Starting point
The Sacramento Kings enter the 2026/27 NBA season with a roster that looks different from the previous cycle. The franchise has confirmed its place in the competition and will open the schedule on the road, a setting that will quickly test a project that reshaped its core over the summer.
DeMar DeRozan's departure — waived in July — marks the most visible turning point of the offseason. With no 2025/26 season records available in the editorial system, this analysis relies on the current roster composition and official moves registered through mid-September.
Roster changes
The headline addition is Ben Simmons, signed on September 7. Sacramento adds a point guard with NBA experience who can provide playmaking and perimeter defense, though his exact role will depend on fitness and how he fits alongside the rest of the starting unit.
On the other side, the Kings sent Devin Carter to the Atlanta Hawks in a trade effective at the end of June, with Atlanta receiving draft consideration. Isaiah Stevens was also waived in July, and DeRozan left the roster.
The 2026 Draft strengthened the pipeline with Darius Acuff Jr. and Emanuel Sharp, both selected and signed. Precious Achiuwa, Jonathan Mogbo, Alex Karaban, Adam Flagler and Daeqwon Plowden also joined. The stable core remains Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk and De'Andre Hunter.
Identity and strengths
The offensive hub still runs through Domantas Sabonis. His ability to play from the center spot, create post advantage and distribute the ball keeps Sacramento in a fast-paced style built on transition looks. With LaVine and Monk as perimeter threats and Hunter providing versatility on the wing, the Kings retain a core capable of scoring in stretches.
Keegan Murray brings continuity in a forward role that blends shooting and defense. His development will be critical if Sacramento is to avoid relying solely on interior play and Sabonis pick-and-roll actions.
Bench depth — with pieces like Achiuwa, Mogbo and Clifford — offers defensive and physical options. Simmons, if available, could raise the passing and organization level in units without Sabonis on the floor.
Risks
The main unknown is Simmons' integration after a late-market arrival. A player who joins in September has less adaptation time than the rest of the league, and his availability history adds a variable that is hard to project.
DeRozan's absence removes a veteran scorer capable of closing possessions in crunch time. Sacramento must redistribute those responsibilities among LaVine, Monk and Murray with no guarantee the handoff will be immediate.
The roster mixes veterans, players still developing and newly arrived rookies. That heterogeneity can translate into inconsistency, especially early on, while the coaching staff settles rotations.
Expectations and outlook
Editorial analysis: Sacramento projects as a Play-In contender in the West, but not as a clear favorite for a direct playoff spot. The team's ceiling depends on Sabonis' health and whether Simmons provides net positive value from the opening tip.
Editorial analysis: A reasonable scenario places the Kings in the lower-middle tier of the conference, with room to climb if Murray takes an offensive leap and the defense improves over recent seasons. A slow start in the first ten games could complicate postseason aspirations.
Early schedule
The calendar opens on October 22 at Crypto.com Arena against the LA Clippers. Two days later, Sacramento hosts the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center, followed by a home date with the Memphis Grizzlies on October 26.
The first week also includes road trips to the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, before a stretch featuring games in Memphis, Dallas and a home matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 5. That initial block — six road games in the first eight — will demand maturity from a roster with several new pieces.
