As the Kings get ready for the upcoming 2025-2026 NBA season, it's quite apparent where their strengths are. There is no shortage of shoot-first guards on the team, which will hopefully lead to a strong offense.
What they lack are versatile playmakers with a defensive mindset. That's what makes the Kings missing out on big opportunities to balance the roster so frustrating.
That was certainly the case with Olivier-Maxence Prosper, a young forward who was recently waived by the Mavericks. And there didn't seem to be any interest from the Kings.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper in the NBA
Drafted in 2023, the 23-year-old played for the Mavs G-League team. He put in some notable time on the main roster in the 2024-2025 season before wrist surgery shut him down.
During his run with the Mavs, Prosper's numbers weren't mind-blowing by any stretch of the imagination. On 10 minutes per game, he was averaging 3.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists.
Those numbers don't tell the whole story, of course. Prosper was a strong defensive presence for the Mavs, playing a part in getting Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals. His flourishes of offensive brilliance show the potential he actually has.
Another missed opportunity for the Kings
After being waived by the Mavs on September 2, 2025, Prosper was quickly signed to a two-way contract by the Memphis Grizzlies. That was a huge miss for the Kings.
Prosper offered a strong defense-focused presence that the Kings sorely need. Plus, he's only 23, meaning he has a lot of room to grow and evolve from where he's at. The team had the chance to develop Prosper into their program.
The irony is that the Kings were the team who drafted Prosper in the first place back in 2023, then traded his rights to the Mavs. He would have been an even better addition now than he was then.