Could the Kings Benefit From Another Team’s Cap Crisis?

The Sacramento Kings have a lot of work to do on their roster, but unfortunately for Scott Perry and the rest of the front office, it's going to be easier said than done to improve on the 22-win season the Kings just endured.

Between the expensive veterans on the roster and the lack of young players with star potential, the Kings don't have a true building block outside of the upcoming draft pick. In an ideal world, Sacramento will get lucky this Sunday and win the lottery, creating a clear path to developing a perennial All-Star. But that would take some luck, not only with the lottery balls, but also with the trajectory of the rookie's career. Even high picks don't work out like they are supposed to year after year.

With that in mind, Perry will need to get creative this offseason if he wants to quickly build a contender in Sacramento. Not necessarily for this upcoming season, but for years to come. The Kings are in an extremely difficult position with their cap sheet, as Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine are eating up $94 million combined next year. That, along with the bevy of other veterans on the team, projects the Kings to be a second-apron team heading into the offseason

Thankfully for Sacramento, they aren't the only team struggling to find cap space this offseason and beyond. It would be easier said than done, but could the Kings use another team's cap crisis to bring in a young player or future draft pick?

Teams to Look At

Jan 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) brings the ball up court against New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

There's no shortage of teams that have high cap sheets already heading into next season. According to Spotrac, there are seven teams that currently have payrolls projected to be higher than the Kings next season. The Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

What clearly stands out is how many of those are contenders and teams still in the playoffs, as compared to the Kings, who have an upcoming date with the lottery balls. But that means that these are teams that are trying to compete next year as well, not tear it down like the Kings. And that could lead to opportunities for the Kings.

The Kings may have a lot of money on the docket for next season, but thankfully for them, and potentially the rest of the league, they don't have a lot of long-term money. Sabonis still has two years on his contract, but both LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are on expiring contracts and (theoretically) could push a contender over the top next season.

DeRozan, in particular, could be a bit of a cheat code for this current CBA. He's not only on a reasonable $25.7 million contract next season, but has a non-guaranteed contract with a decision date of January 10th. His team can cut him and eat the guaranteed $10 million, ultimately saving just over $15 million. Paying $10 million would hurt, but for some teams, saving $15 million could be the difference between the apron lines.

And for LaVine, $49 million is a lot of money to come off the books next offseason. Even if it doesn't help another team this year, bringing him in for a year before he hits free agency could help a team fully reset their books.

In these hypothetical scenarios, the Kings would likely need to take back more long-term money than they are sending out, which Perry has been reluctant to do so far in his Kings tenure. But if it means bringing in a young player or two, or some extra draft picks, it's worth at least thinking about.

Would the Kings want to take a chance on Jamal Murray, who has three years and $161 million left on his deal? Or on a smaller scale, Jarred Vanderbilt and his two years and $25 million? That's a question that only Scott Perry can answer, but if teams are desperate to get off of future money, the Kings should be willing to listen to take advantage of the opportunity.

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