Sam Amick: Will buyers be interested in Kings veterans?

As the Sacramento Kings drag themselves through one of their worst starts to a season in franchise history, the February 5th trade deadline has become a massive date of interest on the horizon.

Sacramento (8-24) is firmly in the mix for the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and they could improve their chances of securing the top selection by offloading veteran talent in the coming weeks.

While the Kings have been widely rumored and reported to be active in the trade market, does that mean buyers will reciprocate and call Sacramento about veterans like DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, and more?

The Athletic‘s Sam Amick joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross on Tuesday to share his intel on where things stand for the Kings in trade talks, stating that he believes Sacramento’s clear “seller” status could benefit them when trade talks begin to pick up.

“They’re one of only a few known sellers at this point,” Amick said. “There’s not really another clear-cut team like the Kings, who you can call and talk about anyone on the roster. They’re important in that regard, because these buyers are coming.”

 (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Sacramento has several players who could interest contending teams, including DeMar DeRozan, one of the top scorers in league history. DeRozan is in the final fully guaranteed year of his contract, with a $10 million partial guarantee for 2026-27 ($25.7 million if fully guaranteed).

Malik Monk is another player who could generate interest around the league, and ESPN reported earlier this week that the Milwaukee Bucks have discussed internally pursuing the dynamic guard.

Of course, Monk’s name was linked to the Sacramento Kings’ offseason trade talks with the Golden State Warriors regarding forward Jonathan Kuminga.

While Amick told Jason Ross that Sacramento remains interested in acquiring Kuminga, the case remains the same: Golden State is not interested in taking back Monk and his remaining contract ($18 million in 2025-26, $20.1 million in 2026-27, $21.5 million player option for 2027-28) in a potential deal.

“The messaging has been pretty consistent, that they still have interest,” Amick said of the Kings’ interest in Kuminga. “The price has gone down, it just has. So what does that look like in a potential Kings deal, because the Warriors were known to not have interest in Malik Monk.”

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Kuminga has spent a large portion of the regular season on the sideline due to injury or on the bench, out of head coach Steve Kerr’s rotation. The young forward’s value and price may have decreased since the two teams spoke over the summer, but that doesn’t mean a deal is in the cards for Sacramento and Golden State.

“I don’t see that happening,” Amick said of Kuminga-to-the-Sacramento Kings.

Check out the full interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick by scrolling to the top of the page or by clicking here.

Topics Discussed

• As the season unfolds, what are Sam’s current thoughts on the Sacramento Kings?
• “They’re in limbo, they’re developing… It’s not as results-based anymore.”
• Are the Sacramento Kings being aggressive on the trade market as the deadline looms?
• How much pressure is on Sacramento to make a move?
• Is there a market for DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk?
• Are the Kings still interested in Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga?
• “The messaging has been pretty consistent, that they still have interest… The price has gone down, it just has, so what does that look like in a potential Kings deal, because the Warriors were known to not have interest in Malik Monk… I don’t probably see that happening.”
• Amick says the Milwaukee Bucks “are looking at everything” around the NBA as they look to remain competitive.

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

Click here for full episodes of The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross

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The Sacramento Kings are a half-game away from being the worst team in the Western Conference, and teams are beginning to put out feelers as trade season approaches.

Sacramento (8-24) has been heavily linked to teams in trade talks, but one team has pulled ahead of the pack in the rumor mill: the Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee has been one–and quite possibly the only–team with a legitimate interest in trading for Kings guard Zach LaVine, who has not played in a game since December 14th due to a moderate left ankle sprain.

The Bucks’ interest in LaVine was further emphasized this week, as ESPN’s Jamal Collier reported that Milwaukee has had internal conversations about LaVine and fellow Sacramento guard Malik Monk, whose future with the team has also come into question.

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Report: Bucks monitoring Zach LaVine & Malik Monk

Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season

• Tuesday, December 30th – @ Los Angeles Clippers – 8:00 PM PT
• Thursday, January 1st – vs. Boston Celtics – 7:00 PM PT
• Friday, January 2nd @ Phoenix Suns – 6:00 PM PT
• Saturday, January 4th – vs. Milwaukee Bucks – 6:00 PM PT
• Tuesday, January 6th – vs. Dallas Mavericks – 6:00 PM PT

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Frankie Cartoscelli Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

Author Name: Franklin Cartoscelli Bio: Franklin 'Frankie' Cartoscelli is Sactown Sports 1140's Lead Editor, Sacramento Kings beat writer and co-host of the Return of the Roar podcast. Professional Background: Worked in professional sports… Read more