Leaky Black’s name was one of the more surprising ones on the Sacramento Kings’ training camp roster, but the fit is easy enough to understand. The Stockton Kings forward, who recently signed a training camp contract, gives Sacramento another look at a player who can help in ways that don’t always jump off the stat sheet.
That kind of profile matters for a team that has made a few eyebrow-raising moves lately. The biggest was bringing Ben Simmons back to the league, a low-risk addition on a one-year veteran minimum to back up Darius Acuff Jr.
Sacramento also added Elfrid Payton on a training camp contract, then followed that by doing the same with Tristen Newton, a young combo guard. With one main roster spot and one two-way spot still open, the front office may still be searching for more help at point guard.
Black stands out because he’s a small forward, and that’s not exactly the most obvious area of need. The Kings already have solid depth on the wing. Still, getting a closer look at him in camp could be part of a larger roster picture taking shape behind the scenes.
What makes Black interesting is the defense. He’s the kind of player who does the dirty work, the stuff that can be easy to overlook but still matters.
Some people call him a “glue guy,” and that label fits the type of role Sacramento seems to value. Offensively, he isn’t as polished, but he does have a solid three and could keep building from there.
Earlier in September, the Stockton Kings picked up Black’s rights in a larger trade. Since going undrafted in 2023, he’s bounced around the G League and NBA while looking for the right landing spot. Sacramento’s interest makes sense if the team is serious about adding defenders who can hold up in different situations.
Even with the wing rotation looking crowded right now, the next year could bring more movement. Black’s training camp invite feels like part of the Kings’ longer view of how the roster may evolve. If he makes a strong impression, a path to the main roster could open sooner rather than later.
For now, Black, Payton and Newton are battling for those final two regular season spots. And even if Black ends up back in the G League this season, he could still be in a strong position to work his way onto the Kings down the line as the roster changes around him.
In Other News...
Kings Interest In Jalen Duren Just Got A Lot More Serious
Jalen Durens contract situation in Detroit has suddenly become one of the more interesting plot lines on Sacramentos radar. After declining a five-year offer from the Pistons, he is now in a stalemate with the team as Thursdays deadline to accept a one-year qualifying offer approaches. For the Kings, that only sharpens the appeal of a big man who has already drawn mutual interest from Sacramento, whether through a trade or a future free-agent pursuit.
The catch is the same one that has shadowed Sacramentos pursuit from the start: the Kings do not have the cap room to sign Duren to a max deal right now. So the focus has turned to creating a path, and that has reportedly included exploring a Domantas Sabonis trade to clear the necessary space. If Sacramento can get that flexibility, Duren becomes a much more realistic target either before or during the 2026 season, or when he reaches free agency in 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Kings New-Look Roster Is Already Fueling A Brutal 2026-27 Debate
On The Matt George Podcast, Josh Lloyd of Locked On Fantasy Basketball took a long look at where the Kings could be headed in 2026-27, and his read was not exactly comforting. He pointed to the possibility of defensive issues lingering on a roster that is still trying to sort out its identity, even as the front office adds new pieces and hopes the fit improves.
Lloyd also raised questions about whether newcomers Darius Acuff Jr. and DeAndre Hunter will live up to the expectations attached to them, which only adds to the uncertainty around Sacramentos next step. And if the Kings do decide Domantas Sabonis is part of the answer they want to move off of, Lloyd suggested they may have to be more realistic about the trade return than they would like. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Final Two-Way Spot May Be Down To One Young Guard
The Kings have brought Tristen Newton into 2024 training camp, putting the former UConn guard squarely in the mix for one of the team's two-way openings. Newton arrives with a G League-heavy resume and some real pedigree, since he was a 2024 second-round pick by the Pacers before Sacramento picked up his rights in a trade involving the Stockton Kings.
For a roster still sorting out its final developmental spot, Newton is the kind of player worth a long look: young, experienced in the G League grind, and familiar enough to the organization through the Stockton connection. He also went on to earn All-NBA G League First Team honors in 2026, which only adds to the intrigue around whether the Kings see him as the right fit for that last two-way slot. [Read more 🡒]