Three Bold Predictions for the Kings Before 2026-27 NBA Season

After a 60-loss season, their second-worst mark in franchise history, the Sacramento Kings are likely in store for a busy summer. With veterans like Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine all potentially on the move, and the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft at their disposal, the Kings' roster could look much different in a few months.

It is hard to guess what the Kings will actually do this summer, but here are three predictions for the Kings ahead of the offseason and 2026-27 regular season:

Draft Kingston Flemings

Mar 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) dribbles against Baylor Bears in the first half at Fertitta Center. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

While the consensus has recently been that the Kings will be selecting Darius Acuff Jr. with the No. 7 pick on June 23, we could see him go to the L.A. Clippers at No. 5 or the Brooklyn Nets at No. 6, leaving Sacramento with a different point guard.

If Keaton Wagler goes No. 5 and Acuff goes No. 6, the Kings will likely be taking either Kingston Flemings or Mikel Brown Jr., and either would still be a good selection for Sacramento.

Flemings, a 19-year-old point guard out of Houston, seems to fit the bill as a Kings-type of prospect more than Brown Jr., despite many fans believing the Louisville Cardinals product would be the better selection. Flemings, especially coming out of Kelvin Sampson's system with the Cougars, is a tough-nosed defender with an improving offensive game, and his two-way capabilities could be what the Kings need at the point guard position.

While it might not be "bold" to say the Kings will draft any of Acuff, Wagler, Flemings, or Brown, after all the recent chatter about Acuff, there seem to be fewer scenarios where they end up with one of the others.

Keep Sabonis and LaVine

Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine and forward Domantas Sabonis — Feb 21, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) and forward Domantas Sabonis (11) look on during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Golden 1 Center. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

In an ideal world, the Kings could part ways with all three of their star veterans this offseason to go all-in on a rebuild, but that is not as realistic as fans wish. DeRozan will likely be on the move, especially since just $10 million of his $25.7 million final-year salary is guaranteed, but it could be a different story for Sabonis and LaVine.

The Kings are expected to field trade offers for Sabonis, but there is no telling how valuable the three-time All-Star will be on the market. It will be hard to find a legitimate suitor for Sabonis that is willing to give up valuable assets in return, meaning the Kings could ultimately choose to keep him. He has two years left on his contract worth about $94.1 million. Sure, we could see him on the move this summer, but I predict he will be sticking in Sacramento to start the 2026-27 season.

As for LaVine, he has a $49 million player option. He is expected to opt in, and while the Kings will still have the chance to trade him afterwards, there is not much incentive to do so. It will be challenging for the Kings to find a trade partner for LaVine without either attaching extra assets to a deal or taking on long-term salary in exchange. At that point, the Kings are better off waiting until his contract expires in 2027.

A 10+ win increase next season

Apr 10, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie looks on against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

While the Kings are coming off one of their worst seasons in franchise history, they have a much clearer sense of direction heading into 2026-27. While shipping out their veterans would help them fully commit to a rebuild, hanging on to them will help them stay surprisingly competitive.

If the Kings roll out a lineup of Kingston Flemings, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, and Domantas Sabonis next season, with a bench unit of Devin Carter, Nique Clifford, Malik Monk, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell, we could see a significant win increase from their disastrous 2025-26 campaign.

Before their offseason truly gets underway, I predict they will finish the 2026-27 season with at least 32 wins, and could get much closer to the 35 to 40-win range than some fans are likely expecting. It would take a miracle for the Kings to secure a 2027 playoff spot, but they could be much more competitive than they were this season.

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