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Kings' Young Guard Receives Praise Before Summer League
Apr 16, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum (0) is defended by Sacramento Kings guard Devin Carter (22) during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Kings' Young Guard Receives Praise Before Summer League

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Will Zimmerle  |  Last updated Jul 8, 2025 1:37 PM ET

The Sacramento Kings are still involved in trade rumors with the Golden State Warriors for wing Jonathan Kuminga, but for now, eyes begin to shift towards the Las Vegas Summer League, where we get our first look at the newly drafted rookies.

For the Kings, we not only get a chance to see Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud in the exhibition games, but also second-year guard Devin Carter.

Last year, Carter was dealing with a shoulder injury that ultimately led to surgery, so we didn't get to see him in the California Classic or Summer League. But now that he's healthy, he's getting his first full offseason to work on his game and play with his fellow young players.

So far, he's receiving praise not only for his play on the court but also for his leadership off the court. Dipseh Mistry, the Kings Summer League head coach, had high remarks for what Carter has shown so far.

When asked if there was a player that has suprised him so far, Mistry brought up Carter and his leadership. "To be honest with you, I've eally enjoyed Devin's leadership. I know he's played in a good amount of game this season, but he's been working hard in the summer and everyday he's been in here. I just like how he controlled this team."

Carter has been involved in the trade talks and was included in the reported offer for Kuminga, but for now, he remains a member of the Kings and enters the season as the team's biggest wildcard.

The other big takeaway from early practices is how the Kings plan on using Carter in Summer League. "I want him to handle the ball," Mistry said. "Truly we don't really have a point guard, we're going to have multiple point guards that are going to bring up the ball, and Devin's going to be one of them. And we're going to test him to see if he can handle the pressure, and I think he has because he's been working on it. "

That's a great sign for the Kings, who don't have a true point guard outside of newly signed Dennis Schröder. They still have Malik Monk on the roster, but the combo guard has been heavily rumored to be on the trade market. If the Kings did trade Monk, they'd have no one to help run the point outside of Schröder.

Sacramento has also been tied to Russell Westbrook and Malcolm Brogdon, but both of those options would be stop-gap players, while Carter could help build a roster for the future with the Kings.

One of the biggest knocks of the Kings' roster as currently constructed is that all of their guards are shooting guards. Having Carter shift down to the point guard spot would do wonders for balancing out the roster and lineups. There are still a lot of questions about whether he'll be on the team next season, but early indications are that the Kings are happy with his work this offseason. If he can show he can run the point, his time in Sacramento could take a drastic change going forward.


This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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