Are the Sacramento Kings rebuilding, or are they a playoff team? The Kings have a considerable amount of talent, and they added around the edges, but is it enough to keep them competitive in the West? Granted, the Kings may not be done as they have been linked to Jonathan Kuminga.
4 Kings Youngsters Expected To Be In Mix For Major Minutes
Sacramento finished 10th in the West last year with a 40-42 record. The Kings were three games above .500 (27-24) after making the change on the bench, replacing Mike Brown with Doug Christie, despite trading away De’Andre Fox. Offense improvement, as Christie allowed Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis the freedom to play in their preferred style, was key.
Sacramento was the ninth-oldest team in the NBA during the 2024-25 season. While the Kings traded Fox and Jonas Valanciunas, they got older with the additions of four veterans this summer. The Kings drafted Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud in June’s draft. They traded for Dario Saric — received in the Valanciunas trade– and signed Drew Eubanks, Dennis Schröder, and Doug McDermott.
While time will tell how the Kings did this offseason, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report wasn’t impressed. Hughes gave the Kings a grade of D-.
“The Sacramento Kings needed a starting point guard, though, and Schröder might have been the best they could do,” Hughes said. “Schröder’s deal features a partially guaranteed third season, which mitigates some of the risk of a pact worth up to $44 million over three years. It’s still hard to view a soon-to-be 32-year-old who’s played for nine teams in 12 years as a positive addition.
“Otherwise, the Kings took on Dario Sarić for Jonas Valanciunas, ultimately taking back an inferior player who doesn’t address the roster’s lack of a backup center,” he continued. “Before you mention him, neither does minimum signee Drew Eubanks.”
Kings’ Salary Situation and Depth Chart
Sacramento has 15 players on standard contracts with a salary cap hit of $184.7 million. The Kings are $3.1 million under the luxury tax, though they have some flexibility. Keon Ellis and Terrence Davis hold non-guaranteed deals, with neither being fully guaranteed til January 10.
The Kings’ starting unit appears set with LaVine, DeRozan, Sabonis, and Keegan Murray guaranteed starters. The most significant question mark is at point guard, where Schröder or Monk is slated. Schröder is expected to start unless the Kings add another point guard, as Monk is one of the best 6th men in the league.
Sacramento has been linked to Ben Simmons, Malcolm Brogdon, and Russell Westbrook recently. The Kings were mentioned as the “best fit” for Westbrook, according to CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn.
“He’s been linked to Sacramento all offseason, and even with Dennis Schröder in place, there still isn’t much passing here,” Quinn wrote. “The Kings also fell from 11th in pace in the first half of last season (when they had De’Aaron Fox) to 28th in the second half (when Zach LaVine replaced him). They could use someone to push pace and hopefully generate some easy points, and while Westbrook’s off-ball defense is inconsistent, he can be tough against opposing ball-handlers because of his athleticism and strength.”
The Bench
The bench is where the Kings’ youngsters could get some significant time. Monk or Schröder, the loser of the battle for the starting job, are the only players guaranteed to be part of the Kings’ second unit. Ellis, coming off a career season, is also projected to have a significant role off the bench, as he is arguably the team’s best perimeter defender.
According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, Raynaud will have a chance to be the Kings’ primary backup center after a strong summer campaign. Helping the Kings to the Vegas Summer League championship game.
Raynaud wasn’t the only Kings player to have a strong summer. The Kings finished the summer with a 5-1 record, falling to Cleveland in the title game 83-78 despite Isaac Jones’ 24-point and 11-rebound double-double. Jones, Clifford, and Devin Carter are also in line for prominent roles this season, per Anderson.
Niquel Clifford
Sacramento moved into the first round by trading for Oklahoma City’s pick at No. 24. The Kings sent a protected 2027 first-round selection to the Thunder for the right to select Clifford.
Clifford, who had a career season at Colorado State, showed why he was a first-round pick at Vegas. The 6-5 guard was the only rookie to earn All-Summer League honors in Vegas as he displayed his scoring, shooting, and playmaking prowess.
Clifford produced five double-figure scoring games, putting up at least 17 points in each of his last four contests, and one double-double in six outings. The 23-year-old averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. He also drained 1.8 threes with shooting splits of 49.3/45.8/62.5.
Clifford should compete with Ellis and Carter for playing time on the wing on the team’s second unit.
Maxime Raynaud
Raynaud’s phenomenon experienced exponential growth over the last two years at Stanford. The 2025 second-round pick is a fantastic rebounder and a decent rim protector. In addition, a 7-1 forward can spread the floor with his shooting and passing.
Raynaud was solid in Vegas. The 22 22-year-old French man tallied at least nine points and five rebounds in all five summer league contests, though he wasn’t overly efficient. He finished the summer with 12.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 blocks with shooting splits of 49.1/25.0/60.0.
Raynaud should have the inside track on one of the top reserve big man spots over Eubanks and Saric.
Devin Carter
Carter’s rookie season got off to a late start. When the 23-year-old guard struggled in the 36 contests he did appear in, he compiled three double-digit scoring efforts in 36 appearances.
Carter struggled with shooting the ball, averaging 1.2 points per shot, although he was solid handling the ball and facilitating the offense. He dropped 30 points in Game 2 and scored in double figures in four of his six contests.
Carter compiled 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists during summer league action. He also made 2.2 threes a game with shooting splits of 40.5/32.4/54.5.
Isaac Jones
Jones is an athletic big man who was highly efficient last year, earning a standard contract at the end of March. The 2025 third-team All-G-League selection closed the Vegas Summer League in style, tallying 77 points and 20 rebounds over the final three games. He recorded his only double-double in the loss to the Hornets.
Jones averaged 18.3 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 64.6% from the field, 33.3% from the 3-point line, and 82.1% from the free throw line.
Photo Credit: © Darren Yamashita, Imagn Images
The post 4 Kings Youngsters Expected To Be In Mix For Major Minutes appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.