The NBA Trade Deadline is coming up on February 5th, and everyone expects the Sacramento Kings to make major moves because of the rebuild. In truth, that rebuild started with the 2025 NBA Draft, before the Kings even knew it. That was the day the Kings got bigger and younger, and on target.
While defense is the name of the game for the future of the Kings, that won't come without some big changes. This roster needs to get younger, faster, more energetic, and bigger, all at the same time. It's a massive challenge, to say the least, and one the front office seems to be up to.
They likely didn't know it at the time, but drafting Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford was part of that. The Kings followed that up by signing undrafted rookie Dylan Cardwell as well as Precious Achiuwa, a 26-year-old defensive powerhouse who is only in his sixth season.
Collectively, these four are referring to themselves as the Beam Boys. That attitude and energy is exactly what the Kings have been missing. There is a vibe between them where they operate collectively, instead of playing like individual athletes who happen to be on the same team.
The Beam Boys are what the future Kings' squad will look like
Also known as the Beam Squad, these guys are exactly who the Kings need. They are bigger. They are younger. They are faster. They play defense and score. And, possibly most importantly, they bring an energy to the court that Sactown fans have not seen in years, if ever.
The greatest example of this is Dylan Cardwell, who plays basketball with an almost impossible amount of joy. It has infected the team as well as the crowd in Golden 1 Center. He has started a fire in Sacramento that will push this rebuild forward and the front office can use to plan.
No one is suggesting that the Kings need a team of Cardwells, though that is interesting to imagine. There's only one of him in the league. But the Kings do need more players to complement Dylan as well as the rest of the Beam Boys. This is the core the Kings build off, and the fans know it.
If Sacramento also hangs onto Malik Monk and Russell Westbrook, then they have a great Sixth Man and a legendary veteran point guard to help make this rebuild work. The vision of the future Kings is already becoming clear. All the front office needs to do is make it a reality,