Inside The Kings

What an NBA Expansion Would Look like for the Kings

With an NBA expansion on the horizon, the Sacramento Kings would have decisions to make ahead of a potential expansion draft.

Logan Struck

Mar 31, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) is congratulated by forward Domantas Sabonis (10) after scoring during the third quarter against the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Mar 31, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) is congratulated by forward Domantas Sabonis (10) after scoring during the third quarter against the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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The NBA has been rumored to expand the league soon, with two cities seemingly at the top of the list for potential destinations of new franchises. Seattle and Las Vegas seem to be the most likely expansion cities for the NBA, but how would an expansion affect the rest of the league?

With an expansion, comes an exciting expansion draft. In this draft, each current NBA team protects a number of players, and then the two expansion franchises alternate selections until one player from each of the 30 current teams is selected, resulting in 15 players for each team.

So, this expansion draft results in each NBA team losing one of their rostered players to one of the expansion franchises. The last NBA expansion draft occurred in 2004, with the creation of the Charlotte Bobcats.

In Charlotte's draft, they selected Sacramento Kings forward Gerald Wallace, who the Kings were willing to give up on since they did not list him as one of their eight protected players.

The next expansion draft would likely not take place for another few years, assuming it happens at all, but what if it were to happen today? Here are the eight players the Kings would most likely protect in a 2024 NBA expansion draft:

Locks:

G De'Aaron Fox, 26

C Domantas Sabonis, 28

G Malik Monk, 26

F Keegan Murray, 24

G Keon Ellis, 24

G Devin Carter, 22

Next Best Choices:

F DeMar DeRozan, 35

G Kevin Huerter, 26

The Kings would have it made much easier than some other franchises, as they have a very clear core group. Protecting Fox, Sabonis, Monk, Murray, Carter, and Ellis would be absolutely no-brainers, as they are all 28 and younger, either in their prime or approaching it, and they all play well together (with the exception of rookie Devin Carter).

After that first six, the choice is still fairly easy but you could argue for other options. DeRozan, a six-time All-Star who Sacramento acquired this offseason, is entering the 2024-25 season as a 35-year-old and well past his prime. The star wing can undoubtedly still play at a high level but is not as much of an effective long-term option as the others.

Huerter, 26, is coming off the worst season of his career since his rookie year and has been involved in trade rumors for months. While the sharpshooter is poised for a bounce-back season, it would not be a surprise if they were willing to part ways with him.

Other notable options include Trey Lyles and Colby Jones, but it is hard to put either bench piece ahead of the protected eight. If an expansion franchise had to pick one of the two to set themselves up for the future, Jones would be the best choice.

Jones, 22, is coming off a rookie year with not much opportunity. In limited minutes, Jones showed glimpses of two-way versatility and would be the top option to replace Huerter in this hypothetical scenario.

While an NBA expansion still seems far away, the Kings would not be in much trouble if it happened today.

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Logan Struck

LOGAN STRUCK

Logan Struck is the Deputy Editor for Inside the Kings - SI.com's team website following the Sacramento Kings.

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