If there's one thing the Sacramento Kings have no shortage of, it's shooting guards. They currently have six on the roster, yet only have one dedicated point guard. That means Adam Flagler needs to fight for his spot on the Kings, possibly by finding minutes as a backup for Darius Acuff Jr.
After winning a national championship with Baylor in 2021, Flagler entered the 2023 NBA Draft. It didn't go his way as he wasn't selected, though the Thunder signed him to their G League squad. That worked out well as Flagler was there in time to help secure a G League Championship in 2024.
Luck was definitely on his side. The Thunder would go on to sign him to a two-way contract just in time for the 2025 playoff run that led to winning the NBA Championship that year. Flagler couldn't play at all in the postseason due to his two-way contract, but he still received a ring with the team.
Then, Flagler played the 2025-2026 season with the Spurs G League affiliate and is now signed to a two-way contract with the Kings. That makes him one of several shooting guards on a roster inundated with them, having to find a way to stand out to keep even this spot.
Flagler has to be more valuable than everyone else at his position
There are a couple of things going in Flagler's favor right now. Current starting shooting guard Zach LaVine will be gone by the end of the 2026-2027 season at the latest. Malik Monk's contract goes through 2027-2028, but it has a player option he might not take. And the Kings may trade him first.
The point is the impending departures of LaVine and Monk takes two names out of competition for those limited minutes at the two. Flagler has another edge he has to take advantage of, specifically his classification as a combo guard. That could give him time at the point guard position.
Technically, Flagler would be referred to as an undersized point guard. Being that the Kings currently lack any significant backup for rookie point guard Acuff, Flagler should be able to find more minutes on the court supporting him. The logjam at the one is much less constrictive than the two.
If Flagler can stay in the mix, particularly as a backup point guard, he has the chance to get opportunities and earn a long-term spot in Sacramento. He still needs to excel as a shooting guard. Flagler proving himself as a foundational combo guard will get him that standard NBA contract.
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