It's a tale as old as time: the Sacramento Kings _had_ a special player who they traded away, only to watch him develop into a reliable presence on another team.
Obviously, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers comes to mind, [especially as his team is currently battling](https://aroyalpain.com/kings-regret-sabonis-trade-as-tyrese-haliburton-becomes-superstar) with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals. Then there is De'Aaron Fox, who is suited up in San Antonio with the Spurs now. This is something that Kings fans are just used to at this point.
Davion Mitchell is yet another instance of the Kings not thinking long-term and making the wrong choice. Once again, their decision is biting them.
Davion Mitchell could have been Sacramento's asset, but he is their enemy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Davion Mitchell was a standout player out of Baylor when he entered the NBA draft in 2021. The Kings used their ninth pick in the first round to scoop him up, envisioning him as a regular rotational guard.
When he was drafted, some people thought he could be a Rookie of the Year candidate, but things didn't pan out that way. In 2021-22, he posted an average of 11.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. Those weren't bad numbers, but they paled in comparison to what young rookies like Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, and others were producing.
The Kings didn't hit the panic button right away and allowed Mitchell more time. However, his output diminished in the following two years, hitting an average of 5.6 and 5.3 points per game in his second and third seasons. That is when the Kings decided to make a move and send him away.
The Kings made a trade, shipping Mitchell to the Toronto Raptors for Jalen McDaniels. Less than a year later, he was moved again to the Miami Heat.
This is where the headaches begin for the Kings. During his 30 games for the Heat in 2024-25, Mitchell averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. He has found his footing yet again, and it looks like the Kings let him go before he got a chance to fully blossom.
To make matters even worse, the Kings didn't even hold onto McDaniels, who they got in the Mitchell deal. They pushed him over to the San Antonio Spurs for some draft picks that have yet to materialize. Will they in the future? That's possible, but Kings fans are convinced this was yet another missed opportunity.
The Kings are [currently looking for help in their backcourt](https://aroyalpain.com/kings-offseason-goal-have-fans-wondering-what-front-office-was-thinking) and want another guard. Imagine if they would have held onto Mitchell and let him develop instead of letting him go for very little. He may not be their starting guard, but he could be adding much-needed depth in Sacramento.
This is a pattern that Kings fans are sadly familiar with. Their team has a horrible habit of not holding onto a good thing and regretting their choices years later.