Exclusive: Kings GM Scott Perry lays out his offseason thought process

The Sacramento Kings enter a pivotal offseason after a disappointing 22-60 campaign, but general manager Scott Perry made it clear in a candid interview on The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross that the organization is focused on building identity, flexibility, and long-term sustainability.

In his first full season leading the front office, Perry faced a roster ravaged by injuries, which made evaluation difficult.

“It’s never easy when you don’t get a chance to evaluate the full complement that you thought you were going to have coming into the season,” Perry said. “We were hit hard by the injury bug to a lot of key players, so we never got a chance to see them work together.”

Sacramento was hit hard by injuries in 2025-26, with Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, and De’Andre Hunter all missing over half of the regular season, with others like Dylan Cardwell, Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan, and Russell Westbrook also missing time due to injury.

Still, Perry found optimism in the unexpected opportunities that arose, especially for rookies like Cardwell, Maxime Raynaud, and Nique Clifford.

“The big positive for us. We got an opportunity to see the young players, and really watch them grow and take advantage of the opportunity that they received,” Perry added.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

That development helped shape a clearer vision for the Sacramento Kings moving forward—one centered on identity.

“We gotta play a certain way,” Perry emphasized. “We want to be a physical, more physical team. Extend the floor 94 feet, play a little faster pace, be a much better defensive team.”

Perry acknowledged that inconsistency plagued the team but noted progress late in the season. Sacramento played its best basketball of the year during the final two months, going 8-9 over a 17-game stretch that led into the final week of the regular season.

What made this stretch more impressive was the fact that the rookies, along with second-year talents Devin Carter and Daeqwon Plowden, were leading the way.

“The effort and energy were there. We shared the ball a lot better offensively.”

Financially, the Kings face a complex offseason as they navigate the NBA’s tax aprons. Sacramento currently has $225 million in salary committed to their 2026-27 cap sheet, placing them in the second tax apron before any offseason moves have been made — a nightmare for a team near the bottom of the league standings.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Perry was direct about his approach.

“We’re very much aware where we’re at today. There are so many mechanisms that we can utilize to make sure we’re not in the luxury tax, which we won’t be.”

He added a firm philosophy: “If you’re going to venture into that luxury tax, you’d better have a basketball team that can compete at a minimum to get to a conference championship. We’re nowhere near that right now.”

That realism extends to roster-building strategies. While trades may become easier in the offseason, Perry stressed their inherent difficulty.

“Getting all of that to work, where both sides feel good enough, that is always the task.”

One path he’s less inclined to take? Stretching and waiving contracts. With speculation mounting that star guard Zach LaVine will be exercising his $49 million player option for 2026-27, some are wondering if the Kings would stretch LaVine’s contract and waive him to limit the cap hit and create some flexibility.

Perry made it clear that the stretch-and-waive possibility is unlikely.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

“I personally have not liked to go down that path, unless just absolutely necessary,” he said.

Perry also reaffirmed his confidence in head coach Doug Christie, citing his consistency through adversity as the former fan-favorite guard returns for his second season at the helm of Sacramento’s bench.

“Doug’s energy, his passion, never waned. Just ready to attack the next day,” Perry said. “We had 34 different starting combinations this year, but his approach was very important in keeping our group together.”

Looking ahead to a loaded 2026 NBA Draft, Perry emphasized intangibles over raw talent as the Kings prepare for what they hope will be a top-five selection.

“The biggest separator is what’s upstairs and in your heart,” he explained. “I’m looking for guys that are willing to push themselves, their compete level, their toughness level.”

As the Sacramento Kings aim to rebound, Perry’s message is clear: build the right culture, stay financially disciplined, and let identity drive improvement.

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

• Precious Achiuwa: ‘Sacramento is a place that I love being’
• Russell Westbrook says he’s open to re-signing with the Kings
• NBA Draft Lottery Standings: Pencils Down
• NBA salary cap expert advises against stretching Zach LaVine’s contract

Upcoming Sacramento Kings & NBA Offseason Schedule

• Tuesday, April 14th – NBA Play-In Tournament begins
• Saturday, April 18th – NBA Playoffs begin
• 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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