The Sacramento Kings have a number of decisions to make ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season. They have been linked to a possible Jonathan Kuminga trade in rumors -- although nothing has come to fruition -- and Sacramento is looking to finalize its roster. The Kings also need to decide if Devin Carter will factor into the team's long-term plans.
Carter, a 23-year-old guard, features intriguing potential. He only received 11 minutes of action per game in his rookie season (2024-25). Carter averaged 3.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game during that span. The 6'2" guard shot 37 percent on his field goal attempts and 29.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Carter's shot was a recent subject of discussion on Game Theory Podcast w/Sam Vecenie.
"I was super high on Devin Carter coming in, I still am high on Devin... I'm more worried about where the shot is going than anything," Vecenie said. "The shot continues to get hitchier and hitchier. I know he had the shoulder injury, but now I'm worried that it's gonna take some time to kind of work through the shoulder injury and some of the problems."
Vecenie did mention that he believes Carter is a "stud" on the defensive end of the floor. Still, his comments about Carter's shot are interesting.
In three years of college basketball -- Carter attended South Carolina and Providence -- he shot 44.7 percent from the field and 33.7 percent from behind the three-point line. He's never been an incredibly efficient shooter. However, he displayed shooting efficiency potential during his final college basketball season with Providence in 2023-24.
Carter finished the season with 19.7 points per game on shooting percentages of 47.3 from the field and 37.7 from deep. Carter is a good rebounder for his size, he can find the open teammate and he's a strong defensive player, but his scoring is what caught many teams' attention heading into the 2024 NBA Draft. The Kings ultimately selected Carter with the 13th overall pick in the draft.
The hitch in Carter's shot that was mentioned is something the guard will need to fix. He could become a reliable scorer in the NBA, but he needs to display improvement soon. The Kings are surely hesitant to give up on Carter after only one season, but there will be serious discussions to be had if he fails to take a step forward during the upcoming campaign.
The Kings can help the situation by giving him more playing time in the NBA. If Carter receives a legitimate opportunity, then Sacramento will be able to closely evaluate his play and make a decision on his future with the team.