Amick: Kings’ future hinges on development, not quick fixes

The Sacramento Kings are heading into a pivotal offseason, but the reality surrounding their roster and salary cap suggests patience—not a quick turnaround—will define the next phase of the franchise.

After finishing 22-60 and landing the fifth-best odds in the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery, Sacramento finds itself at a crossroads.

Speaking on Sactown Sports’ The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross, The Athletic’s Sam Amick made it clear that expectations around the league regarding the Kings remain tempered.

“If you ask people around the league, nobody is looking at this Kings roster and saying, ‘gosh, if they got this guy or that guy, I could really see them take it off,’” Amick said. “It’s not a one or two guy thing.”

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

That reality reinforces the belief that this is a multi-year rebuild. While the organization hasn’t explicitly stated it publicly, the direction is becoming increasingly obvious, as Dave pointed out, that this is going to be a multi-year process.

“The two-year point you make is well taken, and I agree,” Amick added, aligning with the growing sentiment that Sacramento is not positioned to make a major leap as soon as next season.

A major factor complicating any quick improvement is the team’s financial situation.

With massive contracts tied to players like Zach LaVine ($49 million player option for 2026-27), Domantas Sabonis (due to make $93 million over the next two seasons), and De’Andre Hunter ($24 million salary in 2026-27), the Kings are projected to sit around $225 million in salary for the 2026-27 season—well above the NBA’s second apron.

That level of spending restricts flexibility, making meaningful roster changes difficult without significant moves.

Even the possibility of shedding salary comes with uncertainty. Amick pointed to the lack of a clear market for Sacramento’s top players.

“I still don’t know,” he admitted when asked whether the Sacramento Kings could realistically reduce payroll before training camp.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Trade interest around the league appears limited, and internal decisions—such as LaVine’s looming player option—only add to the ambiguity.

Amick also shed light on how player decisions are often shaped behind the scenes. While official mechanisms for exploring outside offers are limited, there are ways for agents to gauge interest–and LaVine’s agent, Rich Paul, is known for these kinds of situations.

“Unofficially, yes, I have great confidence that Rich Paul has had discussions with all kinds of teams about Zach to find out what might be out there for him,” he said.

For Sacramento, the path forward may ultimately come down to internal development. Amick highlighted the need for players like Keegan Murray (who is also set to play the first year of his five-year, $140 million extension) to take a significant leap, noting that “Keegan [needs] to be a guy, like a real guy.”

Murray, who missed the majority of the 2025-26 season due to ankle and hand injuries, will enter next season as the Kings’ fifth-highest-paid player behind LaVine, Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan ($25 million salary isn’t fully guaranteed), and Hunter.

In the meantime, the Sacramento Kings appear committed to a longer timeline—one that prioritizes gradual growth over immediate results.

If they can’t offload salary this offseason, their best bet may be June’s NBA Draft, where they will hope to find their next face of the franchise.

Check out the full conversation at the top of the page or by heading over to the Sactown Sports YouTube channel.

Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PDT, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

• Why Sacramento Kings Must Stay Inside Top-6 of 2026 NBA Draft
• Could Caleb Wilson Shake Up the Top of the 2026 NBA Draft?
• Why recent history says the 5th-best Lottery odds may help Sacramento
• Kings, Russell Westbrook both open to reuniting for 2026-27

Upcoming Sacramento Kings & NBA Offseason Schedule

• Sunday, May 10th – NBA Draft Lottery
• Thursday, June 4th– NBA Finals begin
• Thursday, June 25th – NBA Draft (Round 1)
• Friday, June 26th – NBA Draft (Round 2)
• Tuesday, June 30th – NBA Free Agency negotiation period begins (3 PM PT)
• Thursday, July 9th – NBA Las Vegas Summer League begins
• Monday, July 13th – Free Agency moratorium ends / signings can become official

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