Three Kings to Watch for After NBA All-Star Break

The Sacramento Kings are sitting in last place in the Western Conference with a 12-44 record at the NBA All-Star break. Most fans are simply ready for this disastrous season to be over, but with 26 games left to play, there are still some things to watch for as the offseason approaches.

Here are three players we should keep an eye on as the Kings finish their 2025-26 campaign, and why they are extra important to monitor.

Domantas Sabonis

The Kings were not-so-secretly shopping Domantas Sabonis at this year's trade deadline, but it is a couple of weeks later, and he is still in Sacramento. Sabonis has played just 19 of the Kings' 56 games this season, dealing with various injuries that have kept him sidelined. However, if he is healthy for the final stretch of the season, we will be keeping an eye on him.

The Kings will have a huge decision to make in the offseason, and that is whether or not to trade Sabonis. For the final 26 games of the season, opposing teams could be seeing how Sabonis performs coming off a couple of injuries. However, his performance down the stretch could also stop the Kings from shipping him off.

With Zach LaVine sidelined for the rest of the season, we will get a better look at what the Kings want their roster to look like next season. While they have been looking for trades for Sabonis, there is a strong possibility he is still on the team this time next year.

If Sabonis performs well alongside their young core, the Kings could be reluctant to trade him away for scraps when they could keep him around. The three-time All-Star is under contract until the 2028 offseason, and there should be no rush to trade him away if his value is low anyway. Sure, he would take minutes away from Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell, but in a rebuilding season, they could figure out how to give all of them the proper opportunities.

Sabonis' future in Sacramento is very iffy, but that is what makes the rest of the season so interesting for him. We either see some of his last action in a Kings uniform, or he gives the franchise a reason to keep him around for another season.

Nique Clifford

The Kings traded into the first round to draft Nique Clifford with the 24th overall pick last summer, and the versatile guard has had a mild rookie season since. However, the end of his 2025-26 campaign could tell the franchise whether or not he is their long-term answer at shooting guard.

Clifford recently exploded for a career-high 30-point performance, but throughout most of his rookie season, he has shown he is much more than a scorer.

If Clifford can string together some more strong performances to end the season, the Kings would have a much clearer direction heading into the offseason. The Kings should be handing the keys to Clifford to close out the season, especially with LaVine sidelined, so we will truly see what he is capable of in this position.

Devin Carter

It felt like the Kings gave up on Devin Carter far too early in his career, but the 2024 13th overall pick has had a recent resurgence. In the five games leading up to the All-Star break, Carter averaged 14.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, scoring in double-digits in each outing.

Of course, Carter still had some question marks in those five games, like his 3-26 (11.5%) shooting from beyond the arc, but he showed some promise. If Carter can continue to improve to finish his sophomore season to prove that he can at least be a bench contributor moving forward, the Kings would be in a much better position.

The Kings cannot expect Carter to be their franchise difference-maker, but he should get plenty of opportunities to finish the season. If he can at least show he can be the versatile two-way guard they drafted him to be, then he should have a future in Sacramento. If not, then his time with the Kings could be nearing its end.

Domantas Sabonis

Nique Clifford

Devin Carter

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