3 Kings Whose Sacramento Futures Are on the Line This Season

By the 2027-28 season, the Sacramento Kings could have a full roster overhaul. Even this offseason, the Kings shifted more focus to their young core, and moving forward, they are expected to keep making roster tweaks until they complete their rebuild.

Of course, that means that some players on this year's roster might not have much of a future in Sacramento. We can go ahead and start looking at a few players who might be playing their final season with the Kings. Of course, there's the obvious Zach LaVine, as it would be more surprising to see him in a Kings uniform past the 2026-27 season than not, so let's focus on the other guys.

Domantas Sabonis

Domantas Sabonis seems to be the Kings' most likely trade candidate this season. The 30-year-old big man has been in trade rumors for a while, but the Kings should benefit from keeping him on the roster to start their 2026-27 campaign.

When healthy, Sabonis is one of the league's best and most consistent centers. Injuries took over last season to make some people forget how good he can be, but most Kings fans are well aware of what he is capable of. In his first three full seasons in Sacramento, he averaged 19.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, while shooting 60% from the field, and led the league in rebounds each year.

Regardless of that, his time in Sacramento is likely winding down. The Kings have rising sophomore centers Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell ready to steal the torch from Sabonis, and really, the better Sabonis plays this season, the more likely we are to see him traded to a new team.

De'Andre Hunter

De'Andre Hunter has plenty to prove for the Kings this season. Sacramento acquired him at the February trade deadline, but in just his second game in a Kings uniform, he suffered a season-ending injury.

Now, Hunter enters the final year of his contract with a very uncertain future with this franchise. There are still question marks about how Hunter fits into the Kings' lineup. How can they be certain that he has a future in Sacramento? We will likely see the Kings shop Hunter at next year's trade deadline, and if they are unable to find a trade partner, free agency is calling his name in 2027.

There is not much Hunter can do to secure a longer future in Sacramento, but if he has a good enough year with the Kings, there is a scenario where he re-signs with the Kings in free agency next summer on a much more team-friendly deal.

Ben Simmons

While Ben Simmons does not even have a guaranteed spot on Sacramento's roster this season yet, we can go ahead and start talking about his long-term future with the franchise. Simmons signed to just a one-year deal with the Kings as a strict "prove-it" opportunity.

After his signing, though, ESPN's Marc J. Spears reported that the former three-time All-Star could be open to staying in Sacramento past the 2026-27 season if the two sides have mutual interest in keeping things going.

"If they give him the opportunity and he does well, and he wants them back, they want him back, and it’s fair, I think he’d want to stay."

ESPN's Marc J. Spears says Ben Simmons may be open to a long-term stay with the Sacramento Kings 👀@CarmichaelDave @JasonRoss1140… pic.twitter.com/5bnfAo7yRr
— Sactown Sports 1140 (@Sactown1140) September 4, 2026

Simmons has been far from the All-Star player we once saw out of him over the last few years, but he has a chance to revive his career and reputation with the Kings. If he can get back to being a productive player in Sacramento, we could certainly see him extend his stay past this season.

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