Kings Offseason Primer: Free Agents, Draft Capital, Salary Cap Space, Trades

An in-depth look at what the Sacramento Kings' 2026 offseason has in store.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 1:58pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a Sacramento Kings basketball player or game scene, broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in the team's official colors of royal purple, black, and silver.The Kings' offseason moves will require a strategic, multi-faceted approach to rebuild the franchise.Today in Sacramento

The Sacramento Kings ended their 2025-26 season with a 22-60 record, reaching the 60-loss mark for just the second time in franchise history. Now, they are heading into one of the most important offseasons in recent memory, with the opportunity to start turning things around. This article examines the Kings' free agency, draft capital, salary cap, and potential trades.

Why it matters

The Kings' 2026 offseason is crucial as they look to rebuild and turn the franchise around after a disastrous 22-60 season. With limited financial flexibility but valuable draft capital, the team's decisions this summer will have a significant impact on their future.

The details

The Kings have eight total players who could potentially hit the free agent market, with four being unrestricted free agents including Precious Achiuwa, Russell Westbrook, Drew Eubanks, and Doug McDermott. They also have two restricted free agents in Daeqwon Plowden and Patrick Baldwin Jr. The team will likely try to re-sign Achiuwa and Plowden, depending on their price tags. The Kings own their 2026 first-round pick, which could be a top-seven selection in a loaded draft class, as well as several future first and second-round picks. However, the team is severely limited financially, projected to be $20 million over the luxury tax. Waiving DeMar DeRozan could save them around $15 million, but the Kings will need to get creative with trades to improve their roster this offseason.

  • The 2026 NBA Draft lottery will take place on May 10, where the Kings will find out their draft position.
  • Zach LaVine has until June 29 to decide whether to pick up his $49 million player option.

The players

Precious Achiuwa

An unrestricted free agent who the Kings may try to re-sign, depending on his price tag.

Russell Westbrook

An unrestricted free agent who the Kings will have a decision to make on.

Daeqwon Plowden

A restricted free agent who the Kings may re-sign to a cheap deal to help fill out the roster.

Zach LaVine

Expected to pick up his $49 million player option, which he has until June 29 to decide on.

Domantas Sabonis

Set to make $45.4 million next season, a key part of the Kings' salary cap situation.

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What’s next

The Kings will need to make decisions on their free agents, including whether to re-sign Precious Achiuwa and Daeqwon Plowden. They will also await the results of the NBA Draft lottery on May 10 to determine their 2026 first-round pick position. Additionally, Zach LaVine has until June 29 to decide on his $49 million player option.

The takeaway

The Kings' 2026 offseason is crucial as they look to rebuild and turn the franchise around after a disastrous 22-60 season. With limited financial flexibility but valuable draft capital, the team's decisions this summer will have a significant impact on their future. Careful roster management and strategic trades will be key for the Kings to position themselves for long-term success.