標籤: Sacramento

The Sacramento Kings were one of the biggest losers in the NBA Draft Lottery, falling two spots to seventh in the 2026 NBA Draft. Although this ended their hopes of bringing in a new face to the franchise, one executive thinks there may be another path forward for the team.

An unnamed NBA executive told Jake Fisher that he believes there is a long-term scenario where Sacramento could trade Domantas Sabonis to the Philadelphia 76ers for All-Star center Joel Embiid.

RELATED: Sacramento Kings coach’s salary revealed

Philadelphia has already made its first major change of this offseason by firing president of basketball operations Daryl Morey. While coach Nick Nurse is returning, it appears the franchise is looking to make more changes to the roster after another playoff crash.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Embiid comes up in NBA trade rumors this summer. The 32-year-old is now three years removed from winning NBA MVP and hasn’t earned an All-Star selection since 2024. Given his history of poor performance in the playoffs, it is understandable why Philadelphia would want to move on from him.

Would the Kings be interested in a Joel Embiid trade?

While the 76ers are certainly willing to trade Embiid, it’s fair to question whether the Sacramento Kings would have any interest in acquiring him. The club is already projected to exceed the 2026-27 luxury tax, meaning an even heavier tax bill for owner Vivek Ranadive to pay for a team that isn’t even close to competing.

Swapping Sabonis for Embiid would mean adding an additional $12.4 million to the Kings payroll next season, with the cost increasing even more due to the luxury tax. It also doesn’t mean Sabonis’ contract expires in 2028 while Embiid will make $69.005 million in the 2028-29 season.

This doesn’t even account for the long-term durability risk Embiid poses. There is a real possibility that Sacramento could acquire the former NBA MVP and have his availability and contributions greatly reduced over the next two seasons. Even just two years into the deal, the Kings may be looking at a version of Embiid who is no longer able to play.

Financially, such a deal would make sense for the 76ers. They will commit less money to their starting center and Sabonis has a shorter contract. However, the All-Star center has his own history of shortcomings in the NBA playoffs and is a huge liability defensively. Overall, any trade seems unlikely as no team is interested in it.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Sacramento Kings coach Doug Christie was also hired after a 22-win season after posting a .368 winning percentage in 134 career games. This decision may be related to the cheap price Sacramento is paying for its head coach.

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Christie is considered the lowest-paid head coach in the NBA, with an average annual salary of $2 million.

For comparison, Steve Kerr is currently the highest-paid NBA coach with $17.5 million and Erik Spoelstra makes about $15 million per season with the Miami Heat. The going rate is often between $8 to $10 million per year, as evidenced by Taylor Jenkins receiving a $10 million salary this offseason to become the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Since taking over as head coach of the Kings in the middle of the 2024–25 NBA season, Christie has one of the worst win totals (49) among active NBA head coaches.

With the Kings currently projected to be above the NBA’s luxury tax line for the 2026-27 season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see owner Vivek Ranadive cut costs elsewhere. While Christie has not proven himself to be an NBA-caliber coach, he has shown loyalty to the franchise and appears to be the most cost-effective option for a rebuilding team.

However, there is a long-term risk here. As we’re seeing with the Portland Trail Blazers under new owner Tom Dundon, making money with coaches can damage a franchise’s reputation.

While there are top-tier assistant coaches who make more than $1 million per season, Christie’s salary clearly indicates that the Kings are unwilling to make significant investments in their coaching staff.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The Sacramento Kings were one of the few teams linked to NBA trade rumors in February with genuine interest in acquiring All-Star point guard Ja Morant. Months later, new information has shed light on why the deal fell through.

According to ESPN’s Tim McMahon and Michael C. Wright, the Kings were one of a select few teams involved in talks with Memphis before the NBA trade deadline. However, Sacramento wanted Memphis to include a first-round pick in any deal.

RELATED: Russell Westbrook Addresses Future With Sacramento Kings

• Yes Morant contract (Spotrac): $42.166 million cap hit (2026-27), $44.886 million cap hit (2027-28)

In the past, the Kings were widely viewed as a team likely to make a questionable deal to acquire an All-Star player. The most recent example of this came in the De’Aaron Fox trade, when they took less future assets to acquire Zach LaVine in a three-team deal with the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls.

However, under general manager Scott Perry, it appears that the franchise is no longer willing to make such deals. It appears that Sacramento has legitimate interest in acquiring Morant, hoping a change of scenery will revitalize the All-Star point guard’s career. Apparently, based on this reporting, Sacramento wanted to be compensated by Memphis for taking over Morant’s contract and the injury and off-the-court risks that come with it.

“There will be teams that feel like they didn’t get what they wanted in the draft or free agency, and that’s when something might happen for Ja.”

Unknown Western Conference executive to ESPN on Ja Morant trade market this summer

Unsurprisingly, Morant’s trade value has declined in recent years. However, there is expected to be more interest in him this summer, with teams feeling more confident that they can add him to the team throughout the offseason rather than in a mid-season trade.

It’s also possible that Sacramento may no longer be one of those contenders. If the Kings land in the four to six range of the 2026 NBA Draft, they could take either Houston point guard Kingston Flemings or Arkansas point guard Darius Acuff Jr. In any case, the team will likely re-sign Russell Westbrook as a veteran mentor and have no need for Morant.

On the other hand, if Sacramento moves up in the 2026 NBA Draft lottery and acquires a wing like AJ DiBuntsa or Caleb Wilson, or potentially forward Cameron Boozer, there could be an even bigger incentive to acquire Morant for the next two seasons.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook was a late addition to the Sacramento Kings roster ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season, signing a one-year deal in October. As he is now preparing to enter NBA free agency again, a comeback may be in the offing.

Speaking to reporters in his final press conference following Sunday’s regular season finale, Westbrook said he would play for the Kings again next season if he wanted back.

“If I’m welcomed back I’ll come back.”

Russell Westbrook on potentially re-signing with the Sacramento Kings via Shawn Cunningham)

• Russell Westbrook Stats (2025-26): 15.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 6.7 apg

When Westbrook signed with Sacramento, the expectation was that he would serve as the backup point guard behind the signing of free-agent Dennis Schroder. However, the 37-year-old guard ultimately overtook Schroder as Sacramento’s starter.

For the first time since his 21-game stint with the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2022-23 campaign, Westbrook averaged more than 15 points per game this season. He finished with his highest total in three-pointers made per game (2.0) since the 2016–17 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Westbrook was well-liked in the locker room and his veteran presence certainly proved an advantage to younger players like Dylan Cardwell, Maxime Renaud and Nick Clifford.

Given the possibility of the Kings landing the cornerstone guard with the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, re-signing Westbrook could be the perfect way for the franchise to help ease the new player into a rebuilding team. Additionally, given Westbrook’s lack of interest in NBA free agency last summer, a return to a one-year minimum contract is a real possibility.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The Sacramento Kings fielded such a depleted roster on Tuesday night, and against an up-and-coming Charlotte Hornets team that is exceptionally impressive in wins, it was simply a one-way ticket to demolition. Although they kept it a little closer in the first quarter of the game, the Kings lost the final 36 minutes of play as they fell behind by 25 points en route to a 134–90 loss to the Hornets.

While the Kings have no incentive to win these days considering they’re prioritizing getting better lottery odds, a 44-point loss in the NBA is never something to swallow easily. And it appears the team’s social media manager is almost completely satisfied with the Kings’ loss.

It got to the point where he didn’t even bother to include the final score on his tweet signaling the end of their Tuesday night contest against the Hornets, instead urging fans to check the box score on the NBA’s official website.

“FINAL: Check out NBA.com,” the Kings’ tweet read.

Tanking kings get devastated by injuries

At this point, the Kings aren’t even tanking intentionally. For starters, the injury bug hasn’t been kind to him at all. They are missing key players like Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Zach LaVine, while players like Russell Westbrook and Nick Clifford were also out on Tuesday. Even Killian Hayes, who had been a recent starter, was absent against the Hornets.

The Kings certainly lucked out in a promising lottery position, as they had no intention of tanking before the start of the season. But the chips have fallen into place for them this way, and they’re making the most of it. Only time will tell if this painful loss will be worthwhile for the Kings.

The Sacramento Kings lost another tough game on Thursday night, falling to the New Orleans Pelicans 133-123. The defeat once again highlighted the frustrations of the struggling team. Kings guard Russell Westbrook didn’t hide that disappointment after the game and gave a blunt response during his media session. This moment became another chapter in a rapidly growing story as the Kings’ season continues to unfold.

Russell Westbrook decided to reach out to the media after the game tonight. pic.twitter.com/UOgmGhV5OH

– James Ham (@James_HamNBA) 6 March 2026

In this latest Kings matchup against the Pelicans, Sacramento fell to 14-50 on the year, the worst record in the league. The defeat also extended a sad situation which includes eight defeats in the last ten matches. Earlier this fall, the Kings suffered a brutal 16-game losing streak that began on January 18 and ultimately ended with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies on February 23.

On floor, Westbrook was still struggling. However, after the final buzzer, the focus shifted from the box score to the tension between the locker room and the media.

Russell Westbrook hits back at media criticism of Kings

The exchange occurred during Westbrook’s postgame availability, as captured by Kings insider James Ham. When asked about the final stretch of the season, Westbrook answered calmly at first.

“You know, go out and compete. It’s a game. You go in and play professionally. That’s all you can do,” Westbrook said.

The king’s guards then turned the conversation towards the journalists in the room.

“What do you all think, though? Because y’all got a lot of answers, and y’all always talk,” Westbrook said.

Westbrook then pressed the issue.

“You make a lot of statements and blanket statements that you have no context for,” Westbrook said.

Westbrook later explained why he felt compelled to speak out for the Kings.

“My job is to speak for the guys in the locker room,” he said. “Don’t make out-of-context comments about people as individuals… If you don’t know, don’t say anything you don’t know.”

It was a raw moment. Honest. emotional. The kind of stress that shows up when you lose piles up.

The Kings still have 18 games left this season. But with growing frustrations and a mounting deficit, a question looms over Sacramento. How loud will the noise get before this season ends?

The Sacramento Kings have not been the best team this season. In fact, if you look at the record they are one of the worst teams in the league, as they are currently 13-46 and in last place in the Western Conference standings. Things are probably about to get even worse for them, as they have closed out their top two playerDomantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine for the remainder of the season due to injuries.

When you’re one of the worst teams in the league, people make fun of you. That’s what happened to the Kings recently, but in the most bizarre fashion, it happened while a reporter was talking to Coby White about the idea of ​​adding him to the team.

The reporter asked, “Is there any appreciation of ‘Hey, they could have sent me to Sacramento’.”

“Yo, come on bro,” White said, laughing.

Reporter: “Is there any appreciation for ‘Hey, they could have sent me to Sacramento'”.

Coby White: “Yo, come on bro.”

The king is catching stray animals 😭

(via @british_buzz)pic.twitter.com/vN5WNFBmzN

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 25 February 2026

At this point, it doesn’t seem like either player would want to be traded to the Kings, especially with the uncertainty surrounding their future. Things have been rough since last season, when Mike Brown was fired, and De’Aaron Fox was traded, and the expectation was that things would improve this season with the arrival of new pieces.

Unfortunately, things have taken a turn for the worse, and the only big positive from this year is that they’ll have a chance to be the top pick in the upcoming draft.

As far as the current roster, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they traded away some of their key players in the offseason, like Sabonis, in order to acquire assets in return. This would signal a true rebuild for the Kings, and given the way things have been going the past few years, it might be the best decision for them.

If they don’t do this, there is every possibility that they will become the laughingstock of the league.

The Sacramento Kings are signing a former top-10 draft pick amid a historic losing streak. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Killian Hayes has agreed to a 10-day contract with the Kings, who have lost a franchise-record 16 consecutive games.

Hayes, the No. 7 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, spent three seasons with the Detroit Pistons before they released him midway through the 2023-24 campaign. He signed with the Brooklyn Nets last season and spent most of his time with the team’s G League affiliate before a short NBA stint on a 10-day contract.

The 6-foot-5 point guard averaged 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 42/38/83 shooting splits in 27.0 minutes per game in six appearances with Brooklyn. However, the Nets decided not to re-sign Hayes at the conclusion of a 10-day deal.

Killian Hayes signs 10-day contract with Kings after Cavs G League stint

Hayes turned down interest from the EuroLeague this offseason and signed a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers before training camp. The Cavaliers waived him and assigned him to their G League affiliate. He impressed during his G League tenure, averaging 22.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.6 steals on .474/.318/.804 shooting splits in 19 appearances.

Hayes should get a chance to prove his worth with the struggling Kings, who recently signed Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and De’Andre Hunter out for the season.

With LaVine sidelined, Russell Westbrook has served as Sacramento’s starting point guard in recent games. Devin Carter has filled the point guard minutes on the second unit.

The Kings will travel to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

The purple beam over Sacramento was once a symbol of victory and celebration, but it’s fair to say things have become ridiculously off-script. The Sacramento Kings suffered their 15th consecutive loss against the Orlando Magic, a 131-94 defeat that did nothing to lift the franchise’s morale.

And as a result, the official Sacramento Beam account has posted an ‘open for work’ update on the X, simply because it hasn’t been published since January 16th, when they had a win against the Washington Wizards.

Great performance in Sacramento✌️ pic.twitter.com/tsFZII75Ap

– The Beam (@SacBeam) 20 February 2026

It was the fourth consecutive win for Sacramento, their best so far this season. Beyond that, things could get even more serious, considering the next five-game road trip that also includes games against the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers.

Introduced during the 2022–23 season, the Sacramento Beam is a multi-laser installation mounted above Golden 1 Center that fires a purple pillar into the sky after every Kings victory. It has since developed into a civic ritual for fans, and will be lit after each Kings victory.

Sacramento has since fallen to 12–45, the worst record in the NBA, and is on pace to equal their worst Sacramento-era finish of 17–65. The skid has been marred by injuries, missing key players like Domanotas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Zach LaVine and De’Andre Hunter.

“I’ve been here for the best and here for the worst, so I know what they both look like, and our fans deserve more, and we’ll get there. This is as painful as it gets. “The pain I felt here was something that, you know, in my opinion, can affect your life in a lot of ways. Knowing you have the best team, and you don’t get there,” Doug Christie said after the game, per Sactown Sports, effectively summing up the crisis the Kings are currently in.

Now they face the fiery San Antonio Spurs in Austin, and they need a quick turnaround to turn their fortunes around.

萨克拉门托上空的紫色光束曾经是胜利和庆祝的象征，但公平地说，事情已经脱离了剧本，变得可笑。萨克拉门托国王队以 131-94 输给奥兰多魔术队，遭遇了连续 15 场失利，这并没有提振球队的士气。

结果，Sacramento Beam 官方账户在 X 上发布了“开放工作”更新，仅仅是因为自 1 月 16 日他们战胜华盛顿奇才队以来，它就没有被点亮过。

萨克拉门托表现出色✌️ pic.twitter.com/tsFZII75Ap

— 光束 (@SacBeam) 2026 年 2 月 20 日

这也是萨克拉门托队的四连胜，也是他们迄今为止赛季的最佳战绩。此外，考虑到接下来是五场客场之旅，其中还包括对阵休斯顿火箭队、达拉斯小牛队和洛杉矶湖人队的比赛，事情可能会变得更加可怕。

萨克拉门托光束于 2022-23 赛季推出，是安装在 Golden 1 Center 顶部的多激光装置，每次国王队获胜后，它都会向天空发射紫色光柱。此后，它已演变为球迷的一种公民仪式，并且会在国王队每次获胜后点亮。

此后萨克拉门托队的战绩跌至 12 胜 45 负，这是 NBA 的最差战绩，并且正在追平萨克拉门托时代最差的战绩 17 胜 65 负。球队的下滑是由伤病造成的，多曼塔斯·萨博尼斯、基冈·穆雷、扎克·拉文和德安德烈·亨特等关键球员都缺席了。

“我在这里度过了最好的时光，也经历了最坏的时光，所以我知道他们俩是什么样子，我们的球迷应该得到更多，我们会到达那里。这就是痛苦。“在我看来，我在这里感受到的痛苦可以在很多方面影响你的生活。据萨克敦体育报道，道格·克里斯蒂在赛后说道，他知道自己拥有最好的球队，但你却达不到那里。他有效地总结了国王队目前所处的危机。

他们现在将在奥斯汀面对反复无常的圣安东尼奥马刺队，需要快速扭转局面来改变自己的命运。