The 2026 offseason is winding down, and while the Sacramento Kings still have one to three roster spots to fill before reaching their 18-player max, we have a good idea of what their 2026-27 season will look like. The Kings' rotation is likely already set for this season, regardless of who they sign before training camp.

With an expected starting lineup of Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, De'Andre Hunter, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings could surprise some people this season, but there is also a path for them to fall short of their already low expectations. Let's take a look at their best- and worst-case scenarios for the season, and how realistic each avenue is.

Best-Case Scenario:

35+ wins with player development

Realistically, the success of the Kings' 2026-27 season will not be measured by wins. Nobody expects the Kings to fight for a playoff spot, as they seem much more likely to finish with the league's worst record than to sneak into the play-in tournament, but that does not mean they are guaranteed to be horrible.

Many projections have the Kings winning around 20 games, but it is not crazy to say they could win 35-40 games. If Sabonis and LaVine step up as experienced veterans and get back to their All-Star forms, the Kings should be much better than many people are expecting.

However, as I said, wins are not the main measure of Sacramento's success this season. Most importantly, the best-case scenario this season is for the Kings' young core to develop and show promise. If we see Acuff Jr. break out as one of the league's best rookies, while Maxime Raynaud, Nique Clifford, and Dylan Cardwell all take sophomore leaps, Sacramento's future would be in a great spot.

The Kings are obviously in a rebuild. They will not find much success if their young core falls flat, and the 2026-27 season is their chance to prove they are a group worth building around.

Worst-Case Scenario:

A bottom-three record with a struggling young core

While the Kings do not necessarily need to compete for a playoff spot this season, they need to do everything they can to finish outside the bottom three. Unlike previous years, the NBA's new draft lottery format punishes the three worst records in the NBA, and the Kings need all the help they can get in next year's lottery drawing.

It will be a bit different this year because teams will not be actively tanking, but based on recent seasons, the Kings should avoid a bottom-three placement as long as they can win 25+ games.

However, the worst part about this nightmare season would not be their low lottery odds; it would be their lack of player development. If their rookies are underwhelming and their sophomores show regression, there will be plenty of concern in Sacramento. Most notably, if Keegan Murray still cannot piece his game together.

The 26-year-old forward has a five-year, $140 million contract kicking in this season, and if he continues to struggle offensively, things will look grim for the Kings.

Of course, we should expect some type of middle ground between these two scenarios. A 28-win season with some flashes from their young core might be the most likely outcome, and for this rebuilding franchise, that would be fine.

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