The Sacramento Kings are reaching for a familiar kind of fix after a brutal opening stretch: a veteran center who can step in, absorb minutes and steady a frontcourt that has been stretched thin.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Sacramento is signing Mason Plumlee to a deal. Plumlee’s agents, Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of Priority Sports, confirmed the agreement to ESPN. At 36, Plumlee is set to begin his 14th NBA season, and Sacramento will be the 10th team on his career list.
That list already includes the Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, LA Clippers, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs. He also spent a brief stretch on the Oklahoma City Thunder’s roster last season after being traded there by Charlotte, before being waived and landing in San Antonio.
The move comes with the Kings badly in need of help. Sacramento has opened 1-10 and is riding a four-game losing streak after falling 107-100 to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.
Center depth has been a real issue. Domantas Sabonis missed Sunday’s loss to the Miami Heat because of left knee soreness, the same knee he had surgically repaired in February. With Sabonis out, the Kings have turned to Dylan Cardwell and Precious Achiuwa to handle the paint.
Plumlee won’t arrive as a headline-grabber, but he does bring exactly the sort of traits a team in this spot can use: size, experience and a dependable presence. The former first-round pick out of Duke has long been known as a solid screener and passer who can slide into a rotation when called upon.
His most recent stop came with San Antonio, where he signed a 10-day contract in February before sticking with the Spurs for the rest of the season. In 2024-25, he played in 74 games for Phoenix and averaged 4.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Sacramento’s next chance to halt the slide comes Friday, when it hosts the Portland Trail Blazers.
In Other News...
Kings Rookie Darius Acuff Just Faced His Toughest NBA Test Yet
Darius Acuff Jr. has already been thrown into the kind of assignment that can speed up a rookies education, and he did not hesitate when asked who has given him the hardest time on the defensive end so far. The Sacramento Kings point guard pointed to Luka Doni after a recent matchup in which Acuff put together one of his better all-around games, finishing with 22 points and 12 assists even as Sacramento fell 116-103.
For the Kings, the encouraging part is that Acuffs playmaking has been trending in the right direction even while his shooting efficiency still has room to grow. The challenge now is less about whether he can handle the spotlight and more about how quickly he can turn those tough nights against elite talent into steadier production as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Brutal Start Just Made The Next Nine Games Feel Worse
The Kings rough opening has already left little margin for error, and the schedule ahead does not offer much relief. Sacramento sits at 1-10, a start that has made every possession feel heavier, and now the next stretch brings nine games against teams with better records, a run that could quickly deepen the early hole if the group does not steady itself.
Roster changes have only added to the sense that this season is still searching for its footing. Sacramento has already moved on from Nique Clifford and brought in Mason Plumlee, part of a broader effort to patch together answers while the losses keep piling up. With the opposition about to stiffen, the Kings are staring at a stretch that could define whether this skid becomes a brief stumble or something far more damaging. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Losing Streak Keeps Growing But One Bright Spot Just Emerged
The losing streak keeps stretching for Sacramento, and the latest setback came in a 120-107 loss to Portland that left the Kings still searching for their first home win of the season. The bigger issue has been the same one that has followed them through this slide: an offense that has had trouble finding rhythm, with poor shooting and foul trouble making it harder to build any kind of momentum.
Even so, there was a small bright spot to take from the night. Darius Acuff Jr. battled through an off shooting performance and still finished with 17 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds, while Keegan Murray turned in his best game of the season with 16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals. For a team needing something to build on, Murrays lift stood out as one of the few encouraging signs in a rough stretch. [Read more 🡒]