The Sacramento Kings franchise has been on the downturn ever since they made it to the NBA playoffs in 2023. They are looking to rectify that come the 2025-26 season, aiming to bounce back to playoff relevance in the Western Conference despite losing De'Aaron Fox via trade and after finishing one game below .500 last season.

Losing Fox stripped the Kings of a floor general who can command the offense and get the team to execute its halfcourt sets; it also robbed Domantas Sabonis of someone who knew all of his tricks in the dribble handoff game. Malik Monk can handle the ball and dish the rock, but he's more of a scorer than a playmaker.

Thus, it's no surprise to see it being reported that the Kings are looking to add a point guard via free agency. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Kings “are already being painted as a likely leading suitor for Dennis Schroder when free agency begins”.

Schroder was able to revive his value after struggling with the Golden State Warriors. He proved to be a major piece for a Detroit Pistons team that pushed eventual Eastern Conference Finalist New York Knicks to six, hard-fought games. He was a pest, a thorn on the side of Jalen Brunson, and he helped provide an offensive boost for the Pistons whenever Cade Cunningham would take a breather.

In six playoff games with the Pistons, Schroder averaged 12.5 points and 3.7 assists per game on 49.1 percent shooting from the field, including 47.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The main offensive skill he brings to the table is his ability to knife through defenses and work the pick-and-roll game, so he should slot right in for a Kings team that's looking to get back on track.

Article Continues Below
More Sacramento Kings News
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center.
Kings rumors: NBA Draft trade buzz heats upMalik Brown ·
Vlade Divac attends the game between the Sacramento Kings and the LA Clippers at the Intuit Dome.
NBA news: Vlade Divac undergoes surgery after scary motorcycle crashJulian Ojeda ·
Zach Edey, Grizzlies EVP/GM Zach Kleiman, Kings forward Domantas Sabonis
How Grizzlies can add Domantas Sabonis as Zach Edey’s mentorChris Dodson ·
Thomas Robinson (Kansas), right, is introduced as the number five overall pick to the Sacramento Kings by NBA commissioner David Stern during the 2012 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center.
Kings’ 10 worst NBA Draft day mistakes in historyBailey Bassett ·
Malik Monk #0 in purple Toronto Raptors jersey with Scott Perry Kings to the left and Masai Ujiri Raptors to the right
Sources: Raptors maintain trade interest in Kings’ Malik MonkKris Pursiainen ·
Lakers fans will mock Mike Bibby's 2002 Western Conference Finals claims
Lakers fans will mock Mike Bibby’s 2002 Western Conference Finals claimsJulian Ojeda ·

Kings look to solve point guard issues

Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) and forward Domantas Sabonis (11) talk during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

From having an enviable young duo of point guards to choose from in Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, the Kings have ended up with neither. While Schroder is going to be a helpful piece should Sacramento manage to bring him in, he is nothing more than a stopgap solution at the position.

Nonetheless, this should at least restore more offensive balance to the Kings. Schroder would help push Monk and DeMar DeRozan into more aggressive, scoring positions, while Zach LaVine should benefit from having cleaner looks off the catch with the addition of a playmaker such as the German international. Sabonis would also have a new handoff dance partner.