Kings Sign Daeqwon Plowden to Two-Year Deal: What It Means for Sacramento

The Sacramento Kings made just their second move of free agency on Thursday, and it is clear that they are prioritizing keeping things in-house. After re-signing standout forward Precious Achiuwa to a two-year contract, the Kings have made a move on another one of their own free agents.

The Kings have reportedly brought back restricted free agent Daeqwon Plowden on a two-year, $5.1 million contract, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Plowden spent the 2025-26 season on a two-way contract with the Kings, and after separate two-way stints with both the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks, he has finally earned his first standard deal.

Sources: The Sacramento Kings are signing Daeqwon Plowden to a 2-year, $5.1 million deal. After two-way deals with the Warriors, Hawks, and Kings, Plowden gets a standard NBA deal after averaging 10.8 points last season. Agent Drew Kelso of @OneMotiveSports will finalize the deal pic.twitter.com/uUBLHmigRU
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 2, 2026

By signing Plowden and elevating him to a standard contract, the Kings now have just one open roster spot. Granted, they are expected to either waive or trade veteran wing DeMar DeRozan, with some other futures still in question, but they have nearly filled out their entire roster with still plenty of offseason left.

Why this is a good move for the Kings

Plowden, 27, appeared in 32 games for the Kings last season and made seven starts. In his limited time, he averaged 10.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 26.4 minutes per game, while shooting 43.0% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range.

Plowden's role increased toward the end of the season due to all of Sacramento's injuries, as he even finished the season by scoring in double digits in 15 of their last 17 games. In fact, he even scored 20 or more points in three straight games in late March, showcasing his versatile offensive game.

Daeqwon Plowden SOARED for the putback during NBA Summer League 2025 for the @SacramentoKings. 🔥🚀 pic.twitter.com/IVjJkKJ8MC
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) July 1, 2026

At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Plowden provides wing depth for the Kings moving forward, although his role in Sacramento's rotation remains uncertain.

Regardless of how much he plays next season, this is a good signing by the Kings. The franchise has had recent success with two-way players, with guys like Keon Ellis and Dylan Cardwell both earning standard deals after Sacramento gave them a chance. Now, Plowden joins that list, and similar to Ellis and Cardwell, he will have the opportunity to prove to the franchise why he is worth a standard deal.

At just over $2.5 million per year, Plowden's contract is lower than the veteran minimum. For a team that is currently sitting above the second apron and looking to shave money, bringing back Plowden on this deal is a bargain.

Mar 26, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Daeqwon Plowden (29) dibbles up the court in the first half against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sure, signing Plowden is not the home run move many Kings fans wanted, but the franchise still has plenty of work to do, and elevating their two-way success story is a good start.

Kings' new wing room

By securing Plowden as a reserve wing, we can take a look at their updated depth. The Kings now have Plowden, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, and Alex Karaban all under contract for next season.

Will they be competing for a playoff spot? Probably not, but they have an underrated roster moving forward. Plowden is certainly not a needle-moving addition, but these cheap, promising depth pieces are more important than many people realize.

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