Three Rules the Kings Need to Follow for NBA Trade Season

The Sacramento Kings likely have a big trade deadline ahead of them, but they need to stay focused on the long-term goal.

Dec 6, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) and forward DeMar DeRozan (10) embrace before a game the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings are 8-28 and just half a game out of last place in the Western Conference, on pace to win just 18 games for the season. Sure, the Play-In Tournament isn’t completely out of reach, but the focus now should be on the future and finding players that fit into Scott Perry’s identity for the team. 

Sacramento hasn’t always had the right things in mind when making trades, and now that trade season is here, I decided that they might need some rules to follow to save them from themselves.

Rule #1: DO NOT TRADE PICKS

This one is capitalized because it really is the most important rule for Sacramento, and any team that should be rebuilding, for that matter. This becomes even more important for the Kings because they have a bunch of big contracts that would be a lot easier to move if draft picks were added to sweeten the deal. 

As great as it would be to move off Zach LaVine’s massive player option for next year and even Domantas Sabonis’ deal, it isn’t worth giving up future picks just to make it happen. 

Zach LaVine is AVALIABLE tonight for the Sacramento Kings...

...against the Milwaukee Bucks, who have been rumored to have interest in potentially trading for him.

Quite the coincidence.

— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) January 4, 2026

Could following this rule mean that the Kings won’t be able to move any of their veterans? Maybe, but there’s enough evidence to believe that there should be offers for guys like LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Malik Monk. The other important thing to remember is that LaVine and DeRozan will be on expiring contracts next season, Monk has a player option for 2027-28, and Sabonis will have one less year on his deal as well.

All of these contracts will be much easier to digest in the offseason, and the Kings may have to wait until bigger dominoes fall before teams start moving for the next tier of players. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and more may not be moved until the summer, which could easily hold up the market for the Kings that are on the trading block. 

It must be frustrating for Kings fans to continually hear the word patience, but in this case, being hasty and giving up future picks could kneecap the rebuilding process and drag it out even longer. 

Rule #2: Do Not Take Back Long-Term Money

Not following rule No. 2 probably isn’t as catastrophic as ignoring rule No. 1, but they’re close. There are two reasons why the Kings want to move their veteran players: money and opportunity for younger players like Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, and others. 

The Kings’ cap sheet is one of the ugliest in the NBA, with over $245 million allocated to just nine players for the 2026-27 season, according to Spotrac.com. This gives Sacramento just over $16 million to fill out the remainder of its roster before hitting the first apron, and only $11.8 million until Sacramento hits the tax threshold.

ESPN Sources: Guard Immanuel Quickley intends to sign a five-year, $175 million contract to stay with the Toronto Raptors. Quickley arrived in trade with Knicks and established himself as a cornerstone player for Toronto. pic.twitter.com/7jtWabVxmr

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2024

Now that we’ve covered why taking on long-term contracts just to move off the veterans doesn’t make sense, let’s get into some examples. Sabonis has garnered some interest from the Toronto Raptors, according to Jake Fischer, but the players that may come back in a deal should matter to Sacramento. 

Either Immanuel Quickley or Jakob Poeltl would need to be moved for the Raptors to take on Sabonis’ salary, and neither contract is one Sacramento should be happy to take back. While both make less than Domas, they are under contract for 3+ years after this season and are not going to be building blocks for the future. 

Rule #3: Do Not Trade for a “Star” Point Guard

This is a rule that not everyone will agree with me on, and that’s okay. Darius Garland, LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant, and Trae Young are all exciting players and bring a ton to the table offensively; there’s no doubt about that. The issue is that trading for one of those stars is a commitment to them being your lead guard for years to come. 

Garland has two more years of making $42+ million, Morant is on a very similar deal, and Ball has three years remaining where he’ll be making more than $40 million per year. 

Well that's a fun back and forth between Ausar Thompson and Darius Garland. pic.twitter.com/bfHErvM1HV

— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) January 4, 2026

Maybe more important than their contracts, there’s the fact that none of these players are the defensive-minded guys that Perry seems to value. LaMelo has the tools to be a solid defender with his length and quickness, but it remains to be seen if he’s ever going to put in the requisite effort on that side of the ball. The rest of the guys I named are similarly disinterested defensively, and their size makes them even easier to pick on when put in action. 

There is one caveat to my rule, and that happens to be Trae Young. Trae has a player option for next year that is about equal to what LaVine will be making, which means that a trade involving the two would be mostly a lateral move money-wise, but there are benefits to swapping LaVine for Young. 

Trae is one of the best playmakers in the NBA, and having a lead guard like him could be beneficial to a team filled with secondary players that need someone like Young to get them easy looks. I don’t love Young as a player, but the Kings do not move the ball well at all, and Young could be a nice stopgap option while they figure out their long-term solution at point guard.