For the past few weeks, the rumor mill has been attaching Victor Oladipo to the Sacramento Kings. It's a pairing that has potential, but it also has problems. Specifically, the Kings would be adding yet another shooting guard to a logjam they've been trying to sort out for years, now.
Oladipo was drafted by the Magic second overall in 2013, and for good reason. The man was an incredible player in college, particularly on defense. Once he got his NBA legs under him, Oladipo continued to carve out an impressive career that was built on his defensive acumen.
He was at his best in 2017-2018 when he was made an All-Stat for the first of two times. That same season saw him named to the All-NBA Third Team and the NBA All-Defensive First Team. On top of that, Oladipo was both the NBA steals leader and the NBA Most Improved Player in 2018.
The 2020s were not as kind to him as unrelenting injuries caused him to miss significant time, eventually forcing him out of the league after 2022-2023. He missed two seasons to recover, then played 2025-2026 in the G League. Now, he's trying to find a new spot in the NBA.
Does Oladipo fit the Kings' roster?
While he has been known to fill in as a point guard on occasion, Oladipo is mainly a shooting guard. That's where his prime skills are. The problem is that the Kings already have six shooting guards if you count two-way player Adam Flagler. Oladipo would be number seven on that list.
In addition to that crowded position, there have to be concerns about his health. Oladipo is a 34-year-old player with a brutal injury history who hasn't been in the NBA since 2023. Are the Kings really going to give him minutes over Nique Clifford, Emanuel Sharp, or Daeqwon Plowden?
Admittedly, if Oladipo is even half the player he was in his prime, he'll out-defend a good portion of the Kings' current roster. At the same time, is seems like a risk to take on such a big question mark at a position where multiple players will be fighting for minutes.
Pretty much everyone, including me, wants to see Oladipo back in the NBA. It just has to be with the right team under the right circumstances. If the Kings want to be that team, they need to have a clear plan in place as to how they're going to utilize him correctly.
Add us as a preferred source on Google