The Sacramento Kings haven’t wasted the offseason. From shuffling vets to retooling their depth chart, all moves show an urgency to return to the playoffs. Last season’s unfortunate loss of All-Star De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio is still fresh. Scott Perry’s front office is doubling down on contending by locking in their youth and tightening a roster looking to play for the long haul.

That intent shows in their most recent moves. The franchise handed young forward Keegan Murray a five-year, $140 million rookie extension, keeping the 4th overall pick from 2022 on the team through the 2030-31 season. It’s a fully guaranteed contract, and this commitment is a sign of faith in the 25-year-old, who quickly became a key part of the team’s rotation after his rookie year.

Murray has evolved into a great shooter and a lockdown defender, one of the few players to make at least 500 threes, 150 blocks, and 150 steals over his first three seasons. Though he’s currently sidelined with a torn UCL in his left thumb, he is expected back in four to six weeks.

Alongside Murray’s extension, the Kings signed free agent Russell Westbrook on a one-year contract. A veteran entering his 18th season, the former MVP brings vocal leadership and energy to a locker room with young and old players. However, there’s a shift in Sacramento, which could end up causing issues down the line.

Behind the celebratory headlines is an uncomfortable truth: the depth chart is overflowing. The Kings are running too deep, and the backcourt alone features Westbrook, Malik Monk, Dennis Schroder, and Devin Carter, who are all vying for the point guard spot.

This logjam means there’s little room for error, and the team risks running too small. Add in rookie Nique Clifford, who might not get enough room to develop, and the math simply doesn’t work. Roles, and maybe even roster spots, might not survive the shuffle.

Malik Monk, Devin Carter & Nique Clifford in the Crossfire

Malik Monk has been here before. Previously, the high-scoring guard came off the bench to wreak havoc, but was forced to start at point guard last year after Fox’s exit.

This year’s version of the Kings might not have space for him off the bench. The team’s shooting guard core seems to be Zach LaVine, with 3-and-D bench piece Keon Ellis backing him up, and, with the scoring load shared between them, Sacramento doesn’t have a lot of use for Monk’s shot creation.

The Kings already placed him in Jonathan Kuminga trade talks, so he can be expected to be moved for flexibility later in the season.

For Devin Carter, the future is not as inevitable. Once seen as a gritty backup capable of filling in the gaps, his window for growth has shrunk behind the veteran point guard core of Dennis Schroder and Russell Westbrook. The Kings have picked up the third-year option on his contract, but their belief in him will need to be backed up by production as soon as possible.

Carter’s defensive toughness and high motor could keep him in the rotation early, but there’s a fine line between ‘next up’ and ‘first out.’

Finally, there’s Nique Clifford, the biggest casualty of roster depth. A promising two-way wing with length, the rookie sits behind DeMar DeRozan and Keegan Murray on the forward chart, with his path to minutes uncertain. He’ll have to log standout performances during spot minutes and training camp duty before the season opener.

Clifford’s upside is clear, but he must find meaningful ways to contribute to become a mainstay for the Kings’ push for the playoffs.