What will Sacramento Kings’ starting lineup look like with the addition of DeMar DeRozan?
Barring another significant move between now and the start of training camp, Kings coach Mike Brown will face some big lineup questions that have yet to be addressed via trade or free agency.
The sign-and-trade deal that brought DeMar DeRozan to Sacramento provided a significant upgrade in talent — maybe enough to solidify the Kings as a top-six seed in the Western Conference — but the roster remains imbalanced with a logjam in the backcourt and limited options at the forward spots.
As the team is currently constructed, De’Aaron Fox will start at point guard with Keegan Murray manning one of the forward spots and Domantas Sabonis at center. There are several possibilities at the other two positions depending on whether DeRozan starts at shooting guard or small forward.
The Kings acquired DeRozan in a three-team deal that sent Harrison Barnes to the San Antonio Spurs. The departure of Barnes, who started all 399 games he played for the Kings over the past six seasons, creates an opening in the starting lineup.
The Kings could go big with DeRozan at shooting guard, Murray at small forward and Trey Lyles at power forward, but DeRozan has been more of a forward in recent years. If DeRozan starts at small forward, the Kings will have an intense battle at shooting guard with Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk and Keon Ellis vying for the job.
Huerter started alongside Fox over the past two seasons. Monk has stated his desire to start after agreeing to stay in Sacramento on a new four-year, $78 million contract. Ellis started the last 15 games last season and took the team’s defense to another level — the Kings were No. 6 in the NBA in defensive rating during that stretch — after Huerter and Monk suffered season ending injuries.
Here’s how the roster looks with training camp set to begin Oct. 3.
Point guard
Fox, Monk, Ellis and Jordan McLaughlin can all handle point guard duties. The same could be said for rookie first-round draft pick Devin Carter, but he is expected to be out until at least January after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum.
Fox averaged career highs of 26.2 points and 4.6 rebounds last season while shooting 36.9% from 3-point range. He also averaged 5.6 assists and a career-high 2.0 steals, tying Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the league lead. Fox earned All-NBA honors for the first time in 2022-23 and could qualify for a huge max contract with another All-NBA selection next season.
The Kings signed McLaughlin in free agency after trading Davion Mitchell and Sasha Vezenkov to the Toronto Raptors. McLaughlin is a capable backup and a reputable defender who spent five seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Monk, Ellis and McLaughlin can all initiate the offense when Fox goes to the bench.
Shooting guard
If DeRozan plays small forward, the biggest decision facing Brown will be whether to start Huerter, Monk or Ellis at shooting guard. Each player offers a different dynamic on each end of the floor with Huerter and Monk providing more offensively while Ellis makes the team better on defense.
Huerter started 134 of 139 games over the past two seasons. He played a huge role in helping the Kings end their playoff drought in 2022-23, averaging a career-high 15.2 points while shooting a career-best 40.2% from 3-point range as Sacramento set a record for the highest offensive rating in NBA history.
Huerter struggled at times last season while trying to meet Brown’s demands on the defensive end. His scoring average dropped to 10.2 points per game while his 3-point shooting dipped to a career-low 36.1%, but he is a career 38.2% 3-point shooter who could provide the floor spacing the Kings need in a lineup featuring Fox, DeRozan and Sabonis.
Monk was runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award after averaging a career-high 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and a career-best 5.1 assists last season. He could have commanded more money and possibly a starting position as an unrestricted free agent, but he bypassed the free-agency process to re-sign with Sacramento.
Brown preferred to bring Monk off the bench over the past two seasons, saying his scoring punch and playmaking ability was invaluable to Sacramento’s second unit. Whether it’s Huerter or Monk, the Kings might need the 3-point shooting and floor spacing they provide in a lineup with Fox, DeRozan and Sabonis.
Small forward
The Kings will likely start DeRozan or Murray at small forward depending on what they want to do at the shooting guard and power forward positions.
DeRozan spent most of his time at shooting guard early in his career, but the 15-year veteran has transitioned to small forward over the past five years. A six-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection and master of the midrange game, DeRozan averaged 24.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.1 steals for the Bulls last season.
Murray, Huerter, Ellis and Jalen McDaniels can also log minutes at small forward. The Kings acquired McDaniels in the trade that sent Mitchell and Vezenkov to Toronto. The 6-foot-9, 190-pound forward has logged 56% of his minutes at small forward and 41% at power forward over five NBA seasons, according to Basketball Reference.
Power forward
Barnes filled most of the minutes at power forward over the past six seasons, but Murray could fill that role after spending most of his time at small forward over his first two seasons.
Murray, listed at 6-8 and 225 pounds like Barnes, came out of Iowa as the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He averaged 15.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists last season. His 3-point shooting dipped from 41.1% to 35.8%, but he exerted more energy at the other end of the floor while emerging as a high-level, multi-positional defender.
The other option at power forward is Lyles, who would give the Kings a bigger look in the starting lineup at 6-9, 234 pounds. Lyles averaged 7.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 44.5% from the field and 38.4% from 3-point range last season.
McDaniels could provide backup minutes. He averaged 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 26.7 minutes per game for the Charlotte Hornets in 2022-23, but his averages dropped to 3.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.4 steals in 10.8 minutes last season with the Raptors.
Center
Sabonis earned All-NBA Third Team honors each of the past two seasons, becoming the 10th player in franchise history to make All-NBA in consecutive seasons.
Sabonis averaged 19.4 points and career highs of 13.7 rebounds and 8.2 assists last season. He led the league with 77 double-doubles and 26 triple-doubles, finishing ahead of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who won his third MVP award.
Alex Len returns as the backup center after re-signing with Sacramento on a one-year, $3.3 million contract. He appeared in 48 games last season, averaging 2.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 9.3 minutes per game.
The Kings have also added Orlando Robinson on a one-year deal. The 6-10, 235-pound center spent two seasons with the Miami Heat after going undrafted out of Fresno State in 2022, averaging 3.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 10.9 minutes per game.
