The Sacramento Kings had a busy 2025 offseason with plenty of trade rumors circulating, although they ultimately played it safe on the trade market. There were some lofty expectations that the Kings would be trading away someone like Malik Monk, Devin Carter, or DeMar DeRozan, but with the regular season just days away, it seems like they are set with their current look, for now.
The Kings were involved in some advanced trade talks with the Golden State Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga throughout the offseason, with Devin Carter and Malik Monk both coming up as potential candidates to send to the in-state rival.
Carter, a 23-year-old second-year guard, has seemed like the most likely trade piece for the Kings, whether it be for Kuminga or not, and after the team signed Russell Westbrook to further create a logjam in the backcourt, that scenario seems more probable.
Oct 15, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Devin Carter (22) grabs a rebound during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
The Kings officially exercised Carter’s third-year team option for the 2026-27 season, keeping him under contract for at least the next two years. However, this does not guarantee his future will be in Sacramento.
While trade talks have slowed down since training camp started, NBA insider Jake Fischer on The Stein Line recently cast some doubt on Carter’s future with the Kings.
“Devin Carter’s days with the franchise appear to be dwindling. He might have been the 13th overall pick out of Providence as recently as the 2024 NBA Draft, but the front office leaders who made that selection (Monte McNair and Wes Wilcox) are no longer in Sacramento,” Fischer wrote.
“Sources say Carter’s name has already featured in trade chatter throughout this offseason. Yet it could take a while for an actual trade to materialize there, which has led various salary cap experts we consulted to forecast that the Kings are more likely to simply waive Terence Davis to get down to 15 standard contracts on the roster.”
Devin Carter’s days with the Kings could be coming to an end, per @TheSteinLine
“Devin Carter’s days with the franchise appear to be dwindling. He might have been the 13th overall pick out of Providence as recently as the 2024 NBA Draft, but the front office leaders who made… pic.twitter.com/eEj5R2H3JT
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 18, 2025
Of course, it would be great for the Kings to try to develop the 2024 lottery pick, but there are simply not enough minutes to go around for him. Especially after the addition of Westbrook, Carter sits far too low on Sacramento’s depth chart to play significant minutes as a sophomore. Westbrook, Dennis Schroder, Zach LaVine, Nique Clifford, Keon Ellis, and Malik Monk are all guards who will get more on-court opportunities than Carter.
Time will tell what happens with Carter, but his future in Sacramento does not look too promising. However, his trade value across the NBA creates even more question marks about what the Kings will do with him.