Kevin Porter Jr. is suddenly one of the more interesting names on the market, and the Sacramento Kings have a very obvious reason to pay attention.
Milwaukee has decided to move on from Porter after his 2025-2026 season with the Bucks, and once he clears waivers he’ll become an unrestricted free agent. That should draw real attention, with the Kings and Wolves both being mentioned as possible landing spots.
For Sacramento, the fit is easy to see. The Kings have stripped away their point guard depth by waiving several players, and Ben Simmons’ season-ending injury only made the situation worse.
That leaves them thin at the one, with a single dedicated point guard backed up by one combo shooting guard. Porter could change that in a hurry.
He’s already been on Sacramento’s radar, too. The Kings had looked at him previously as a trade target, and the appeal is obvious: he’s a 26 year old veteran who put up 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game with Milwaukee last season. He also brings defense, which is part of what Sacramento needs right now.
What makes Porter especially useful is his ability to slide between roles. He can operate as a primary playmaker or take on a secondary creation job, which gives the Kings options they don’t currently have. He could back up Darius Acuff and give him real breathing room, or he could step in as the lead organizer if Sacramento wants to ease Acuff’s burden - or if injury forces the issue.
The problem for the Kings is that they’re not alone. Minnesota could also be in the mix, and the Wolves may offer a much more attractive basketball situation. Under CBA rules, neither team can give Porter more than a veteran minimum contract, so the decision comes down to fit and outlook rather than money.
That’s where the contrast gets stark. Sacramento is dealing with a pile of injuries and comes into the season as the only franchise that didn’t win a preseason game, which comes on the heels of a rough 2025-2026. Minnesota, meanwhile, made major offseason changes that should put it in contender territory.
So Porter’s choice is simple on paper: a title push in Minnesota or a long-term rebuild in Sacramento. Either way, if the Kings can land him, it could make a major difference.
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Keegan Murray did not hide how much the injury landed with the group, pointing to both the severity of the setback and the difficult road Simmons has already traveled. The Kings now have to recalibrate without a player they had penciled into a prominent role, while Simmons faces the reality of missing two straight NBA seasons. For Sacramento, the challenge is not just replacing minutes, but absorbing the loss of a player whose presence was supposed to help stabilize the first unit from day one. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Suddenly Have A Real Shot At A Guard Fans Know
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Dallas may have the edge on paper because it has a two-way roster spot available and a pre-existing relationship with Clayton, which could make that an appealing landing spot if he clears waivers. Still, the next step may come down to something simpler than team fit alone: where he can actually get minutes, and how that lines up with the long-term direction he wants for his career. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Season Opener Puts Doug Christies Biggest Concern Under Pressure
The Kings preseason numbers did little to ease the worries around Doug Christies offense. Sacramento averaged just 102 points a game, struggled with shooting efficiency and piled up turnovers, a rough opening act for a team trying to sort out an attack that still leans too heavily on midrange looks in a league built around threes and shots at the rim.
Christie has already pointed to shot selection as a concern, and the bigger issue may be how the offense is creating those looks in the first place. Sacramentos spacing and movement have been identified as schematic problems, and that puts the season opener under a sharper spotlight, with the Kings needing to show their approach can generate better opportunities before the questions about the offense grow louder. [Read more 🡒]