RADIO
Zach LaVine Optimistic About Kings' Season
Sacramento Kings guard/forward Zach LaVine said his offseason is going well and that he is excited about the team's younger group, according to Logan Struck of Sports Illustrated. LaVine also touched on his leadership role, saying he already texted rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. and plans to connect with more of Sacramento's young players closer to camp. The two-time All-Star picked up his $49 million player option this summer after hand surgery ended his season at 39 games. LaVine averaged 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from three. He should have scoring volume if healthy, but Acuff's arrival and Domantas Sabonis' playmaking keep LaVine more valuable for points and threes than assists.
Source: Logan Struck
Source: Logan Struck
Ben Simmons Open to Long-Term Stay in Sacramento
Sacramento Kings guard/forward Ben Simmons could be open to staying beyond his one-year deal if the fit works, ESPN's Marc J. Spears told Sactown Sports 1140. Spears described Simmons as a loyal player and said, "I think he'd want to stay" if both sides are happy after this season. Simmons agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract Friday after sitting out all of 2025-26 while working back from chronic back issues. He last played in 2024-25, averaging 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 0.7 steals in 22.0 minutes across 51 games with Brooklyn and the Clippers. His fantasy value depends on whether Doug Christie gives him real second-unit ball-handling work behind Darius Acuff Jr. The assists, rebounds, and steals still help, but the absent jumper and year away keep the risk high.
Source: Sactown Sports 1140
Source: Sactown Sports 1140
Ben Simmons Agrees to One-Year Deal with Kings
Free-agent guard/forward Ben Simmons agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings, his agents told ESPN's Shams Charania and Marc J. Spears. The 2018 Rookie of the Year is back after sitting out all of 2025-26 and last played in 2024-25, when he averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 0.7 steals in 22.0 minutes across 51 games with Brooklyn and the Clippers. Sacramento had been looking for veteran ball-handling depth behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr., with general manager Scott Perry attending a Florida workout before the deal came together. Simmons still does not offer shooting, so his fantasy case depends on assists, steals, rebounds, and whether he can hold a real second-unit role. Malik Monk is worth tracking if Simmons cuts into backup playmaking reps.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Domantas Sabonis Emerges as Prime Trade Candidate in Sacramento
ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Anthony Slater report that the Sacramento Kings are not interested in extending forward/center Domantas Sabonis, leaving him positioned as a prime trade candidate. Sabonis has two fully guaranteed years and $94 million left on his deal, including $45.4 million this season and $48.6 million next season, which makes finding a trade partner the hard part. The three-time All-Star played only 19 games last season before left meniscus surgery, averaging 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. Drafting Domantas Sabonis means buying elite rebounding with health and trade noise attached. Maxime Raynaud would be the main fantasy name to watch if Sacramento moves him, though Dylan Cardwell also remains in the backup-center mix.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Maxime Raynaud Delivers 13 Points in France's Win Over Sweden
Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud scored 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting in France's 84-69 win over Sweden on Sunday in Group L of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers. The second-year big matched Victor Wembanyama's efficiency from the field, with the San Antonio Spurs star finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks as France moved to 7-1 atop the group. Rudy Gobert was unavailable, giving Raynaud a bigger frontcourt role, while Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson led Sweden with 23 points. Raynaud averaged 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists as a rookie and enters his second Kings season penciled in behind Domantas Sabonis. The efficient summer minutes strengthen his fallback case if Sabonis misses time again, but Raynaud's fantasy value still depends on a clearer path to starts.
Source: Keith Smith
Source: Keith Smith
Kings' Scott Perry Watches Ben Simmons Work Out
Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry was in Florida to watch free-agent guard/forward Ben Simmons work out, according to Sactown Sports, which confirmed Carmichael Dave's initial report. Jake Fischer had previously linked Sacramento to Simmons as part of its veteran guard search, and the fit is easy to understand with the Kings looking for ball-handling depth behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr. Simmons sat out all of 2025-26 while recovering from back and other injuries and is reportedly open to a minimum deal. He averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 22.0 minutes across 51 games in 2024-25. Even if Sacramento signs him, Simmons is more of a low-cost depth swing than a fantasy target.
Source: FRANKIE CARTOSCELLI
Source: FRANKIE CARTOSCELLI
Kings are Stretching Out DeMar DeRozan's Salary
The Sacramento Kings have decided they will stretch out forward DeMar DeRozan's salary over the next three seasons. According to Michael Scotto, the Kings will take his $10 million salary and turn it into $3.33 million over the next three seasons. Doing this puts the Kings under the luxury tax line, and they now have enough space to fill out their final two roster spots. Neither spot can exceed the league minimum, but the Kings now have the funds to do it. The organization has until Saturday to get this done, so expect the Kings to be busy in free agency over the next few days.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Elfrid Payton Draws Kings Interest
Free-agent guard Elfrid Payton is one of the experienced ball-handlers the Sacramento Kings are considering as they open a series of veteran workouts, according to Jake Fischer. Sacramento is hosting Cameron Payne first and has also shown interest in Victor Oladipo while searching for a veteran presence behind No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr. Payton, the 10th pick in the 2014 draft, last played in the NBA in 2024-25, averaging 3.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.9 assists across 24 games with New Orleans and Charlotte. He spent last season with the G-League's Austin Spurs. Even if signed, Payton would be a deep-reserve mentor behind Acuff, Zach LaVine, and Malik Monk, leaving him off fantasy radars.
Source: Jake Fischer
Source: Jake Fischer
Cameron Payne to Work Out for Kings
Free-agent guard Cameron Payne is set to work out for the Sacramento Kings as the team begins a series of veteran guard auditions, according to Jake Fischer. Sacramento has been searching for an experienced ball handler to help support and mentor rookie Darius Acuff Jr., the No. 7 overall pick, with Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton also under consideration. Payne spent time with Partizan last season before joining Philadelphia, where he averaged 7.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals in 17.0 minutes across 22 games while shooting 37.6 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from three. Even if Payne lands a deal, he would be fighting for reserve minutes in a backcourt that already features Acuff, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk, leaving him off fantasy radars.
Source: Jake Fischer
Source: Jake Fischer
Victor Oladipo Confirms Kings Interest
Free-agent guard Victor Oladipo said on Yahoo Sports that the Sacramento Kings have shown interest in signing him, as relayed by Evan Sidery. Oladipo added that "the feeling is mutual" as he pushes for an NBA comeback at 34 years old. The comments follow recent reporting from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer that Sacramento has explored adding a veteran guard to help mentor rookie Darius Acuff Jr. Oladipo has not played in an NBA game since 2022-23 with Miami, when he tore his left patellar tendon, and injuries have stripped away most of his fantasy appeal. With Russell Westbrook now retired, Sacramento could still use a veteran voice, but Oladipo would likely serve as a mentor rather than a fantasy-relevant option. Acuff remains the name to track for rookie-year minutes.
Source: Evan Sidery
Source: Evan Sidery
Domantas Sabonis Ready to Recommit After Trade Talks Stall
Sacramento Kings forward/center Domantas Sabonis is ready to recommit to the team after months of trade talks failed to produce a deal, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. Sacramento nearly moved Sabonis to Toronto at the deadline and later explored a Jalen Duren sign-and-trade with Detroit, but nothing materialized. Sabonis has since met with general manager Scott Perry and shown a willingness to embrace a roster now featuring rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. The 30-year-old remains a high-end fantasy center when healthy, averaging 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists last season before left meniscus surgery. The knee recovery is the main concern, but if Sabonis enters camp healthy, his rebounding, assists, and efficiency should keep him in the early-round mix.
Source: Anthony Slater
Source: Anthony Slater
Kings Eye Victor Oladipo as Mentor
Free-agent guard Victor Oladipo, who has been out of the NBA for three years, is a mentor candidate for the Sacramento Kings alongside Russell Westbrook, per Jake Fischer. The 34-year-old two-time All-Star has been chasing a comeback after years lost to injuries, playing in China and the G-League, where he averaged 13.5 points for the Wisconsin Herd last season. He held a workout for scouts, which the Kings attended, as Sacramento seeks a veteran voice for No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr. For fantasy, this is a feel-good comeback story more than an actionable one: even if he signs, a deep-bench mentor role at his age would carry no reliable value.
Source: Jake Fischer
Source: Jake Fischer
Kings Weigh Russell Westbrook's Return
Free-agent guard Russell Westbrook could return to the Sacramento Kings as a veteran mentor for rookie Darius Acuff Jr., according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Victor Oladipo has also been mentioned as a possible option, with Sacramento looking for an experienced guard to help guide Acuff. Westbrook, 37, spent last season with the Kings, starting 58 of 64 games while averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.3 steals for a 22-60 team. The role would likely be smaller this time, especially if Acuff opens the season as the starter. That caps Westbrook's fantasy appeal, leaving him as a deep-league assists-and-steals flier only if he signs and earns steady bench minutes.
Source: Jake Fischer
Source: Jake Fischer
Kings Urged to Keep Domantas Sabonis
Sacramento Kings forward/center Domantas Sabonis should not be traded just to accelerate a rebuild, former Kings coach and executive Jerry Reynolds told Frankie Cartoscelli of Sactown Sports. Reynolds' point is that Sacramento still needs productive veterans, either to anchor a competitive roster or to hold real trade value later. Sabonis, 30, is a three-time All-Star and one of the league's best rebounding and passing bigs, but a torn left meniscus limited him to 19 games last season. He averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists before surgery. When healthy, Sabonis remains an early-round fantasy center because of his scoring, boards, assists, and efficiency, though the knee recovery and Sacramento's uncertain direction keep risk attached.
Source: Frankie Cartoscelli
Source: Frankie Cartoscelli
Kings May Showcase Zach LaVine
Sacramento Kings guard/forward Zach LaVine should remain a featured part of the offense rather than ceding minutes to younger players like Nique Clifford and Emanuel Sharp, former Kings coach and executive Jerry Reynolds told Frankie Cartoscelli of Sactown Sports. Reynolds' logic is that strong production could rebuild LaVine's trade value before the deadline, while his $49 million expiring deal can simply come off the books after the season. LaVine, 31, exercised that player option after right-hand surgery ended his 2025-26 campaign at 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 39.0 percent from three across 39 games. For fantasy, a showcase role would protect his points-and-threes appeal, though the injury recovery, youth movement, and possible trade keep some risk attached.
Source: Frankie Cartoscelli
Source: Frankie Cartoscelli
