4 Sacramento Kings at risk of being traded this summer

3. Chris Duarte

The Kings got Chris Duarte from the Indiana Pacers last summer, hoping that he could develop into a solid 3-and-D wing. It didn’t really work out that way. Duarte has been in and out of the rotation all season long. 

He started off as a bench player and then got some starts before falling out of the rotation altogether. In late February, he reclaimed his minutes but has not played again since the loss to the Bulls. 

Much like the rest of the Kings’ bench behind Malik Monk and Trey Lyles, Duarte has struggled to contribute consistently. Thus, it doesn’t seem like he has much of a future in Sacramento, but he is still under contract throughout the 2024-25 season. 

There are several scenarios that could have the 26-year-old leave the Kings this season. He could either be included in a bigger package to get a real game-changer to Sacramento, in a smaller deal to improve the bench, or simply in a salary dump. 

The Kings did not give up much for Duarte, and it was worth a shot, but they need more reliable contributors to take the next step. This is not to say that Duarte can’t still grow into that. The Kings simply do not have time to wait.