Sacramento Kings’ biggest mistake in 2025 NBA free agency

Schroder comes to Sacramento off the back of a turbulent season which saw him play for the Brooklyn Nets, the Golden State Warriors, and the Detroit Pistons. He played 28.1 minutes per game, starting 49 times and averaging 13.1 points and 5.4 assists, per Basketball Reference. However, he also converted only 40.6% of his overall attempts while going 34.2% from the three-point zone, something he has been criticized for throughout his career.

The Kings’ decision to allot considerable cap space to a player whose best years seem behind him suggests a lack of a coherent plan. The fact that they also gave away two future second-round picks suggests they will be handing the reins to Schroder for the upcoming season. 

Furthermore, the move comes despite the Kings not making upgrades in other important areas. The loss of Jonas Valanciunas means that the Kings will be relying on the likes of Drew Eubanks and Dario Saric to provide backup to Domantas Sabonis at the center. 

Saric was also brought in to make cap space for Schroder. However, neither him nor Eubanks have the interior presence or the rebounding prowess that Valanciunas boasted of. Sacramento, in their bid to bring in Schroder for their backcourt, may have depleted their frontcourt.

Still, fans will hope that the ever-improving Devin Carter’s presence alongside Schroder can fill the void De’Aaron Fox left behind. The current roster lacks direction in the sense that it is unclear how the Kings will line up. With Schroder expected to rotate with Carter and Malik Monk’s future looking uncertain, the Kings may have failed to improve a roster that finished with a 40-42 record last season.

While Schroder undoubtedly brings a wealth of experience, his numbers suggest that the Kings still require a playmaker to pull strings for an offence still looking for chemistry. However, with limited names available in free agency and the lack of financial room, Sacramento may be looking at another long season ahead.