{"id":215505,"date":"2026-03-11T22:15:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T22:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/215505\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T22:15:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T22:15:26","slug":"is-kings-guard-devin-carter-on-the-verge-of-a-breakthrough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/215505\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Kings guard Devin Carter on the verge of a breakthrough?"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a breakout performance helped spark a comeback win for the Sacramento Kings, second-year guard Devin Carter has become one of the more intriguing pieces on Sacramento\u2019s current roster.<\/p>\n

During an interview on The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross, NBC Sports California\u2019s Kayte Christensen said Carter\u2019s thriling performance on Tuesday agianst Indiana<\/a> stood out not just for the late scoring burst, but for the energy and opportunity that led to it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was great to see him get on a roll,\u201d Christensen said. \u201cThat was a really, really exciting performance from him.\u201d<\/p>\n

More on Sacramento Kings guard Devin Carter<\/p>\n

Devin Carter didn\u2019t even see the floor in the first half agianst the Pacers, but entered the game during the third quarter after an injury to Malik Monk opened the door for more minutes.<\/p>\n

Once he got the opportunity, Christensen said the rookie made the most of it, helping ignite Sacramento\u2019s defensive intensity and transition offense.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t play at all in the first half,\u201d Christensen said. \u201cBut he got an opportunity because Malik wasn\u2019t playing in the second half\u2026 and from that point on, it was defense that kind of sparked that whole thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christensen pointed to Devin Carter\u2019s ability to disrupt plays defensively as a major catalyst in the Kings\u2019 comeback effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re coming up with steals and deflections, and you\u2019re running back, and you\u2019re not playing against a set defense, it greatly increases your odds,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Carter erupted for 22 points in the fourth quarter alone, establishing a new career-high (24 points on nine-of-13 shooting) and giving Sacramento back-to-back wins for the first time in nearly two months.<\/p>\n

The 23-year-old also finished the night with five rebounds, three assists, and one steal over just 16 minutes of action, but those minutes were enough to lead the Kings to a win over Indiana.<\/p>\n

\"SACRAMENTO,<\/p>\n

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

While Devin Carter\u2019s breakout showing was eye-catching, Christensen said the bigger conversation surrounding the rookie is about his long-term role in the NBA. She acknowledged it may still be too early to determine whether he projects as a full-time starter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if he\u2019s a starter in this league, and that\u2019s not a knock on him,\u201d Christensen said. \u201cIt\u2019s about finding a way to be productive night in and night out in the role that you\u2019re playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christensen also compared Carter\u2019s scoring mindset to former Kings guard Davion Mitchell, noting that Carter may ultimately bring more offensive upside.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a scoring perspective, I think Devin has more capability as a scorer than Davion Mitchell,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Despite being slightly undersized (6\u20192) for a traditional backcourt role, Christensen believes Carter already brings several valuable traits, including strong defense, rebounding ability, and an aggressive downhill style of play.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s positionally small, but he plays defense at a high level, and he rebounds incredibly well for his position,\u201d Christensen said.<\/p>\n

Carter, who nearly led the Big East in rebounds per game (8.7) as a guard in 2023-24, is averaging 6.7 boards per 36 minutes during his NBA career.<\/p>\n

For a player who missed significant development time early in his career due to injury and struggled to find minutes in a crowded Sacramento Kings backcourt, performances like this could be a sign that Carter is beginning to find his footing \u2014 and potentially carve out a meaningful role moving forward for the final month of the season.<\/p>\n

Check out the full interview with\u00a0NBC Sports California\u2018s Kayte Christensen\u00a0by scrolling to the top of the page or by\u00a0clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Listen to\u00a0The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross\u00a0from 6 \u2013 10 a.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on\u00a0Sactown Sports 1140.<\/a><\/p>\n

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports<\/p>\n

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?<\/p>\n

The Sacramento Kings will make a brief one-game road trip to Los Angeles for a matchup against the red-hot Clippers.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles is 2-0 against the Kings this season, including a 114-111 win over Sacramento in the most recent meeting between these two Pacific Division foes on February 6th.<\/p>\n

Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:00 PM PT on Game Night before a 7:30 pm PT tip-off from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.<\/p>\n

Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season<\/p>\n

Saturday, March 14th @ Los Angeles Clippers \u2013 7:30 PM PT
\nSunday, March 15th vs. Utah Jazz \u2013 7:00 PM PT
\nTuesday, March 17th vs. San Antonio Spurs \u2013 7:00 PM PT
\nThursday, March 19th vs. Philadelphia 76ers \u2013 7:00 PM PT
\nSunday, March 22nd vs. Brooklyn Nets \u2013 3:00 PM PT<\/p>\n

Thank you for reading\u00a0SactownSports.com<\/a>. Follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Google News<\/a>, and subscribe to our\u00a0YouTube<\/a>\u00a0channel.<\/p>\n

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