Matt George and Kayla Anderson of Sactown Sports’ The Matt & Kayla Show painted a realistic—but cautiously optimistic—picture of the Sacramento Kings and how long it may take to truly turn things around.
Will the next two to three years define the franchise’s direction?
At 19-55, the Kings are entering the final weeks of a season that many would like to forget. Sacramento owns the worst record in the Western Conference and is firmly slotted into a top-four finish in the NBA Draft Lottery standings.
“This year being a necessary evil… did this year have to happen, the ripping off of the band aid in order to actually start to heal the wound?” George asked, framing the current struggles as part of a larger reset.
SACRAMENTO, CA - MAY 2: Scott Perry and the Sacramento Kings hold a press conference to announce Doug Christie as Head Coach on May 2, 2025 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
That leads into what they called a “hybrid rebuild”—not by design, but by circumstance. “It’s a hybrid rebuild out of necessity,” George explained. “I have these players. I’m not going to be able to get rid of them.” With major contracts still on the books, the Sacramento Kings are expected to remain competitive while developing young talent, rather than bottoming out completely.
The short-term goal? Stay competitive enough to sniff the postseason while prioritizing growth. George outlined a best-case scenario where the Kings “hit on their draft pick,” and that rookie becomes “a core piece of the future.”
Pair that with internal development and a partial roster reshuffle, and Sacramento could potentially reach the Play-In Tournament as soon as next season.
But the real turning point comes in 2027. That’s when significant money comes off the books, giving the Sacramento Kings the flexibility they haven’t had in years.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: DeMar DeRozan #10 and Zach LaVine #8 of the Sacramento Kings hug during their game against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half at Golden 1 Center on March 07, 2025 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Zach LaVine’s $49 million salary will come off the books at the end of next season, as will De’Andre Hunter’s $24 million contract. Malik Monk has a $21 million player option for 2027-28, while DeMar DeRozan’s $25 million salary (if the Kings guarantee his deal) will also fall off Sacramento’s finance sheet.
“Now Perry can start to cook,” George said, referring to the front office finally having cap space and control.
From there, three paths emerge: stay the course and build through the draft, trade for a young co-star, or dive into free agency. Anderson leaned toward a balanced approach, emphasizing sustainability over splashy moves.
“I don’t feel like Scott Perry has ever given off a desperate vibe,” she said. “If I were going to do anything, it would maybe use your future draft assets to trade for a partner, for a new star.”
Free agency, while tempting, comes with skepticism.
“Just because you have cap space doesn’t mean you know how to properly use it,” George cautioned, noting Sacramento’s historical struggles attracting top-tier talent.
Ultimately, the Sacramento Kings’ path forward hinges on patience, smart drafting, and disciplined roster building.
As Anderson put it, the goal isn’t a quick fix—it’s building “sustainable success” and opening a multi-year competitive window, not just a fleeting playoff appearance.
How long will that take? This summer will give us a strong indication if it will be a slow burn or if we can start dreaming come training camp this fall.
Check out the full conversation at the top of the page or by heading over to the Sactown Sports YouTube channel.
Listen to and watch Sactown Sports’ The Matt & Kayla Show with Matt George & Kayla Anderson, airing weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT on Sactown Sports.
More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports
When is the next Sacramento Kings game?
The Sacramento Kings will continue their final road trip of the season on Saturday afternoon when they face the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.
Sacramento dropped a 133-100 blowout loss to the Hawks on November 12th, as Jalen Johnson poured in 24 points, grabbed 10 boards, and handed out 8 assists in the win.
Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Atlanta Hawks action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage beginning at 3:00 PM PT on Game Night before a 4:30 pm PT tip-off from downtown Atlanta.
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
Saturday, March 28th – @ Atlanta Hawks – 4:30 PM PT
Sunday, March 29th @ Brooklyn Nets – 3:00 PM PT
Wednesday, April 1st @ Toronto Raptors – 5:00 PM PT
Friday, April 3rd vs. New Orleans Pelicans – 7:00 PM PT
Sunday, April 5th vs. Los Angeles Clippers – 6:00 PM PT
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