General manager Scott Perry prioritized salary cap relief over splashes, shedding veteran contracts and draft picks to balance the books while betting on a fresh trio of rookies.
The Sacramento Kings did not make drastic changes this summer, but their inactivity hasn't soured NBA analysts, leaving them out of the top-10 worst offseason rankings.
Sacramento was a mess entering the offseason, set to commit over $200 million to next season's roster. It could only offer free agents the veteran's minimum contract.
The team hasn't been a major free agency destination, and that trend continued. Instead of adding players, general manager Scott Perry took the "addition by subtraction" approach.
Perry traded Devin Carter and a 2033 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for salary cap relief. The team owed the 2024 first-round pick $12.5 million over the next two years.
Injuries marred Carter's tenure with the Kings. He had a disappointing rookie season, averaging 3.8 points in 36 games. The former Providence product improved last season with more playing opportunity, averaging 8.3 points, since Zach LaVine was sidelined, but he only played 38 games.
Giving up on a lottery pick so early contributes to Sacramento's failure to develop or retain young talent. But Perry wants to alleviate his team's financial burdens as soon as possible.
Six days later, the organization parted ways with veteran forward DeMar DeRozan. It granted salary cap relief, saving $15 million in cap space.
Waiving the 17-year veteran was a last-ditch effort. Sacramento attempted to find trade partners to send DeRozan, as his $25.7 million salary would become fully guaranteed in January. Teams could be more interested in acquiring his services on a cheaper contract.
Russell Westbrook became a free agent this summer, but reports have surfaced about his unlikelihood to return. Perry said the 6-foot-3 point guard outplayed the veteran's minimum he was being paid last season.
Westbrook averaged 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists, including five triple-doubles on the year.
His seasoned presence played a significant role in Maxime Raynaud's success. He assisted 17 of Raynaud's career-high 32 points against the San Antonio Spurs en route to earning Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors.
Sacramento lost three players throughout the offseason, but evened it out by drafting three rookies.
Darius Acuff Jr., Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharp are the new Kings. Acuff headlines the group as the seventh overall pick and could be the next franchise point guard.
He led the SEC in points (23.5) and assists (6.4) for the first time since Pete Maravich, playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks. His teammate, Dylan Cardwell, sang his praises, calling him a generational player.
The rookie is a great acquisition, but he alone is not enough evidence to prove Sacramento did not have the top-10 worst offseason.
Perry laid the groundwork for the team's financial flexibility in the coming season by taking one step backward for two steps forward. He lost too much proven talent and could not replace it to avoid low rankings.
