The Sacramento Kings are all-in on contending this season. They traded for DeMar DeRozan to pair with their exciting core. Sacramento was third in the Western Conference in 2023 and believes their new Big 3 can make a run.
The Kings disappointed last season. They won just two fewer games, but it dropped them to ninth in the standings. Sacramento defeated the Warriors in the first Play-In game before losing to the Pelicans without Zion Williamson for the final playoff spot. Their offense slipped and it was certainly time for a change.
Adding DeRozan meant hard capping the Kings at the first tax apron. With limited money to spend, Sacramento is left with a massive void and minimal options to fill it. This could certainly derail the season, especially if Domantas Sabonis has to miss time.
Kings frontcourt depth is a massive issue
Sacramento has Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray locked in as starters. Both played over 33 minutes per game last season and missed just five contests combined. It is a fantastic start, but the Kings traded Harrison Barnes to get DeRozan and may have a massive hole.
Trey Lyles is the team’s most likely reserve option. He played 20.0 minutes per game last season but is only 6’9. Lyles will struggle against the NBA’s biggest players like Nikola Jokic, and he has played more than 20 minutes each night just twice in his nine-year NBA career.
Beyond that, the Kings have Alex Len and Orlando Robinson. Len hasn’t been a consistent part of the rotation during his three years in Sacramento, and Robinson has never appeared in more than 36 contests. Counting on either to play a consistent nightly role seems dangerous in the crowded West where every game will matter.
DeRozan will handle minutes at the four, but the Kings have a serious problem behind Sabonis. If the All-Star big man is forced to miss time, it could be a massive hole, especially as Lyles and Len both struggle to protect the rim. The Kings rely on their offense, but the burden will get heavier if Sabonis is out.
Sacramento has a complicated problem to solve
Sacramento is $4.9 million below the first tax apron where they are hard-capped with just 14 players under contract. They have an open roster spot, but the free-agent options are less than inspiring.
The Kings will explore the trade market but need the matching salary. Kevin Huerter gives them a $16.8 million contract but may leave them needing wing options. Sacramento could dump Lyles, but the new CBA limits what teams can make moves.
The Kings' best bet may be waiting for a buyout target. Those are unlikely to be impactful, but the franchise needs a backup option. Someone capable of protecting the rim and playing quality minutes. It won’t be easy to find and could be what unravels Sacramento’s season.
The Sacramento Kings have a weakness, and it will only get worse in the playoffs. Teams will attack Domantas Sabonis and try to play him off the floor. Head coach Mike Brown’s options are limited and this could be the difference in making or missing the playoffs. The Kings should try to patch it up, but doing so is easier said than done.