Kings Notes: Carter, Westbrook, Schröder, Rookies

The Las Vegas Summer League could serve as a showcase for second-year Kings guard Devin Carter, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes. While there’s no indication that the talks have gained any real traction, Sacramento reportedly floated the idea of a trade package that included Carter for Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.

The Kings’ willingness to discuss moving Carter a year after selecting him with the 13th overall pick in the 2024 draft will likely prompt a few rival clubs – including perhaps Golden State – to keep a closer eye on the 23-year-old in Vegas. For his part, when asked about how he’s handling a potentially uncertain future, Carter made it clear he’s not dwelling on the trade rumors, per Anderson.

“My pops (Anthony Carter) played for 13 years,” the Kings guard said. “He’s been traded a lot. I just talk to him about how he handled it. That will stay between us, what me and my pops be talking about, but I just come in to work every day, obviously thankful for the opportunity to be here, show up with a ready-to-work mentality all the time, and it is what it is. It’s a business.”

Carter’s 2025 Summer League experience got off to a somewhat shaky start on Thursday, as he made just 2-of-14 shots in 24 minutes of action against Orlando.

Here’s more on the Kings:

• Sacramento has been frequently linked to free agent point guard Russell Westbrook this offseason, but a deal between the two sides still seems unlikely to happen unless the club makes other roster changes, Sam Amick of The Athletic said during his weekly appearance on The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross on Sactown Sports 1140 (YouTube link). “The sense that I have gotten is that the Kings have a lot of affinity for Russ, without question,” Amick said. “But the backcourt is pretty crowded already, and there was concern about making it even worse. So I have certainly been leaning in the direction of thinking that was not going to happen. And nothing’s changed roster-wise to change the logjam that they would have by making a move like that.”
• In his first media session as a member of the Kings, Dennis Schröder said it “means the world” to him to have a team target and prioritize him as its starting point guard, as Anderson writes for The Bee. “I want to give it back, of course, every single day, every single practice, games, to leave it all on the floor and give everything for this organization,” said Schröder, whose three-year, $44.4MM deal is fully guaranteed for two years and partially guaranteed for the third.
• At the presser introducing Schröder, general manager Scott Perry referred back to comments he made previously about wanting to add players who are “competitive, tough, team oriented, disciplined, accountable and professional,” suggesting that Schröder ticks those boxes. “When you marry those two things together, when free agency was embarking upon us,” Perry said, “this was the No. 1 guy we felt in the league for us that was going to fit that bill and help us establish that sustainable success that we are striving to get.”
• In a separate story for The Bee, Anderson notes that rookies Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud made a strong impression in their Summer League debuts on Thursday, combining for 33 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in the Kings’ win over Orlando.