The Sacramento Kings are trying to get this rebuild rolling, with big moves that need to be made. For numerous reasons, now is not the time. This will be a long, arduous process, and their best friend will be patience. But next summer will be a much different story once two big contracts are gone.
There are a lot of people out there, particularly fans. who have been hoping for big trades to go down for the Kings. In particular, the desire is to see both Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis moved, mainly because their big money contracts are holding the rebuild back. That's more than fair.
At the same, trading them any time soon is unlikely because no other team wants to take on those players for that kind of money. That means both LaVine and Sabonis are likely Kings until their respective contracts are done in 2027 and 2028, and they become unrestricted free agents.
In turn, this has greatly limited the Kings free agency moves this offseason. They have two open main roster spots they can't fill because the payroll is right up against a penalty apron. Sacramento cannot afford to get hit by any penalties from either apron, which would derail the rebuild.
Next offseason will be much different for Sacramento
As of the end of the 2026-2027 season, the Kings will have five free agents to deal with. Malik Monk has a player option he will likely use while Sacramento has team options with Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford. It the Kings don't take the options, it's just to sign them to longer term contracts.
The only unrestricted free agents are De'Andre Hunter and LaVine. Combined, those two contracts are worth almost $74 million this season. Cutting that kind of payroll will blow the free agency playing field in the 2027 offseason for the Kings wide open, and take the rebuild to the next level.
Sacramento could choose to keep either LaVine or Hunter, but it would have to be on much lower contracts. LaVine's more accurate valuation is around $25 million, and that's more than the Kings likely want to spend on him. Hunter is closer to $16 million, and that still seems way too high.
All of this assumes that no one is traded between now and the deadline in February. But if the Kings retain both LaVine and Hunter through the season, then let them walk in free agency, it's a whole new day in Sacramento basketball. Suddenly, this team has options, something they haven't had in years.
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