Ranking the Kings' Top 5 Free Agents This Offseason

Zach LaVine is listed as just an honorable mention on this list because there is no chance he actually hits free agency. LaVine has a player option worth just under $49 million for next season, and knowing his next deal will be nowhere near that number, he will undoubtedly accept it.

Of course, the Kings would love for LaVine to decline the player option so they would not have to pay him a crazy amount of money next season for subpar on-court production, but that is so unlikely.

5. Doug McDermott

While Doug McDermott is a low-impact player who typically sits at the bottom of Sacramento's bench, he makes a bigger difference than most people think. McDermott is set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason, but the Kings could look to bring him back as a strong veteran presence. A couple of weeks ago, Kings head coach Doug Christie was asked about McDermott, and his answer was very telling.

"Just having him around and understanding who he is and what he brings is huge," Christie said about McDermott. "When I was asked about him, I said, 'I would love to have Doug back,' because he is a true professional. He takes his craft serious. He's a fantastic teammate, and in many ways, a coach's dream. The more we can have that type of spirit and mentality, it just helps. It helps the young players, the locker room, and the coaching staff."

McDermott has made just 23 appearances for Sacramento this season, only getting into the rotation when they are dealing with extensive injuries, but his off-court impact could entice the Kings to bring him back for another year. However, it seems unlikely that he will return.

4. Daeqwon Plowden

The Kings have been full of young players stepping up in different spots this season, and two-way forward Daeqwon Plowden has been the most surprising. At 27 years old, Plowden is one of the oldest two-way players in the league, but he is making the most of the opportunity.

In the ten games Plowden has logged 30+ minutes, he is averaging 15.4 points and 4.1 rebounds, while shooting 36.5% from three-point range. Plowden has been an unexpected sparkplug for the Kings this season, and they could ultimately look to give him a standard contract in the offseason.

The Kings have had a couple of recent success stories for two-way players, like Dylan Cardwell and Keon Ellis, so taking a chance on Plowden for wing depth might not be a bad idea. If I had to guess, though, Plowden will find another opportunity elsewhere.

3. Killian Hayes

Killian Hayes, a former seventh-overall pick, was picked up by the Kings on a pair of 10-day contracts before ultimately earning a standard deal. However, he has a team option for the 2026-27 season that is up in the air.

Since signing with the Kings, Hayes has averaged 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 16.5 minutes per game. While he has not been extremely productive, he has shown that he can still be a backup point guard at the NBA level, and for a team that lacks depth in that position, they could undoubtedly look to bring him back.

At just 24 years old, keeping Hayes around for a bit longer is likely the best option for the Kings, and we will likely see him back in a Sacramento uniform next season.

2. Russell Westbrook

Similar to McDermott, Westbrook could be on the brink of retirement, but he provides such a valuable veteran presence for this young Kings team. Not to mention, his on-court production has also been better than expected.

The 37-year-old is set to hit unrestricted free agency after signing a one-year deal with the Kings, but similar to last summer, he could run into a situation where no other team is willing to take a chance on him. Despite being a former NBA MVP and still a productive player with valuable veteran leadership, the Kings were the only team wanting to sign him last offseason.

There is no telling what will happen with Westbrook this summer, but it would not hurt the Kings to bring him back for another year. Still, though, at this stage in his career, we will likely see Westbrook find another home this summer.

1. Precious Achiuwa

The top free agency priority for the Kings this offseason is undoubtedly Precious Achiuwa. After the New York Knicks kicked him to the curb, the Kings jumped at the opportunity to sign the 26-year-old forward, and he has been huge this season.

In 51 starts, Achiuwa has averaged 10.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, shooting 52.9% from the field, becoming an ideal frontcourt partner for rookie center Maxime Raynaud. Unfortunately, it is looking like he could just be a one-year rental for Sacramento.

Achiuwa will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and he has potentially played too well, making it more challenging for the Kings to retain him in what will likely be a bidding war. Still, though, it would be silly for the franchise not to try to bring him back.