One Worry Fans Know Too Well
Scott Perrys arrival as the Kings general manager has been viewed as a meaningful step for a franchise trying to steady itself, and the rebuild has at least given Sacramento a clearer direction than it has had in years. Perry now has the task of shaping the roster and guiding the next phase, with the hope that a more disciplined front office can finally give the team some long-term footing.
Vivek Ranadive, though, remains the part of the equation that keeps many fans uneasy. He has been the Kings managing co-owner and chairman since 2013, and his reputation for a hands-on, micromanaging style has long fueled questions about how much control the basketball side can really have. For a rebuild to stick, Sacramento needs more than a new plan - it needs that plan to be left alone long enough to work. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans Suddenly Have A Serious Sabonis Problem
Domantas Sabonis has become a central figure in a summer full of uncertainty around Sacramento, and the latest twist only adds to the intrigue. The Kings big man recently switched agents to Aaron Mintz, a move that immediately stood out given Mintzs track record in helping navigate major player movement. For a franchise that has leaned heavily on Sabonis as a foundational piece, the timing feels especially noteworthy with no extension on the table.
There have already been trade discussions involving Eastern Conference teams, which is enough to keep the temperature up around a situation that had seemed more stable not long ago. Sabonis is still on the roster for now, but the sense around the league is that his future in Sacramento may be approaching a decision point sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]