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Apr 6, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) during the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

NBA Insider Names Kings as Landing Spot for Top Free Agent Guard

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Will Zimmerle | Last updated Jun 28, 2025 5:52 PM ET

The Sacramento Kings had a successful draft, but with free agency on the horizon, their biggest need is still glaringly clear. They not only need a starting caliber point guard, but a backup guard as well.

The Kings have once again been linked to last year's Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome, especially after the Cleveland Cavaliers traded Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball.

Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported that the odds of Jerome returning to the Cavaliers is slim, and to keep an eye on the Kings, among other teams, as landing spots for the 27-year-old guard.

“After trading for Ball, it looks increasingly unlikely that the Cleveland Cavaliers Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome will return in free agency. Plenty of teams will hold interest in potentially signing Jerome using their full mid-level exception in free agency. Keep an eye on teams like the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, and Sacramento Kings as potential landing spots for Jerome. These four teams have a key need for backcourt depth.”

New intel on the eve of NBA Free Agency, as Jonathan Kuminga is one of the focal storylines to follow.

Latest on Kuminga, the trade market, and what will happen with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Myles Turner, the Celtics, and much more on @ClutchPoints: https://t.co/ULgEMrDipz
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) June 28, 2025

Jerome averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals on 51.6% shooting from the field and 43.9% from three last season. It was a breakout year for Jerome, and helped him finish third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Jerome leaves a little to be desired on the defensive side of the ball, but there's no denying that he can shoot the lights out of the ball. With a career 38.1% three-point percentage, he would fit right in to a high-volume three-point offense that Doug Christie repeatedly said he wanted last year.

Jerome especially excelled on his wide-open looks from deep last season, making them at a 50.7% clip for the Cavs. He'd likely get similar good looks on the Kings' offense with Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine getting the bulk of the attention from the opposing defense.

With the Kings linked to big names like Jonathan Kuminga and fellow free agent guard Dennis Schroder, Jerome would be a great addition to help build out the depth of the roster. There's a question if he's a point guard like the Kings truly need, but it's hard to know what other moves the Kings could have up their sleeve for the offseason.

According to Basketball Reference, Jerome actually split his time between the shooting guard and small forward position last season, playing 50% of his time at the two-spot, 45% at the three, and the remaining 5% at the point guard position. That would give Doug Christie a lot of different lineup options, especially with his shooting abilities.

While Jerome doesn't fully fit the Kings needs, he is a talented player. And at the end of the day, talent wins out in the NBA. If the Kings are able to pry him away from Cleveland, they'd be getting a knockdown shooter to add to the mix.

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

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