Kings' Free Agent Outlook Bleak With Spending Power Nearly Non-Existent

Scott Perry and the Sacramento Kings have a lot of work ahead of them. They have almost all of their 22-win roster still on the books for next season, and it's going to be easier said than done to move off of the expensive veterans that are clogging up the cap sheet.

As currently constructed, the Kings have a projected payroll of $225 million, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. That's not exactly where you want to be following a season at the bottom of the standings, and would put the Kings over the 2nd tax apron. That's generally a title reserved for championship contenders, not draft lottery hopefuls.

https://t.co/7XKc8SBY2v pic.twitter.com/Cuz8dtoQM5
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) April 12, 2026

There are a few ways that the Kings could save some money. Zach LaVine could surprise everyone and decline his $49.0 million player option for next season, and Sacramento could save just over $15 million by waiving DeMar DeRozan with his partially guaranteed contract. But really, unless LaVine opts out, the Kings have little to no money to spend at all to start the offseason.

Sacramento is rarely a hopping free agent destination, but it's reasonable to look at the free agent list and imagine how some of the more attractive free agents would look in a Kings uniform. But this year, that seems almost pointless with their financial situation. It's unfortunate timing, because even if this free agent class isn't the most talented, there are a few players out there who would be great fits for the Kings if the money were there to go get them.

Extremely Limited Options

Oct 26, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) reacts after scoring against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

As a tax apron team, the Kings only have the $6.1 million Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, as compared to the full $15.1 million non-taxpayer MLE that many other teams will have at their disposal. That puts the Kings at a major disadvantage for the mid-tier rotational players, such as Colin Sexton, Rui Hachimura, and Matisse Thybulle.

None of the three would save the Kings, but they would all help fill positions of need for Sacramento as the Kings look for their point guard and to add wing depth.

Then there's a player like Ayo Dosunmu, who would be an intriguing option at point guard to pair with Nique Clifford in the backcourt. He just turned 26, and averaged 14.8 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.4 rebounds on 51.7% shooting from the field and 43.9% from three this season. He brings a scoring upside that the Kings don't have enough of, but is due for a big raise from some team around the NBA, just not the Kings with the lack of money.

Even Precious Achiuwa, who impressed this season with 10.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 52.8% shooting from the field, will be difficult to re-sign. All indications are that Achiuwa would like to stay in Sacramento, but there's no guarantee the Kings can match what other teams with more space have to offer.

Achiuwa proved he can play winning basketball and is a plug-and-play type of role player that many competing teams could use on their bench. There shouldn't be a repeat of last offseason, where Achiuwa went unsigned, only to land with the Kings mid-season.

There's a chance that Perry clears enough money to make space with trades or gets creative with sing-and-trades, but it's an uphill battle even to imagine any of the top-tier free agents joining Sacramento this offseason. And even if they aren't going to be competing for playoff positioning next year, that's a hard realization to have before the offseason has even truly begun.

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