The Sacramento Kings continue to operate with the NBA’s longest playoff drought, last appearing in the postseason following the 2005-06 campaign. Over more than 15 years of struggles, the Kings have not posted a .500 record over 82 games, even as the franchise overhauls its roster on a consistent basis. During the 2021-22 season, Sacramento made a substantial investment in acquiring Domantas Sabonis as the frontcourt partner for guards like De’Aaron Fox and 2021 lottery pick Davion Mitchell.
It remains to be seen as to how that experiment will work, but the Kings finished at 30-52 in the standings last season. Sacramento did jump to No. 4 overall on the draft board, however, bringing the opportunity for a potential swing, even amid rumblings that the Kings might rather focus on the present in turning that selection into a more established contributor. Ultimately, Sacramento kept the pick and made a rather surprising selection compared to the consensus big board.
Roster Needs: Defense, wing talent, more defense
Keegan Murray (No. 4 Overall), C-: Murray is a quality prospect with tremendous numbers. He was highly productive at Iowa and is a multi-faceted forward that could be valuable in many different NBA contexts. However, this is a tier drop from another player (Jaden Ivey) that was available, and it represents an on-brand detour for the Kings.
2022 Free Agents:
Jeremy Lamb (UFA)
Josh Jackson (UFA)
Donte DiVincenzo (RFA)
Damian Jones (UFA)
Neemias Queta (RFA)
Roster:
De’Aaron Fox
Domantas Sabonis
Harrison Barnes
Richaun Holmes
Justin Holiday
Davion Mitchell
Mo Harkless
Terence Davis
Alex Len
Trey Lyles (team option)
Chimezie Metu (non-guaranteed)
Keegan Murray