The Kings have a pair of open standard contracts to work with after moving on from DeMar DeRozan, and the roster picture is pretty clear: Sacramento needs help on the wing and behind rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr.
DeRozan’s departure leaves the Kings at 16 players, with all three two-way spots already spoken for. The easiest path to replacing his minutes is to add another forward who can fit into the rotation without forcing the team to lean too heavily on Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, and Alex Karaban. Sacramento already has Hunter and Karaban on the roster at small forward, but another young piece there would make sense.
Two names that stand out are Ziaire Williams and Ochai Agbaji.
Williams is 24 and now an unrestricted free agent after the Brooklyn Nets renounced his rights as part of their offseason cleanup. Drafted 10th overall in 2021, he hasn’t matched the expectations that came with being a top-10 pick, but there’s still something to work with. Last season with Brooklyn, he put up 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while hitting a career-best 34.3% from three.
Agbaji is in a similar lane. The 26-year-old was taken 14th overall in 2022 and has bounced around the Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, and Nets without carving out a major role. His strongest stretch came with Toronto in 2024-25, when he averaged 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 49.8/39.9.
Both wings would give Sacramento a chance to get younger while adding players who could potentially contribute on both ends.
The other obvious need is at backup point guard. Acuff Jr., the Kings’ seventh overall pick in this year’s draft, is the future at the position, but he’s only 19 and could use some help. Malik Monk and Nique Clifford can handle the ball in bench lineups, yet it would not be a surprise if Sacramento added a veteran to steady things during the rookie’s first year.
Russell Westbrook and Gary Payton II are the two free-agent guards who fit that lane.
Westbrook, 37, is already familiar with Sacramento after signing a one-year deal with the Kings last season. A return looks unlikely, but the case for bringing him back is easy to see. Scott Perry would be wise to do what he can to keep him around, because a veteran of Westbrook’s stature would give Acuff Jr. a strong presence to learn from, and the 18-year veteran still has enough left to matter on the floor.
Maxime Raynaud on Russell Westbrook:"He's an amazing worker, a great human being. I have nothing but positive things to say about him."
Payton, 33, remains with the Golden State Warriors for now, but he could be a fit in Sacramento if the situation lined up right. The Kings could use a dependable defensive guard who can back up the backcourt and slide into Doug Christie’s effort-driven system without much adjustment.
However they choose to use those two open spots, the Kings’ priorities are obvious: add a wing, add a veteran guard, and make sure the roster gives their new rookie point guard some real support.
In Other News...
Sabonis Trade Talk Just Got A Lot More Complicated For Kings
Domantas Sabonis has been in the middle of Sacramento trade chatter since the end of last season, but the Kings latest roster work has made that conversation a lot less straightforward. General manager Scott Perry has spent the summer reshaping the roster through the draft and free agency, and the result is a team that may no longer need to treat Sabonis as only a traditional starting center.
That shift matters because Sacramento is still trying to sort out its payroll and has been active in exploring moves involving other veterans. If the Kings can keep the books flexible and find the right balance around him, Sabonis could end up fitting in a different way than expected, which is why the question now is not just whether he can be moved, but whether the new version of the roster makes it smarter to keep him around for another season. [Read more 🡒]
DeMar DeRozans Kings Exit Suddenly Feels A Lot More Real
DeMar DeRozans time in Sacramento already had the feel of a short-term arrangement, and now the market around him is starting to look even more fluid. The veteran wing is a free agent, and NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that his next stop could be shaped by where LeBron James lands, with teams like the Warriors, Cavaliers and Heat among the clubs that could pivot to DeRozan if they miss on their bigger target.
For the Kings, the bigger picture is less about adding another name and more about how they manage the roster and the books from here. DeRozan is widely expected to end up on a veteran minimum deal elsewhere, which makes his exit feel less like a surprise than the next step in a summer that has steadily pointed him toward a new opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Fans May Not Like Where DeMar DeRozan Could Land Next
The Warriors have spent the early part of free agency chasing a dream scenario, with Stephen Curry reportedly meeting with LeBron James in June to discuss the possibility of bringing him to Golden State. For Sacramento, the more immediate part of the story is DeMar DeRozan, who was recently waived by the Kings and is now on the open market after another stop in a long and productive career.
If James winds up elsewhere, Golden State is expected to keep shopping in the veteran lane, and DeRozans name has surfaced as a possible fit. For a Kings team that just moved on from him, it is another reminder that his next landing spot could still matter in the Western Conference, especially if a contender decides his scoring and experience are worth the gamble. [Read more 🡒]