Projected Sacramento Kings' depth chart, starting lineup, & rotation entering 2024 preseason

While the Sacramento Kings certainly could swing another key move, more than likely, the most consequential parts of the 2024 offseason are behind us. With that in mind, let's project the Kings' depth chart, starting lineup, and rotation heading into the 2024 preseason.

Sacramento Kings Depth Chart

For this portion, we are only going to focus on Kings' players who are currently under regular contracts. So, Isaiah Crawford, Isaac Jones, and Mason Jones (who are all on two-way deals) will not be included in this.

Without further ado, here is the projected depth chart:

Point Guard: De'Aaron Fox; Malik Monk; Jordan McLaughlin; Devin Carter

Shooting Guard: Keon Ellis; Kevin Huerter

Small Forward: DeMar DeRozan; Jalen McDaniels

Power Forward: Keegan Murray; Trey Lyles

Center: Domantas Sabonis; Alex Len

This is probably the appropriate time to tell you that this isn't the definitive guide for the team. Rather, it is based on my opinion. So, forgive me if my thoughts don't match your own.

Anyway, we will shelf the starting shooting guard conversation for the next section.What I will say is that I would keep Malik Monk as the team's star sixth man. And despite him being listed as a "shooting guard" in every season of his career on basketball reference, Monk functions more like a combo guard. Given Monk's creation and passing chops (88th percentile Passer Rating, per Thinking Basketball), Monk will take on the backup point guard role on the depth chart (for when De'Aaron Fox is on the bench) as well as offering some minutes at the two.

For now, I will have Jordan McLaughlin listed on the depth chart over Devin Carter – since Carter's shoulder surgery could force him to miss the beginning part of the season.

The marquee acquisition of the offseason, DeMar DeRozan, will slot in as the team's starting small forward. Jalen McDaniels is listed as his backup on the depth chart, but I think Kevin Huerter will also end up getting some minutes at the three (especially when Monk is playing the two). This will force Keegan Murray to move up to power forward (with Trey Lyles backing him up). The center situation is pretty self-explanatory.

Sacramento Kings Starting Lineup

Based on the depth chart above, the Kings starting lineup I am prescribing is Fox, Keon Ellis, DeRozan, Murray, and Domantas Sabonis.

Four of those five names (Fox, DeRozan, Murray, and Sabonis) are pretty much set in stone. The real point of contention revolves around who will start at two-guard. I've always thought (as have a majority of Kings' fans) that Ellis should be the starting shooting guard because he offers the best blend of spacing (41.7% from three) and defense (93rd percentile Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per Dunks & Threes).

Sacramento Kings Rotation

Regular Season Rotation (ten man): Fox, Ellis, DeRozan, Murray, Sabonis, Monk, Huerter, McDaniels, Lyles, and Len

Playoff Rotation (eight man): Fox, Ellis, DeRozan, Murray, Sabonis, Monk, Huerter, and Lyles

For the regular season, teams usually go with a ten-man rotation. For the Kings, you can pretty much guarantee that nine of those spots will be filled by Fox, Ellis, DeRozan, Murray, Sabonis, Monk, Huerter, Lyles, and Len.

For the last spot, it will be a battle between McLaughlin, Carter (when healthy), and McDaniels. We know that head coach Mike Brown likes to play around with bench minutes. But I think, in a vacuum, McDaniels will be the tenth guy, given the team's lack of size.

In the playoffs, rotations are consolidated to eight/nine players. Considering McDaniels barely made the cut for the ten-man rotation, he would be the first to be eliminated here.

Realistically, I think the Kings could get away with playing nine guys in the playoffs, as they are a pretty deep team. But if they do want to cut the rotation to eight, I think Len would be the one to get the scissors. He's the worst player in their top-9, and besides, Lyles could always play the small ball five when Sabonis is on the bench.