It's a rarity that a player steps back from the starting five and finds the level of success Keldon Johnson has with San Antonio. As he enters the final year of his rookie extension, the Sacramento Kings need to keep a close eye on him. If he becomes a free agent, they need to pounce asap.
Johnson was drafted by the Spurs in 2019, 29th overall in the first round. The combo shooting guard/small forward had a respectable rookie season with the Kentucky Wildcats in college before entering the draft. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year by the coaches in 2019.
When he joined the Spurs, they had just finished making the playoffs in 22 straight seasons and winning five titles along the way. Unfortunately for Johnson, this was a much different San Antonio team as they went on to miss the playoffs for six consecutive seasons. It was a tough spot.
Now with three great drafts in a row, including the addition of Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs are back and made the finals against the Knicks in 2026. Johnson was a big contributor to that turnaround, as he was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year for 2026. The Kings need him.
Johnson is both talented and selfless, qualities Sacramento is looking for
As it stands right now, Johnson is the longest-tenured member of the Spurs' roster. He was even a starter for a long time, but willingly moved to the bench for the good of the team. Even more important, he attacked his new role with vigor and was incredibly successful at it.
For the King's rebuild to work, they need players like Johnson on the roster. He's an offensive sparkplug off the bench, not to mention a tenacious defender who can take on any position. Plus, the man is an absolute powerhouse who can bully his way through almost anything.
San Antonio is in relatively great shape financially for the moment. But upcoming extensions for expensive players like Wemby and Stephon Castle have the Spurs being very careful about other signings. That means Johnson could end up without an extension and as an unrestricted free agent.
If that happens in the 2027 offseason, the Kings should let UFAs of their own like De'Andre Hunter and Zach LaVine walk. That creates more than enough salary cap space to sign a highly experienced bench player like Johnson, who will only be 27 at that time and still at the beginning of his prime.
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