3 Sacramento Kings Summer League Players Standing Out Early

3 Sacramento Kings Summer League Players Standing Out Early

Going into the offseason, many weren’t sure which direction the Kings would opt to go in. On one hand, their roster isn’t bad enough to bottom out, but also isn’t good enough to contend for a top spot in a loaded Western Conference. Following their moves in the NBA Draft and in free agency, it seems as though the Kings have made up their mind and plan to try and compete next season.

The Kings went into the 2025 NBA Draft without a first-round draft pick, but traded a future first-round pick top-16 protected to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 24 pick. With the selection, they drafted Nique Clifford out of Colorado State. In the second round with the No. 42 pick, they took Stanford center Maxime Raynaud.

After the Kings’ first two games in the 2K Las Vegas Summer League, the two rookies have impressed, as well as second-year guard Devin Carter who scored 30 points in their most recent contest. Clifford scored 19, and Raynaud scored 17.

NBA Insider Ersin Demir liked what he’s seen from the trio of young players who look to make an immediate impact on the roster this season.

“The Sacramento Kings are an incredibly fun team to follow this season,” Demir said. “Raynaud, Carter, and Clifford all have a path to be serious contributors as they'll likely won't be good. They own their own pick for next year as well.”

At some point, it’s likely the Kings will have to pick a true direction in which to go. Playing veterans like DeRozan, LaVine and newly-acquired free agent Dennis Schroder could seriously cut into the development timeline of those three younger players.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Kings start to field calls around mid-season, especially if the team isn’t doing well. While the veterans would likely go first, it’s not out of the question that they listen to offers for Domantas Sabonis.