Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry introduces former player Doug Christie as the permanent head coach of the organization. By David Caraccio
Davion Mitchell went to the playoffs as the starting point guard for the Miami Heat.
De’Aaron Fox has a chance to be a driving force behind a burgeoning dynasty with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Tyrese Haliburton has taken a step toward superstardom as he prepares to lead the Indiana Pacers into Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in Sacramento, the Kings find themselves in a rather dumbfounding position as they enter the summer in search of a point guard after trading Fox, Haliburton and Mitchell.
The point guard spot is general manager Scott Perry’s top priority this summer, but market forces might determine whether he finds a long-term solution or a bridge to the future. A number of names have surfaced as potential targets for the Kings, including Ja Morant, Trae Young, Darius Garland, Jrue Holiday, Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon and Tyus Jones.
The Kings have reportedly talked to the Atlanta Hawks about a deal involving Young, but their interest in the four-time All-Star and his $46 million salary is tepid at best without first-round picks attached. Sacramento might have more interest in Garland, but there has been no indication of talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bovada sportsbook gives the Toronto Raptors (+400) and Kings (+500) the best odds of being Morant’s next team if the Memphis Grizzlies trade him.
Not long ago, the Kings had two rising stars in Fox and Haliburton with Mitchell coming off the bench as a defensive dynamo. They traded all three over a span of 24 months without procuring a starting caliber point guard, leaving the cupboard bare as Perry takes over for former general manager Monte McNair.
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5 congratulates Tyrese Haliburton on a swinging a three pointer during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021. Xavier Mascareñas xmascarenas@sacbee.com
This predicament is especially painful for Kings fans who haven’t made peace with the decisions to trade Fox, Haliburton and Mitchell.
Haliburton was the first to go. The Kings sent him to Indiana along with Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson in the February 2022 trade that brought Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb to Sacramento. Some criticized the Kings for trading Haliburton instead of Fox, but sources told The Sacramento Bee at the time the Pacers insisted on Haliburton and his rookie contract after the Kings first put Fox on the table.
The move was considered a win-win for both teams after the Kings secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference in 2022-23, ending the longest playoff drought in NBA history after 16 consecutive losing seasons. The narrative has changed with the Pacers reaching the NBA Finals while the Kings have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals on Thursday in Indianapolis. Kyle Terada Imagn Images
The Kings traded Mitchell, Sasha Vezenkov, the draft rights to Jamal Shead and a 2025 second-round draft pick to the Raptors for Jalen McDaniels in June 2024. The move allowed the Kings to cut costs and cut ties with Vezenkov, who had already signaled his desire to return to Europe following a frustrating rookie season. The return for the Kings was especially underwhelming given that they later traded McDaniels, a 2031 second-round pick and cash considerations to the San Antonio Spurs for a top 55 protected 2025 second-round pick that was not conveyed.
The Raptors traded Mitchell to Miami in February as part of the five-team deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Mitchell started for the Heat in a first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 15.0 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 61% from the field and 50% from 3-point range.
The last domino for Sacramento fell in February when the Kings traded Fox to the Spurs in a three-team deal. Fox signaled his unwillingness to sign a contract extension after losing faith in the organization’s direction, forcing Sacramento to entertain trade talks.
San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (4) is introduced before the NBA game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday, March 7, 2025 at Golden 1 Center. JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS jvillegas@sacbee.com
The Kings acquired Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, three first-round picks and three second-round picks in the Fox trade. One of those first-round picks, a top 14 protected pick from the Charlotte Hornets, will become two second-round picks in 2026 and 2027 if the Hornets don’t make the playoffs next season.
Fox could compete for multiple championships in the coming years with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. Seeing Fox and Haliburton go head-to-head in the NBA Finals would be a nightmare scenario for Sacramento.
Meanwhile, the Kings are searching for the point guard after missing the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 seasons. The organization has no plans to initiate a full-scale rebuild, so Perry has to find a way to retool a roster that will feature some combination of Lavine, Sabonis, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray and Jonas Valanciunas.
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Jason Anderson is The Sacramento Bee’s Kings beat writer. He is a Sacramento native and a graduate of Fresno State, where he studied journalism and college basketball under the late Jerry Tarkanian.
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