Predicting the Kings’ Guard Rotation for the 2024-25 NBA Season

THE Sacramento Kings has focused heavily on his guards this offseason, retaining an elite sixth man Monk Malik and writing Devin Carter during the 2024 NBA draft.

In addition to those two, the Kings traded for six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan who can play fullback, but will likely play winger in Sacramento. Another new name is Jordan McLaughlina rotational guard entering his seventh year in the Association.

With a roster loaded with talent, playing time can become difficult to manage. Mike Brown’s team has a few decisions to make, but none more important than who will start the season opener.

The point guard is not a concern for the Kings as long as De’Aaron Fox exists.

At 2, it’s a whole different story. Sacramento has three potential starters: Malik Monk, Keon EllisAnd Kevin Huerter.

From an outside perspective, it’s unlikely the Kings will start Monk after using him as a sixth man last seasonHis shot-creating ability made him one of the league’s best bench scorers, giving him a versatility that allowed him to finish games without starting them.

For a well-rounded team, it would make more sense to give the starting job to Keon Ellis. His defensive prowess is unmatched and it’s something you can’t find in the game of Monk or Huerter. In addition to being able to defend, Ellis’ three-point shot failed 41.7 percent of the time last season. Every team needs a role player who can be a dog on the court, and Ellis is that guy for the Kings.

Huerter has survived a summer filled with trade rumors and remains on Sacramento’s roster heading into the 2024-25 season. He started 59 games last season, so it’s certainly possible Brown keeps him in that spot this year.

With just 36% three-point shooting, Huerter is having his worst three-point season ever. Whether or not it’s his turn is up for grabs, but another bad three-point season would be reason enough to remove him from the starting five.

Given the influx of talent in the backcourt, it would almost make more sense for Huerter to come off the bench as a backup winger. The Kings don’t have an obvious replacement for DeRozan, and a 6-foot-10 Huerter might be best suited to fill that role when the season begins.

Fox played the most minutes per game (35.9) last season, a number that should stay close to that. He’ll likely be backed up by McLaughlin, a defensive-minded player who can shoot fairly well.

Devin Carter may not see much NBA action this year as he recovers from a shoulder injury that will keep him sidelined until early 2025. If he fully recovers during the season, he could end up taking some of McLaughlin’s minutes.

At guard, Ellis and Monk will likely play evenly, with each getting 20-30 minutes. Game-by-game matchups and quality of play will determine who gets the most playing time, but it’s also possible they could play together. Monk can be a floor general while Ellis plays three-and-defense basketball.

Huerter played the lowest minutes of his career last season, averaging 24.4 per game. If he plays behind DeRozan at the three-point line, that number could be even lower. Twenty minutes is a realistic expectation for Huerter, but Brown could play him longer if he rotates the team.

The Kings have too many possible combinations on the floor, so it’s hard to see which direction Brown will go. Regardless, someone will likely be the odd man out every game.

Kings fans will get their first look at the starting five when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit Sacramento for the NBA season opener on October 24.

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