What Are the Kings Doing With Devin Carter?

The Sacramento Kings have a Devin Carter-sized problem on their hands.

Apr 11, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Devin Carter (22) warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Golden 1 Center. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

In 2024, the Sacramento Kings drafted Devin Carter with the 13th overall pick out of Providence. Carter was a two-way monster in college, winning Big East Player of the Year while averaging 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and nearly 3 stocks per game. 

Carter immediately had to sit out his rookie year after shoulder surgery and finished the year averaging 3.8 points and just over two rebounds per game on 37% from the field and 29.5% from three. Still, Carter had some really good moments, and fans had high hopes for him coming into this season. 

So far, Carter has played in just eight of 22 games this season, including eight straight DNPs, while rookie Nique Clifford has played in every game since returning from an injury in October. The question on everyone’s mind is: what’s the plan with Carter?

Another day, another lifeless Kings loss, at least Maxime played well.

Don’t care if you think Devin Carter has IT or not. A 1st round pick from a year ago getting zero minutes on one of the worst teams in the league is malpractice.

Someone needs to ask Doug what is the deal.

— Allen Stiles (@The_StilesFiles) December 4, 2025

A Changing of the Guard

After last season’s disappointment and dysfunction, general manager Monte McNair was fired and replaced by Scott Perry. Perry brings a completely different background and mindset than McNair, and most importantly, he didn’t draft Carter. 

Much like McNair’s willingness to part with one of his former picks in Davion Mitchell after drafting Carter, Perry was happy to include Carter in an offer to acquire Jonathan Kuminga from the Golden State Warriors. While Clifford has had similar struggles to Carter to start his career, Perry and, to a lesser extent, Doug Christie, have invested more in Clifford. 

None of this necessarily means that something won’t change with Carter. The Kings have a massive backlog of guards, and both Christie and Perry haven’t been shy to remind us of that fact. The hard truth is that until someone is traded, the Kings don’t have a way to find minutes for everyone. 

As great as it would be to focus on Carter as well as the other young players, Zach LaVine, Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, and Dennis Schroder (when he’s healthy) all play over 24 minutes per game, which is already the majority of the time at the guard spots. Add in Clifford and Keon Ellis, and it’s nearly impossible to find minutes for another guard. Things might be different for Carter if the Kings are able to move one or more of those players, but the clock is ticking. 

Devin Carter had himself a day! The @SacramentoKings draftee recorded a career-high in scoring and is now averaging 27.25 PPG and 10 RPG during the regular season. pic.twitter.com/gSXML490u4

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) February 26, 2025

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

It’s very possible the Kings still have plans to move Carter, and that is the most likely scenario given his lack of game time. The problem with planning to trade him while keeping him on the bench is that other teams see that as well. Any team trading for Carter will have his college, summer league, and rookie year tapes to go over, but seeing him sitting at the end of the bench night after night while the team struggles will undoubtedly be a factor in his value. 

Carter’s calling card is his defense, and the Kings have been awful on that end (really both ends), especially on the perimeter, where Carter excels, which makes it even more suspicious that he can’t get on the court. 

Devin Carter drills the long triple 3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/vma5gvFJJR

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 13, 2025

If Sacramento wants to move Carter, they either need to do it fast or find enough minutes to showcase him. As mentioned, the obvious fix would be trading one of the other veteran guards, but the Kings might not be able to wait that long. Carter has shown flashes, but his physical limitations at just 6-foot-2 and his very inconsistent shot remain question marks that won’t be resolved while he’s sitting on the bench. 

The Kings have nothing to lose by playing Carter, which is the part of the equation that most fans are confused about. Whether it's internal politics, an effort to keep other trade values up, or simply the pecking order that has been set, Carter has barely even had an opportunity this year. 

Regardless of the reason, Carter is depreciating, not appreciating, sitting on the sideline, and the Kings need to make a decision before he loses the little trade value he has. 

The Kings have botched quite a few first-round picks over the years, and Carter isn’t even close to their worst lottery decision. No matter who it is, cutting your losses on a lottery pick is always hard, and the Kings are no strangers to that decision. 

Ultimately, this situation is equally the fault of both front offices, and now, Perry and Christie need to stop making Carter tomorrow’s problem. Seeing the 23-year-old former lottery pick on the bench every game is a stark reminder that this situation isn’t good for anyone, and if nothing else, Carter deserves the chance to prove whether he belongs in the league or not.