Scott Perry has made the mission plain for the Sacramento Kings entering the 2026-27 season: the standard is progress, every day.
That message came through loud and clear in Perry’s opening remarks at Kings media day, where he laid out expectations for players, coaches and the front office alike. Sacramento is coming off a 22-win season, so the win total will naturally be part of the conversation. But Perry made it clear that the bigger focus is on building something sturdier than a single-year record.
“I approach this year, look, we want to compete while we continue the building process. That's very important to us,” Perry stated.
“The mandate that I've given everyone in this building - players, coaches, front office alike. Just get better every single day.
No matter how small, every day, just win every day. And try to get better every single day.
I'm excited to get the year started, get it underway. Excited to continue to build this team, a team that this Sacramento community can rally around.”
For a team that finished last season with little to celebrate, the directive is simple enough to say and harder to live by. Still, Sacramento has a clear starting point: there’s only room to climb after a 22-win year. The real challenge is making sure that climb actually turns into something lasting.
That’s where the mandate becomes interesting. The Kings still have veterans in Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Malik Monk, and all three appear to be on their way out over the next year or two. Even so, Perry expects them to be part of the process and to buy into what the organization is trying to build.
What happens if someone can’t meet that standard will be one of the key things to watch. This season may not ultimately be defined by the standings, but Sacramento needs momentum, and it needs its young players - including Darius Acuff Jr. - to get real time on the court and keep developing. After what felt like a wasted season a year ago, the Kings can’t afford to let another one slip away.
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 🡒]