{"id":288541,"date":"2025-09-17T15:36:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T15:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/288541\/"},"modified":"2025-09-17T15:36:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T15:36:10","slug":"3-sacramento-kings-trade-targets-to-keep-an-eye-on-in-2025-26-nba-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/288541\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Sacramento Kings trade targets to keep an eye on in 2025-26 NBA season"},"content":{"rendered":"

The post 3 Sacramento Kings trade targets to keep an eye on in 2025-26 NBA season<\/a> appeared first on ClutchPoints<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Sacramento Kings<\/a> entered the 2025 NBA offseason knowing they needed to make a statement. After back-to-back years of inconsistency and a failure to firmly plant themselves as a Western Conference contender, the Kings took a risk by reshaping their backcourt. The centerpiece move was acquiring veteran guard Dennis Schr\u00f6der, a steady hand at point guard who will be tasked with organizing an offense that runs through Domantas Sabonis and thrives off the scoring punch of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. On paper, Sacramento now boasts a starting lineup<\/a> that looks balanced enough: Schr\u00f6der, LaVine, DeRozan, Keegan Murray, and Sabonis.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

The question, however, isn\u2019t about their starters: it\u2019s about what happens when Sabonis sits or when DeRozan, now 36, needs rest. Sacramento\u2019s bench remains top-heavy in the guard department with Malik Monk<\/a>, Keon Ellis, rookie Devin Carter, and versatile Nique Clifford offering depth. But the frontcourt is dangerously thin. Journeyman Drew Eubanks and rookie Maxime Raynaud aren\u2019t reliable rotation pieces in a postseason chase, and Dario \u0160ari\u0107 is better suited as a stretch option than a physical presence. This is why ESPN\u2019s Kevin Pelton recently highlighted the Kings\u2019 frontcourt reserves as the team\u2019s biggest weakness. In a loaded Western Conference where every possession matters, Sacramento\u2019s lack of dependable size and wing defense could derail its playoff hopes.<\/p>\n

The Kings are not without options, though. They have movable contracts, expiring deals, and a front office that has shown a willingness to be aggressive when the moment calls for it. If Sacramento wants to vault into the tier of true contenders alongside Denver, Oklahoma City, and Minnesota, it will need to explore the trade market during the 2025-26 season. Three names stand out as potential solutions: Jonathan Kuminga<\/a>, Kelly Oubre Jr<\/a>., and Jalen Smith.<\/p>\n

Jonathan Kuminga: The athletic two-way wing Sacramento desperately needs<\/p>\n

When you examine Sacramento\u2019s roster, one glaring absence is a true defensive-minded wing who can also impact the game in transition. DeMar DeRozan is still a gifted scorer, but his best defensive years are well behind him. Zach LaVine, while explosive offensively, isn\u2019t the answer on the perimeter either. Keegan Murray has shown flashes as a two-way forward, but the Kings can\u2019t expect him to handle every challenging wing assignment. This is where Jonathan Kuminga comes into the picture.<\/a><\/p>\n

Kuminga has had an up-and-down<\/a> start to his career, showing bursts of elite athleticism and strong defensive instincts but struggling with consistency. The Golden State Warriors have been hesitant to give him a fully defined role, and with the team\u2019s constant push to remain competitive, his name continues to surface in trade rumors. For Sacramento, this is precisely the type of player worth gambling on. At just 22 years old, Kuminga\u2019s best years are still ahead of him, and his physical profile fits exactly what the Kings need.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

The Kings have assets that could entice Golden State, especially given Kuminga\u2019s pending contract situation<\/a>. If the Warriors decide to pivot or clear space, Sacramento could swoop in and address a hole that has lingered for years. For a team trying to break through in the playoffs, finally, Kuminga could be the type of high-upside acquisition that changes the trajectory of their season.<\/p>\n

Kelly Oubre Jr.: The veteran wing scorer with defensive bite<\/p>\n

While Kuminga represents a long-term play, Kelly Oubre Jr. offers a more immediate solution. The Philadelphia 76ers have been rumored to be open to moving Oubre, and Sacramento has already been linked to him in various reports and mock trades. Though a local radio host recently dismissed the chatter, the fit between Oubre and the Kings is too logical to ignore.<\/p>\n

Oubre is a proven scorer on the wing who can provide instant offense off the bench or slot into the starting lineup when injuries hit. More importantly, he brings the kind of defensive activity and length that Sacramento sorely lacks among its reserve forwards. At 6-foot-7 with a wiry frame, Oubre has shown the ability to guard multiple positions, and he would immediately become the Kings\u2019 best perimeter defender outside of Murray.<\/p>\n

His offensive game also adds value. Oubre isn\u2019t a pure shooter, but he has developed into a respectable threat from beyond the arc while still thriving as a slasher and finisher at the rim. With Sabonis\u2019s playmaking and the Kings\u2019 guard-heavy creation, Oubre would not be asked to carry an offensive load. Instead, he would thrive as a complementary piece, attacking closeouts, filling lanes in transition, and spacing the floor just enough to keep defenses honest.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

From a trade perspective, Oubre\u2019s contract situation makes him attainable. Philadelphia is in a state of transition, and if it looks to open minutes for younger players or clear financial flexibility, Sacramento could offer a package built around expiring deals and second-round picks. This wouldn\u2019t require mortgaging the future, but it could stabilize the rotation in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n

Jalen Smith: A frontcourt solution with upside<\/p>\n

The Kings\u2019 biggest issue, as Pelton noted, lies in their frontcourt depth<\/a>. Sabonis is a durable workhorse, but Sacramento cannot afford to overextend him across 82 games and a potential playoff run. Drew Eubanks is a solid backup in short spurts, yet he lacks the athleticism and versatility required to hold up against the West\u2019s elite big men. This is where Jalen Smith, currently with the Chicago Bulls, becomes an intriguing trade target.<\/p>\n

Smith has quietly developed into a reliable stretch big with the ability to rebound, protect the rim, and space the floor. At 6-foot-10 with solid mobility, he can guard multiple frontcourt spots while also providing the kind of shooting touch Sacramento lacks in its second unit. Offensively, he doesn\u2019t need the ball to be effective, which makes him a natural fit alongside Sabonis or in staggered lineups with Schr\u00f6der and LaVine.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

For Sacramento, Smith represents both a short-term upgrade and a long-term investment. At just 25 years old, he still has room to grow, and the Kings could benefit from his energy and versatility immediately. He would allow the Kings to play bigger lineups without sacrificing spacing, something they will need when facing teams like Minnesota or Denver in the postseason.<\/p>\n

The Kings\u2019 path forward to become a contender<\/p>\n

The Sacramento Kings find themselves at a crossroads. They have a starting lineup with enough firepower to compete, but the Western Conference is unforgiving. Denver remains the gold standard, Oklahoma City has ascended with youth and depth, and Minnesota has built a bruising front line that is difficult to counter. To keep pace, Sacramento cannot stand pat.<\/p>\n

Adding Jonathan Kuminga, Kelly Oubre Jr., or Jalen Smith would each address specific weaknesses: Kuminga brings athleticism and defensive versatility, Oubre provides veteran scoring and wing defense, and Smith shores up the frontcourt with shooting and size. None of these moves requires mortgaging the future, but together they signal a commitment to winning now.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

The Kings\u2019 2025 offseason was solid but uninspiring. Schr\u00f6der was a necessary addition, yet not the kind of blockbuster move that reshapes a franchise\u2019s fortunes. If Sacramento truly believes it can rise above the play-in tier and challenge for a top-four seed, it must be not very pleasant during the season. The trade deadline could become the defining moment of this era of Kings basketball.<\/p>\n

Related: Dennis Schroder rips Turkey\u2019s coach winning EuroBasket \u201cBest Coach\u201d award<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The post 3 Sacramento Kings trade targets to keep an eye on in 2025-26 NBA season appeared first…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":288542,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3792],"tags":[7,329,3213,1024,301,3208,4672,11057,164,2291,867,3210,3147,3211,4056,1267,3538,307,6,854,475,526,678,207,986,477,4055,3207,574,3212],"class_list":{"0":"post-288541","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sacramento-kings","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-chicago-bulls","10":"tag-demar-derozan","11":"tag-dennis-schroder","12":"tag-denver","13":"tag-devin-carter","14":"tag-domantas-sabonis","15":"tag-drew-eubanks","16":"tag-golden-state-warriors","17":"tag-jalen-smith","18":"tag-jonathan-kuminga","19":"tag-keegan-murray","20":"tag-kelly-oubre","21":"tag-keon-ellis","22":"tag-kings","23":"tag-malik-monk","24":"tag-maxime-raynaud","25":"tag-minnesota","26":"tag-nba","27":"tag-nique-clifford","28":"tag-oklahoma-city","29":"tag-paul-george","30":"tag-philadelphia","31":"tag-philadelphia-76ers","32":"tag-sacramento","33":"tag-sacramento-kings","34":"tag-sacramentokings","35":"tag-the-kings","36":"tag-western-conference","37":"tag-zach-lavine"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/115220380665462005","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/288541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=288541"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/288541\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/288542"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=288541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=288541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=288541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}