Ranking the Kings' Top Four Rumored Free Agent Targets

The Sacramento Kings are expected to sign one or two more players before the 2026-27 season starts, and their priority in filling out the roster has been made clear. The Kings are undoubtedly searching for a veteran point guard to bring in behind standout rookie Darius Acuff Jr., and four names have been mentioned as potential targets.

Victor Oladipo, Cam Payne, Elfrid Payton, and Ben Simmons seem to be the four free agents on the Kings' short list as they look to finish their roster for the new season. While some fans would prefer the Kings to go in a completely different direction than any of these four guys, here is how I would rank these rumored options:

4. Elfrid Payton

Nov 27, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Elfrid Payton (22) looks on against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Smoothie King Center. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

As we will see as a common theme on this list, Elfrid Payton has not had much NBA success recently. Payton, 32, spent the entire 2025-26 season in the G League and has made just 24 NBA appearances over the past four seasons.

While Payton is a high-level passer and ball-handler, he is not the backup point guard the Kings would want. Sure, the Kings are looking for a veteran presence, but ideally, they can find that in a point guard who is capable of being a legitimate backup to Acuff. Payton does not bring enough to the table to make him a serious candidate for the Kings' final spot compared to other options.

Unless the Kings view Payton as some locker room savior, there is no reason to sign him over the three other options.

3. Victor Oladipo

Jan 6, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo (4) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. | USA TODAY Sports

In theory, it could be great to see the Kings help Victor Oladipo complete his NBA comeback, but he is a very challenging player to evaluate. Oladipo has not appeared in an NBA game since the 2022-23 season, with last season's 26 G League appearances being his only professional basketball action since then.

Even in those G League games, though, Oladipo was not wildly impressive, only showing a glimpse of what he might be able to bring to an NBA team as a solid defender and mild scoring threat.

The only reason for the Kings to sign Oladipo would be as a veteran who does not actually touch the floor. It would be silly for the Kings to give Oladipo minutes ahead of any guards currently on the roster, but if they want to sign the 34-year-old in a mentorship role for their young guys, it would not be the end of the world.

The main reason Oladipo is ahead of Payton is that he brings more of a veteran presence, and even if either of them somehow cracked the rotation, Oladipo would likely make more of an on-court impact.

2. Cam Payne

Feb 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Cameron Payne (20) controls the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As odd as it sounds, Cameron Payne is the only player on this list who actually played in the NBA last season. In 22 appearances with the Philadelphia 76ers, he averaged 7.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 17.0 minutes per game. While a bit inefficient, Payne is a reliable ball-handler who rarely turns it over and has proven to be a viable backup for years.

Payne, 32, could actually be the top option on this list, but it is still uncertain why the Kings would rather have him as their backup point guard than let Malik Monk or Nique Clifford run the second-string offense. Does Payne provide enough of a veteran presence to warrant signing him? If the Kings believe so, then bring him in, but he would still be a positional downgrade if he steals minutes from Monk, Clifford, or rookie Emanuel Sharp.

Regardless, though, Payne has proven that he can still contribute to an NBA team, unlike Oladipo and Payton, which is why he is unquestionably a better option than those two.

1. Ben Simmons

Apr 11, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons (25) during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Regardless of how fans feel about him, Ben Simmons is the best option here. Like some of the others, there is some doubt about how he impacts the locker room or how much of a veteran presence he truly is, but if the Kings want a player who can actually make a difference in the rotation, Simmons is their guy.

“Somebody who was at those workouts said that Ben Simmons ‘looked fantastic.’"@CarmichaelDave heard a glowing review about Ben Simmons' workout that took place yesterday 👀https://t.co/mL59C8jKoM pic.twitter.com/xZkrEVaS03
— Sactown Sports 1140 (@Sactown1140) August 26, 2026

The 30-year-old, former first-overall pick missed the entire 2025-26 season, and injuries have held him back in his last few years in the NBA. However, he is healthy and reportedly turned some heads in front of general manager Scott Perry at a workout this week.

As a 6-foot-10 point guard who can handle the ball, be a primary playmaker, and defend at a high level, he is worth giving a shot. The Kings, most importantly, could use some help defensively, and they will not find many better options than Simmons.

If they are signing a washed-up point guard anyway, they might as well get one who still has the potential to make a legitimate difference in the rotation.

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