Kings Receive Son of NBA Legend in Four-Team G League Trade

The Sacramento Kings traded Skal Labissière's returning player rights for Jayden Hardaway and a future G League draft pick.

Feb 25, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Tigers guard Jayden Hardaway (25) reacts after a basket during the second half against the Florida Atlantic Owls at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings made a minor move with their G League team, the Stockton Kings, this week that brought in Jayden Hardaway, the son of an NBA legend Penny Hardaway.

It was announced that the Washington Wizards were signing forward Skal Labissière this week, which is an exciting move for Labissière to get another shot on a big league squad compared to the G League, but had little effect on the Kings.

But a few days later, it was announced that that was part of a four-team trade that brought Hardaway into the Kings organization, in addition to a 2026 1st round G League draft pick.

The Stockton Kings traded Skal Labissiere in a four-team trade. They acquired Jayden Hardaway and 2026 1st round G League pick in the transaction. pic.twitter.com/jI4GUwiVh0

— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) August 22, 2025

Hardaway spent five seasons at Memphis, where he averaged 3.3 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.5 assists on 11.7 minutes per game on 40.2% shooting from the field and 31.7% from three. While Hardaway was in the G League last season, he only played in two games, with his lone field goal attempt being a missed three.

At 26 years old and such limited time on the court through college and the G League, Hardaway likely won't factor into the Kings future, but it never hurts to bring in someone with potential, especially when it's the son of an NBA legend and it's for a player that the Kings weren't bringing back anyway in Labissière.

Memphis' Jayden Hardaway (25) poses for a photo holding an honorary jersey with his father and head coach Penny Hardaway (left) and other family during a senior day celebration before the game between University of Alabama at Birmingham and University of Memphis at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Sunday, March 3, 2024. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Stockton Kings have experienced tremendous recent success in the G League, having won the G League championship last season and boasting a 95-55 (.633) record over the last three seasons.

The Stockton squad has been competitive over the recent run and have seen Keon Ellis and Isaac Jones get converted from two-way deals to standard NBA contracts. If there's a chance for Hardaway to latch on to a team and find his NBA home, the Stockton Kings are one of the better G League teams to try and do so.

It's also a good sign that the Kings were able to get a 1st round pick in the deal. Yes it's just in the G League draft, but in this era of the NBA where second-round picks are getting more valuable, it never hurts to have more chances of finding a steal in the G League system.

We're seeing more and more undrafted players make an impact in the NBA, and finding talent on the fringes is what can take a franchise to the next level, especially with money disappearing around the league this offseason.

If it works out and Hardaway or the future draft pick even makes the team in any capacity, it would be a surprise, but it seems unlikely given how Hardaway has failed to get more minutes at any of his stops. This likely won't amount to much, but in the quiet days of August, it's at least something to bring a little fun to the team.