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A couple of years ago, the Sacramento Kings were lighting the beam and playing some of the most joyful basketball in the NBA. Fast forward to now, and that momentum feels like a distant memory. What was once a rising team with a clear identity has become a disjointed group grappling with age and fading star power. In an offseason marked more by nostalgia than progress, the Kings are once again drifting. They are staring down an uncertain future and an aging core. However, there’s still time to make one smart, stabilizing move. Acquiring Chris Boucher may not be flashy, but it might be exactly what this team needs.
Familiar Faces, Unfamiliar Plan
The Kings have spent the offseason reuniting with familiar faces, but any semblance of a cohesive strategy remains elusive.
Aside from handing the starting point guard job to journeyman Dennis Schroder, the most notable move was elevating Scott Perry to a key front-office role. That’s the same Perry who, during a brief stint with the team in 2017, signed aging veterans Vince Carter (40), Zach Randolph (36), and George Hill (31). That trio quickly grew disillusioned with the team’s lack of direction before Perry himself departed just months later.
Now, he returns to oversee a roster that’s aging and thin defensively. The team is also led by a head coach, Doug Christie, whom he didn’t even hire. The Kings are coming off a disappointing 40-42 season, De’Aaron Fox is gone, and there’s growing uncertainty around whether Domantas Sabonis will be next to exit. Their construction strategy, which is built on mid-tier veterans and overlapping skill sets, feels more like a patchwork than a plan.
At the root of it all is owner Vivek Ranadive. He continues to cycle through leadership regimes without establishing a long-term vision. For yet another offseason, Sacramento looks less like a team building toward something and more like one simply spinning its wheels.
Here we will look at and discuss the perfect move that the Sacramento Kings must still make in the 2025 NBA offseason.
Acquire Chris Boucher
In a big-man market that’s rapidly drying up, Sacramento should move quickly to land a player who can bring versatility, shooting, and functional size to a roster that desperately needs it. That player is Chris Boucher.
With names like Al Horford (likely heading to Golden State) and Precious Achiuwa dwindling off the board, Boucher stands out as one of the few remaining bigs with legitimate offensive upside and a skill set suited to modern basketball. At 32 years old, Boucher has quietly carved out a strong career. He has thrived in bench roles where his ability to stretch the floor and fly around on defense can shine.
Last season with the Toronto Raptors, Boucher averaged 10.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and shot 36.3 percent from three. He did all of those in just 17.2 minutes per game. He’s not a traditional rim protector. However, with a 7'4″ wingspan, he’s capable of contesting shots and switching across multiple positions. That kind of defensive flexibility is something Sacramento desperately lacks. That's especially true as it leans on slower-footed bigs like Sabonis and Alex Len.
Offensively, Boucher is a legitimate floor spacer—knocking down 42.1 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes last season. He’s also dangerous attacking closeouts, with enough fluidity and length to finish plays or draw fouls. Sacramento hasn’t had a stretch big who can move this fluidly in years.
Why Boucher Is the Right Fit
On a team full of questions, Boucher provides clarity. He won’t require heavy touches and won’t disrupt the offense. Most importantly, he won’t cost the Kings a fortune. What Boucher will do is provide energy and a unique blend of shooting and length at the four or five.
He also comes with something this team sorely needs: championship pedigree. Boucher was part of the Raptors’ 2019 title squad and understands the demands of postseason basketball. For a Sacramento team that hopes to remain competitive without much direction, a veteran like Boucher can help stabilize locker room dynamics and on-court rotations.
Additionally, he complements rather than overlaps with the Kings’ existing pieces. He could stretch the floor alongside Sabonis or serve as a high-motor center in small-ball lineups. Boucher offers both in one package.
The Kings Need More Than Nostalgia
Bringing back familiar names might play well in press releases. However, it won’t fix the product on the floor. The Kings need to stop pining for their past and start building a future. That requires acquiring players who fit today’s game—not yesterday’s highlight reels.
Chris Boucher isn’t a superstar. He doesn’t need to be. What he is, though, is a modern big who fills glaring holes in Sacramento’s roster at both ends of the floor. He’s a low-risk, high-reward piece who could immediately boost the Kings’ bench and even finish games if lineups call for it.
At this point in their muddled rebuild, the Kings don’t need a home run. They just need clean, smart singles—and Boucher is exactly that.
