Kings' Next Signing Could Be More Obvious Than We Expected

With no move immediately following the waiving of DeMar DeRozan, the Sacramento Kings still sit with two open roster spots nearly a month after the 2026 NBA Draft. The Kings have a fairly balanced roster as it stands, with certain strengths at the guard and center positions, but after parting with DeRozan, a void still stands at the forward spot.

After the conclusion of the NBA Summer League, the Kings' next signing could be painfully obvious.

The Kings signed Jonathan Mogbo to a two-way contract on July 1, but after showing what he can bring to the table during the Summer League, the franchise might have no choice but to sign him to a standard deal.

The Jonathan Mogbo bandwagon is swarming with Sacramento Kings fans.

Give this dude a 5 year deal.
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) July 13, 2026

Why Kings should elevate Mogbo

The 24-year-old forward showed two-way versatility during Summer League that the Kings desperately need more of on their roster. Rather than keeping him on a two-way contract, which limits him to just 50 regular season appearances, there is value in signing him to a multi-year deal.

And, for people who might think this is an overreaction to Summer League play, the former 31st-overall pick has also already shown he can perform on the NBA stage. As a rookie with the Toronto Raptors, he averaged 6.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 stocks in 20.4 minutes per game before taking a backseat as a sophomore and ultimately getting his 2026-27 team option declined.

Right now, the Kings have a forward group of Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, Alex Karaban, and Precious Achiuwa. It would certainly not hurt to add Mogbo into the mix as a third-string forward they can rely on when needed. Not to mention, by elevating Mogbo, they would have an open two-way spot to sign Summer League standout Marquel Sutton to, further bolstering their young frontcourt.

In Mogbo's first game in a Kings uniform during the California Classic Summer League, he finished with six points, six rebounds, two steals, and five blocks to show off his impressive two-way impact and immediately put the fanbase on notice of the type of player he could become in Sacramento.

Jonathan Mogbo with the block and the bucket 💪 pic.twitter.com/tVHjwaUMCW
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) July 13, 2026

Through four games in Las Vegas, he averaged 11.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.0 stocks in 24.5 minutes per game, while shooting 44.4% from the field and 50.0% from beyond the arc. Obviously, Mogbo is not a perfect player, but he fits into the team's timeline while bringing much-needed energy and versatility.

"I feel like I'm very versatile, so wherever a team needs me to flip a position, I feel like for me, it's whatever is going to help my team win," Mogbo told Sactown Sports 1140's Jason Ross. "I'm very unselfish. So if I gotta play the five, the four, gotta be the one and pass all game, I'll do that. I'm going to take ownership of that."

It seems obvious that Mogbo has the tools to actually help the Kings if he were on a multi-year standard contract, but keep in mind, he should still get his opportunities on a two-way deal. It would be silly for the Kings not to at least give Mogbo a chance, even on a two-way contract, and then make their decision on whether to elevate him or not.

While they might keep him on a two-way deal for now, it would not be surprising at all if he were on a standard contract by the end of the 2026-27 season.

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