Devin Carter fights for minutes and flashes offensive brilliance, but his struggling three-point shot could define his crucial second season.
The Sacramento Kings' final 26 contests of the 2025-26 season will serve mostly as opportunities to bolster their odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Otherwise, this stretch provides the Kings' coaching staff and front office with a chance to learn even more about their most valued prospects. Among them, Devin Carter has plenty to prove before his second NBA campaign comes to an end.
Sacramento's former No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has received a welcome uptick in playing time since the beginning of February, earning at least 15 minutes of burn in each of the team's six contests this month.
Carter's played 20-plus minutes in five straight games amidst the Kings' historic 14-game losing streak, and he's shown flashes in certain areas while taking major steps backward in others.
Still, there's hope that he'll clean up his jump-shooting and remain a fearless attacker of the basket as a leading man for the rest of the year.
In his past five games, Carter's box score figures increased to 14.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 42.2% from the field.
Unfortunately, his field goal percentage has taken a hit due in large part to his lack of a three-point shot. He's connected on just 11.5% of his tries from distance in that five-game span, and only 18.8% of his three-point looks for the season.
While there are a few ugly cons with his game that are easy to identify, the pros have done plenty to reinstill hope that he can become a key contributor for the Kings moving forward.
Of his positive attributes, finishing at the basket is arguably the 6-foot-2 point guard's biggest strength. Carter's converted on an astronomical 88.9% of his attempts from 0-3 ft. this season, knocking down an array of tough shots in the restricted area night-in and night-out. His ability to initiate contact and remain in control when attempting his shots make him a truly formidable penetrator against opponents of any shape and size.
Carter's play-making development has also been a welcome sign for a Kings group yearning for their next elite decision-making floor general since De'Aaron Fox's departure via trade to the San Antonio Spurs in 2025. His 1.9-assist to 1.0-turnover ratio through his 20 games this season might not look too pretty, but he's increased output to 4.2 assists while maintaining a 1.8-turnover mark over his past five outings, a solid display of improved ball security and decisiveness.
At the end of the day, three-point shooting will be the most analyzed area of Carter's final run of the season. If he can improve to become an almost-league-average shooting threat over the next 26 games, Kings head coach Dog Christie can move forward with optimism that he'll work to further increase his efficiency from long-range throughout the summer.
If not, then Sacramento's front office might consider a change, especially if they are able to land the first pick in a draft that will be loaded with guard talent.
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our KINGS ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected