Many fans were disappointed when the Sacramento Kings didn't make any huge moves by the trade deadline. The problem is the large contracts on their books, something that won't change by this summer. As such, Kings fans should be prepared for another somewhat quiet offseason.
There is no team in the NBA that needs a rebuild more than the Kings. Their roster has long been overweighted towards shooting guards with a lack of defensive focus and no real playmakers. This problem got even worse when De'Aaron Fox left the franchise for the greener grass in San Antonio.
While it's not going to bear fruit for a few seasons, that process is well underway. The Kings picked up three great players in Maxime Raynaud, Nique Clifford, and Dylan Cardwell at draft time. Plus, they are working with existing young talent on their NBA and G League rosters to develop new players.
On top of that, the Kings made a smart trade before the deadline that moved three players and brought in De'Andre Hunter. Still, the Kings were not able to trade their biggest problem contracts because...well, they're problem contracts. And that's not going to change over the summer.
Don't expect big moves from the Kings over the offseason
As it stands right now, Domantas Sabonis is under contract through the 2027-2028 season. With all that time left and how much money it costs, Sabonis had limited interest at the 2026 trade deadline. Expect Sabonis to be around for at least one more season. The situation with Zach LaVine is worse.
His contract has a player option after this season, which he is likely to take. Staying with the Kings through the 2026-2027 season is worth nearly $50 million to LaVine. If he declines and becomes a free agent, no other team is going to pay him that kind of money. He's not going anywhere.
The only big player the Kings might move this offseason is DeMar DeRozan. He has a contract through 2026-2027 that is potentially worth over $25 million. But only $10 million is guaranteed, meaning there is a possibility of moving DeRozan during the offseason.
There are also a variety of free agents who are unlikely to get re-signed, specifically Drew Eubanks and Doug McDermott. If the Kings can trade DeRozan and lose a couple of free agents, they can push this rebuild a few more steps forward. Still, those two big contracts aren't going anywhere.