Sacramento Kings are a cluttered mess with no simple answers this summer

Heading into the NBA offseason, it's almost impossible to predict what lies ahead of the Sacramento Kings.

What was a once-promising outlook on the 2024-25 NBA season ended in disappointing fashion. The Kings suffered an embarrassing loss to a shorthanded Dallas Mavericks during the 2025 NBA So-Fi Play-In Tournament on their home floor, and after the season concluded, they parted ways with general manager Monte McNair, as there were high tensions already after the firing of head coach Mike Brown earlier in the season

To add fuel to the fire, star point guard De'Aaron Fox requested a trade and was ultimately dealt before the trade deadline. After struggling and hovering around the bottom of the standings in a stacked Western Conference and not coming close to meeting their expectations, it appears that the Kings may be in store for a rebuild or a major roster overhaul. Or will newly hired general manager Scott Perry try to salvage the talent they already have?

Are the Sacramento Kings headed in the right direction?

The Kings made it official by removing the interim label from newly named head coach Doug Christie, but is he really the right guy for this job? Christie's decision-making during the game against the Mavs was questionable as he struggled to make the necessary in-game adjustments needed. Maybe this was an experience Christie needed to go through in order to become a better decision maker when it comes to his substitutions and rotations at crucial times in the game, and he should only learn from his mistakes.

The Kings have also hired Mike Woodson, an NBA coaching veteran who also played for the organization from 1981-86. He should serve as a mentor for Christie in order to help guide him through any struggles he may encounter. With all three desperately wanting to turn the Kings into a winning organization and with all three having an excellent mind and understanding of the game, Christie, Perry, and Woodson will try and establish a winning culture and attempt to construct a team the city of Sacramento can once again be proud of.

What roster moves should the Sacramento Kings make?

If the Kings decide to keep their core group together, how do they get a different result the next time around? Change is inevitable if this team wants to improve and partake in the NBA postseason. This team has too much talent not to win, but Perry has some important decisions to face and make during these next few months regarding the direction of the franchise. Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, Jonas Valanciunas, Keegan Murray, and Devin Carter are all players under contract until at least the 2026-27 season.

Sacramento could also become an attractive destination for key free agents considering the talent they have, but their hands are tied due to salary cap restrictions. They won't be able to add another star to the mix, but they could land a solid role player if they get lucky. As of now, LaVine and DeRozan would remain the focal points of the offense, but the Kings have to always be prepared in the event one of those players falls victim to the injury bug, as both players have dealt with multiple injuries over the course of their careers. LaVine's injuries have been more severe than DeRozan's, and he has missed more time as a result, but when he's healthy, he is one of the best scorers and natural shooters in the league today.

The difficult decision for Perry over the summer will be whether to trade either LaVine, DeRozan, or even possibly both players. If any teams entertain any offers for these players, Perry may more than likely pull the trigger, especially if there are any deals involving draft capital or salary cap relief. Sabonis would be the most valuable and attractive player the Kings have if they were to put him on the market, especially when considering his age and talent, as they could receive a hefty package in return.

Sabonis led the NBA in rebounds per game with 13.9 and this will be the third consecutive season he has done that. In the event Perry decides to keep Sabonis, he will indeed have to find a point guard who is capable of connecting with Sabonis on the offensive end, as he is much more efficient when paired with a fast, shifty point guard like Fox.

The Kings drafted Devin Carter last year, but he was only viewed as a backup to Fox due to the fact that the organization had no desire to trade him. The plan was to allow Carter the time to develop and to learn from Fox, but things didn't quite work out that way. If Perry isn't able to acquire a veteran point guard who is capable of starting, the job could wind up becoming Carter's for the taking, depending upon his development over the summer and whether he can actually win the starting job in training camp. He possesses good fundamentals and just needs time to find his groove and learns how to get his teammates more involved.

Keegan Murray is another player the Kings had hoped would blossom into one of their top players, and although he has been solid for the most part, he hasn't taken off like the organization expected him to. He is under contract for the next two seasons, and with the team trading Harrison Barnes, they presently have no real depth at wing but will more than likely explore their options once the offseason arrives. This past season was a regression for Murray of sorts, as his usage rate dropped from the previous year, and so did his other numbers.

The Kings would be well served if Murray improves on creating his own shot and improve his handle. Christie should give Murray more of a responsibility to help carry the offense next season as he hasn't even really touched the surface of his potential. The Kings have to see what they really have in Murray and that will determine if they plan on keeping him around for the forseeable future.