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<\/p>\nThe Sacramento Kings have now finished the 2025-26 season at 22-60, good for the second-worst record in franchise history. As we turn our attention to the 2026-27 season, it is important to know the dates and deadlines heading into the summer and how they will impact the future of the franchise.<\/p>\n
April 12: End of the Regular Season\u00a0<\/p>\n
No need to discuss this season or any of that \u201cplayoff\u201d stuff.\u00a0<\/p>\n
April 20*: NBA Draft Lottery Tiebreaker<\/p>\n
A sneakily very important date is in just one week. Sacramento ended the season tied with the Utah Jazz for the fourth-best lottery odds. Ties between teams with identical records have the odds between the fourth and fifth lottery spots divided evenly for purposes of securing a top-four pick.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If neither Utah nor Sacramento pick in the top four, the tie is broken through a \u201crandom drawing\u201d that decides which team picks where. If, for example, Sacramento and Utah end up at picks five and six, the winner of the draw will pick fifth, with the loser picking sixth. Safe to say this will define the summer, and potentially this team\u2019s short and long-term future.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The date for the tiebreaker has not yet been confirmed, but it has occurred on April 20th for the last couple of seasons.\u00a0<\/p>\n
May 10: Draft Lottery\u00a0<\/p>\n
2026 NBA Draft lottery odds | Tankathon<\/p>\n
This is far and away the most important part of the summer. The tiebreaker will set the stage for this defining moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Kings are projected to have a 11.5% chance to land the first-overall pick, and a 45.2% chance to jump into the top four.\u00a0<\/p>\n
May 10-17: NBA Draft Combine<\/p>\n
This will be an important place for Scott Perry and the front office to get up close to prospects, knowing where they will be picking in the draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mid-June: NBA Finals End<\/p>\n
Not that this one matters to the Kings, but it will be when all 30 teams can shift their focus to the offseason.\u00a0<\/p>\n
June 24-25: NBA Draft\u00a0<\/p>\n
This is the second-most important event of the summer behind the draft lottery. The only reason this is behind the lottery is that the options at Sacramento\u2019s disposal here largely depend on the lottery outcome. Once that variable is known, execution is crucial.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Perry and his front office seem to have nailed their first rookie class relative to where they selected Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud (and signing Dylan Cardwell as a UDFA). None are necessarily the franchise-altering centerpiece Sacramento needs, but they can absolutely fill useful roles in the rotation moving forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Kings will have a lottery pick and two second-rounders to use this year. Hitting on all three picks this year would be a win, and Kings fans should have some faith in the front office on this front.\u00a0<\/p>\n
June 29: Team Option, Qualifying Offer, and Player Option Deadlines<\/p>\n
TO: Killian Hayes
QO: Daeqwon Plowden, Isaiah Stevens, Pat Baldwin Jr.
PO: Zach LaVine<\/p>\n
Hayes\u2019 option is for a non-guaranteed second year. He shot 30% from the field and 26% from three in 23 games as a mercenary point guard. Someone had to play this season, and Kings fans should not lose sleep if they decline their option.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Plowden has undoubtedly been a bright spot since the trade deadline. Some have gone so far as to say he is Sacramento\u2019s next Keon Ellis<\/a>. There are many reasons this is not the case, but it is nice to see another developmental win for a strong Stockton program.\u00a0<\/p>\n LaVine will likely be opting into<\/a> his player option for $49M, accounting for 29.68% of Sacramento\u2019s cap next season. Yes, that is as bad as it sounds. Luckily, the main return (?) of the De\u2019Aaron Fox trade is a free agent in 2027, and this is the last year of his contract.<\/p>\n Reporting on Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine, who sources say is expected to exercise his $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season, along with potential offseason trade candidates Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Malik Monk with host @ChrisShearnYES<\/a> on @YESNetwork<\/a>. pic.twitter.com\/pzUwSxJP1l<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) April 3, 2026<\/a>July 1-5: Moratorium Period\u00a0<\/p>\n This is when players and teams can agree to terms, but cannot put pen to paper yet. Most free agent deals of note will be agreed to during this time and executed on July 6. Trades can be made, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n July 5-8*: California Classic<\/p>\n Though the Kings were not in the event they established last year, they are hosting<\/a> this year. The four-team event usually takes place in early July and will be the first chance to see Sacramento\u2019s new draft picks in action at the Golden 1 Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n July 6: Free Agency Begins<\/p>\n Extension eligible: Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, and De’Andre Hunter<\/p>\n This is important for a few reasons. First, trades and draft picks pending, Sacramento will not have cap space<\/a>, and will probably not have many roster spots to fill via free agency.\u00a0<\/p>\n Aside from Russell Westbrook, Precious Achiuwa, Doug McDermott, and Drew Eubanks, everyone on the roster is set to be back next season. Sabonis, DeRozan, and Monk are all more likely to be traded (DeRozan could be waived to save $15M, too) than to extend this summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n It is worth considering extending Hunter<\/a> at the right price, but Sacramento should not feel any need to overpay to keep him. The trade that brought Hunter to Sacramento is what it is at this point, and Hunter should probably be treated as an expiring contract right now.\u00a0<\/p>\n July 9-19: NBA Summer League\u00a0<\/p>\n This will not be the first time fans can see the Kings\u2019 new rookies play, but this is the first time they will face off against other marquee rookies.\u00a0<\/p>\n October 15: Devin Carter TO Deadline\u00a0<\/p>\n Carter\u2019s first season was derailed by injury, and he has struggled to live up to the draft capital Sacramento invested in him in 2024. Nonetheless, it would be very disappointing to see his option declined. Teams starved for young, cheap talent with upside can hardly afford to punt on their lottery picks – even if the current regime did not pick him themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n Carter came on strong in an extended run at the end of the season and should get more opportunities as Sacramento enters its rebuild.\u00a0<\/p>\n October 20*: Opening Night\u00a0<\/p>\n And, we will be back in action in just six short months. Here\u2019s hoping the team looks significantly different by then. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\"){kind=icon}
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