What I'm hearing about the Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings’ Summer League continues as they await their fate, based on point differential, to determine whether they will advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas and have a chance to win their third title.

But with the immediate impact of draft picks Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud, not to mention Devin Carter showing flashes at the point guard position, this summer has already been a success for general manager Scott Perry and the new front office.

As fun as the actual games have been, the real question on everyone’s mind is whether or not the Sacramento Kings are done making moves.

The overarching theme at Summer League was, barring a strong shift in conversations, the Kings will head into the season with Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray on the roster. With that being said, there is a feeling around the league that Sacramento would like to make another move if the opportunity presents itself.

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The point guard position remains a topic of interest, and the Sacramento Kings’ interest in Russell Westbrook is reportedly still strong.

With Westbrook coming off a season where he played 27.9 minutes a game, it’s hard to believe he’d be ecstatic about fighting for playing time between Dennis Schröder, who the Kings have fully committed to with a 3-year, $45 million deal, and the plethora of combo guards they also have on their roster. Although in that case, Westbrook would also need a better deal to take instead.

One domino that has finally fallen is Bradley Beal signing with the Clippers. Shams Charania reported that the Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers also had interest.

That could spark some conversations regarding Malik Monk, and to a lesser degree, DeMar DeRozan. Some of those teams could probably be eliminated since they were simply looking to get an incredible scoring talent at a bargain price, but the Heat and Bucks have been in so many reports that it is clear they believe they need another piece. They also both have salaries on their rosters that could suffice in potential deals.

Scott Perry continues to emphasize one word: “prudent.” The week isn’t over yet, and with players like Keon Ellis and DeMar DeRozan making trips to Vegas, conversations are bound to happen. How far will they go? That remains to be seen.

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Since becoming general manager of the Sacramento Kings, Scott Perry has repeatedly mentioned the importance of creating an identity.

Their 2K26 Summer League squad has been no different, with head coach Dipesh Mistry emphasizing a defensive brand of basketball. It’s worked wonders.

Despite their toughest challenge yet, Sacramento became the first 4-0 team in Las Vegas Wednesday afternoon.

Cavaliers guard Tyrese Proctor had 35 points, but the Kings held Cleveland to 35.5 percent as a team.

Second-year big man Isaac Jones got off to a hot start early, attacking the basket with force. “I realized they didn’t want to run with me,” Jones said. “So, I tried to get on the rim as much as possible, and it just worked out.”

He finished the game with 17 points and three rebounds on 8/11 shooting. Playing alongside 7’1 big Maxime Raynaud, the rookie’s shooting helped open up the floor for Jones.

Familiar with one another from their collegiate days, and both having played under Coach Kyle Smith, Jones is a fan of Raynaud’s game.

“He’s definitely special,” Jones said of Raynaud. “I think we got a steal picking him.” But it was Sacramento’s first-rounder that stole the show.

It felt like every time the momentum started heading in Cleveland’s direction, Nique Clifford took matters into his own hands. Showing off his touch in the midrange while creating off the bounce for himself and others, it was a stellar performance.

What I’m hearing about the Sacramento Kings

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