When an NBA season comes to an end, there's a lot of talk about who's staying and who's going. The fixation tends to be on the leaving part of the equation, particularly when it comes to the Sacramento Kings. There are at least two players they would love to get off the roster this offseason.
There are also more than a few players who are waiting to find out if they're staying or not. Some of the Kings' key contributors have contracts running out at the end of this season. These are the kinds of players who will be integral to the rebuild for a variety of reasons, which have to be taken seriously.
Precious Achiuwa
The Kings signed Achiuwa a few games into the season. Shockingly, he was unrostered and looking for a team. He has been a clutch player for the team, particularly on defense. At one point, he was the only actual defense Sacramento had on the court. That evolved as the season continued.
Alongside the Kings' rookie trio, he became part of a group called the Beam Boys, and they became the core of the rebuild. Sacramento needs to maintain that, and that means getting Achiuwa on a longer contract. He's currently a free agent, making him available for other teams.
Russell Westbrook
The same is true of the living legend, Russell Westbrook. He is also a free agent at the moment, and is wondering what the 2026-2027 season is going to look like. The Kings were the only team interested in his services in 2025. Hopefully, they will be again this offseason.
Westbrook has proven that he still has plenty of great basketball left to play. On top of that, he's also become a mentor to the rookies on the team. With three more rookies on the way in the upcoming draft, a veteran of Westbrook's caliber can only be good for their development.
Daeqwon Plowden
While the Kings dealt with a borderline absurd number of injuries this season, the upside was giving younger players a chance to develop and prove themselves. Plowden, a two-way G League player, was one of those guys. He certainly took advantage of the opportunity.
Plowden has proven to be a capable defender and three-point shooter with a high ceiling. The only problem is that the two-way contract is up. Again, there are at least three new rookies on the way, meaning the Kings need to lock him down sooner rather than later.
Devin Carter
Devin Carter's turnaround has been remarkable. Once he started getting regular minutes on the court with a squad of other young players, he finally began to find his game. There are still consistency issues, but that will change with time and continuing to get real minutes.
Sacramento seems to feel the same way about him. They have locked in his team option for 2026-2027, meaning he should be around. That being said, a lot can happen between now and October. The Kings need Carter more than they would get out of anyone they could trade him for.
Malik Monk
As it stands right now, Malik Monk is on a contract with the Kings through the 2027-2028 season. One of the best Sixth-Man players in the league, the Kings have been dancing around trading Monk for the better part of a year. The conversation seems to have tapered off since the early season.
That being said, the Kings do need to make serious salary cap space to avoid luxury taxes and second apron penalties. Because of that, the Kings may be tempted to try to trade Monk again. That would be a mistake as he's a key part of the team's bench.
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