Whether to rebuild or not seems like it is only a question within the Sacramento Kings organization. Kings fans, national media, and even fans of other teams are fed up with watching them lose while rolling out one of the oldest rosters in the league.
The Kings are just two seasons removed from making the playoffs as the third seed and taking the Golden State Warriors to seven games, and barely any trace of that team remains. De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Davion Mitchell, and others have been replaced with Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Dennis Schroder, Russell Westbrook, and Drew Eubanks. Even if you disregard the geriatric roster, the way the Kings play has almost no resemblance to the Kings team that took the defending champions to the brink of elimination.
Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray are still here, almost more in spirit than anything else. Sabonis looks like a shell of his former All-NBA self, and Murray has yet to play in a game after thumb surgery. The Kings are 3-7 after two consecutive home blowouts, with fans echoing the area with chants for Keon Ellis as they once again look thoroughly impotent defensively.
Scott Perry and Doug Christie haven’t been coy on the identity they want for the Kings, yet there aren’t many signs that the team is capable of making it a reality. The Kings have been one of the most stubborn teams in the NBA when it comes to a full-scale rebuild, but SactownSports’ radio host Carmichael Dave believes the time has finally come.
I’ve seen enough:
The Sacramento Kings are entering the first phase of an official rebuild.
The franchise is for the first time going to follow the OKC/SA/DET/POR blueprint.
A minimum 2 year project is here. https://t.co/jTdPlGZPe5
— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) November 11, 2025
With Vivek Ranadive Still In Charge, Can We Buy This?
It’s clear that Kings’ owner Vivek Ranadive has scoffed at the idea of a rebuild for years. The only moment where you can see the resemblance of a team ready to start fresh was between 2015-2018, and even then, the Kings ended up with just one hit in the first round with De’Aaron Fox.
Draft failures doomed any shot at a true rebuild, and the Kings pivoted to “win now” moves such as moving Tyrese Haliburton for Sabonis, trading Fox for a Ranadive darling in LaVine, and adding aging, one-dimensional veteran scorers in a manner that resembles a middle-schooler playing a years-old edition of NBA 2K.
BREAKING: Sacramento is finalizing a trade to send De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in a multi-team trade that moves Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine to the Kings, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Ftmo8N4hMj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2025
There weren’t too many signs of the Kings taking the path of the Oklahoma City Thunder over the offseason; however, it is possible that the on-court product has been so deplorable that Ranadive might’ve finally seen enough.
His scowl was palpable as he sat next to Scott Perry and Alvin Gentry during the Kings’ dismemberment by the Minnesota Timberwolves before leaving his courtside seat without returning. Attendance seems to have dwindled, and even if you don’t believe that Ranadive cares about winning, he absolutely cares about selling tickets and growing the franchise’s value.
There’s no way of knowing what is happening behind the scenes, but Perry’s track record with the New York Knicks shows that he isn’t meek when it comes to making big changes. The question is, will Perry face resistance from Ranadive like many of the executives before him?
Wait, Was This Not The Plan All Along?
Nov 9, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) shoots against Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images | Justine Willard-Imagn Images
If you ask me, Scott Perry would not have taken the job as general manager if he did not have access to the Kings’ version of the “Nuclear Football.” Perry is far too experienced to look at Sacramento’s roster and decide that they are just a move or two away from being a contender. He famously helped gut the Knicks in just a year while putting them in a position to build the team that we see today.
Perry also has experience with the Pistons, where he helped build a team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals six times, culminating in a championship in 2004. I understand the Kings’ fans’ fears after the failures of Pete D’alessandro, Vlade Divac, and Joe Dumars, but there is enough evidence that Perry knows what he is doing.
The Schroder signing stoked some personal fear that the Kings’ leadership might be as delusional as ever, but the more time passes, the more I wonder if the move was an effort to prove to Ranadive that the best point guard on the free agent market wouldn’t be enough to change the winds for Sacramento. To me, the question has never been about the plan, but the ability to execute that plan.
Not a lot of smiles from Kings ownership & the front office courtside tonight. pic.twitter.com/DqMY2Vyq2Q
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) November 10, 2025
We all know that it takes two to tango when it comes to trades (McNair reminded us ad nauseam during his tenure). This is even more true when it comes to offloading massive veteran contracts like LaVine, Sabonis, and DeRozan, who won’t be in high demand around the league. The Kings will almost definitely be forced to take uninspiring returns just to free up cap space and atone for their team-building sins.
Taking shots on young, high draft picks that have fallen out of favor with their teams, acquiring non-lottery first-round picks, and expiring contracts might be the best the Kings can hope for once teams start picking up the phone.
This is where Perry may need to navigate Ranadive’s likely hesitancy to sell at a loss. I can’t say if the Kings will be successful or not with a true rebuild, I only pray that Ranadive finally gives his blessing to dump the Kings’ veterans like they are Tulips after 1637 and allows Perry to work toward the young, exciting team that fans deserve.
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