3 Guards the Kings Wish They Still Had on Their Roster

The Sacramento Kings have spent the last few seasons searching for reliable guard depth around their core, but in doing so, they may have overlooked something important: they already had several young, proven guards on the roster.

In recent years, the Kings moved on from players like Tyrese Haliburton, Donte DiVincenzo, and Sam Merrill before those players reached their full value. Each of them showed promise while in Sacramento or shortly after leaving, yet the organization ultimately decided to go in a different direction.

Since then, all three guards have carved out strong roles on winning teams around the league. Their shooting, defense, and playmaking are exactly the type of skills teams need in the modern NBA. Looking back now, it is easy to see why the Kings might wish those three guards were still part of their roster today.

Tyrese Haliburton

The most obvious example is Haliburton, who quickly developed into one of the league's best young point guards after leaving Sacramento. Now starring with the Indiana Pacers, Haliburton has become one of the NBA’s elite playmakers and a leader for a rising contender.

Over the last few seasons, he has averaged around 18 points and more than nine assists per game while consistently ranking among the league leaders in assists. His ability to run an offense efficiently while shooting near 40 percent from three makes him one of the most valuable guards in basketball.

Haliburton's combination of leadership, scoring, and passing is exactly what teams build around, and he has already proven capable of leading a contender. For a Kings team that has often searched for high-level guard play, watching Haliburton become a star elsewhere is a difficult reminder of what could have been.

Donte DiVincenzo

Another guard Sacramento might wish it kept longer is DiVincenzo. During his time with the Kings, he showed flashes of versatility as a two-way guard, but he eventually moved on and found larger roles elsewhere. DiVincenzo later became a valuable starter and rotation player on strong teams, known for his energy, perimeter defense, and high-volume three-point shooting.

With the New York Knicks, he averaged a career-high 15.5 points while shooting just over 40 percent from three and even set the franchise record for most three-pointers made in a season. He later joined the Minnesota Timberwolves and continued to contribute as a starting-caliber guard who can score, defend, and stretch the floor. Players with his toughness and shooting are extremely valuable on elite teams, and DiVincenzo has proven he can thrive in that environment.

Sam Merrill

The third guard on this list is Merrill, who has quietly become one of the league’s most dangerous shooters. Merrill signed with the Kings on a non-guaranteed two-year deal during the 2022 offseason, but before he could even play a game for the franchise, they waived him.

After bouncing around early in his career, Merrill found a role with the Cleveland Cavaliers as a floor-spacing specialist. He has built a reputation as a high-volume three-point shooter who can change games with his spacing and quick release. Merrill owns a career three-point percentage close to 40 percent and has had stretches where he averaged double-digit scoring while shooting extremely efficiently from deep.

His shooting has helped Cleveland open up its offense and support its star guards, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. In today’s NBA, elite shooters who can stretch defenses are always in demand, and Merrill has proven he belongs in that category. In hindsight, it is horribly wrong that the Kings gave up on Merrill before he played a single game.

Looking at these three players together highlights a frustrating pattern for Sacramento. Haliburton, DiVincenzo, and Merrill were all young guards who had already shown they could contribute at the NBA level.

Instead of developing them long term, the Kings moved on and are now searching for many of the same qualities those players provide: shooting, playmaking, and reliable guard depth. Meanwhile, each of them has become an important piece on competitive teams across the league.

Their success shows that sometimes patience with young talent can pay off in a big way. For the Kings, the rise of these three guards serves as a reminder that the pieces you need are sometimes already on your roster; you just have to give them the time to grow.