For the Sacramento Kings, promise rests in the hands of a roster filled with former draft picks and, for once, stability in the basketball operations department.
With the team eliminated from the postseason, let's look ahead to the free agency, draft and trade decisions facing Sacramento this offseason.
More summer focus: Click here for every team so far
Communicate with free agents
The plan this past offseason in Sacramento was sound. Surround the young players with veterans on short-term contracts such as George Hill, Zach Randolph and Vince Carter. While all three absorbed the Kings' cap space (a combined $40 million), the thought was that each player could provide mentorship on and off the court and eventually provide a path for young players, namely rookie De'Aaron Fox, to play starter minutes.
However, things changed in mid-January when Sacramento elected to begin resting veterans, something that usually occurs in the last six weeks of the season. Frustrated with his minutes and role, Hill was eventually traded to Cleveland in a salary-cap dump.
Sacramento once again projects to have cap space. While teams such as Atlanta and Chicago will use room to acquire contracts and draft picks, Sacramento has another opportunity to sign veterans to help the development process of their earlier draft picks but with a caveat: honesty and communication. Do not sell something to a player or agent that is not in line with the principles of the rebuild.
Don't waste draft picks
Let's be honest. The 2016 draft was a missed opportunity for the Kings.
Yes, Sacramento acquired Bogdan Bogdanovic, a likely All-Rookie selection this season, in a trade with Phoenix. However, Georgios Papagiannis (No. 13) and Malachi Richardson (No. 22) were deemed reaches at the time of the draft and eventually turned out to be failures. Both players were traded or released at the deadline with nothing in return (sorry, Bruno Caboclo).
While the Kings' front office can justify that its eight former draft picks will make up for the loss of both players, you cannot miss many opportunities in the draft, especially when you are a rebuilding team in a small market that does not have the appeal to sign big free agents.
With another lottery pick for the 12th straight year, Sacramento cannot let history repeat itself.
The Warriors model in 2019
Sacramento has an opportunity to do something special and build its roster like the Warriors did before landing Kevin Durant.
Although there isn't talent at the level of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green waiting in the wings, the seeds of 10 possible draft picks on the roster have been planted. With a projected $50 million in cap space in the summer of 2019, Sacramento could be a landing spot for free agents who make an impact on the court and not just journeymen looking for a final payday.
Do the Kings have patience not to skip the steps in rebuilding? Can they continue to develop their own roster? And can they identify the right prospects in June, something they have had mixed results with in the past?
If the answer is yes, Sacramento will have the opportunity to jump off the treadmill of mediocrity.
Summer cap breakdown
The cap situation in Sacramento is not complex.
With Iman Shumpert ($11M) and Kostas Koufos ($8.7M) opting into their contracts and the likelihood of Garrett Temple ($8M) following, Sacramento projects to have $17 million in for free agents.
Dates to watch
Veteran Garrett Temple has until June 29 to decide on his $8 million player option.
Restrictions
Before July 1, Sacramento is limited to receiving $1.5 million in cash in any transaction. The Kings received $3.3 million from Cleveland and Utah as part of the George Hill trade.
The money was used to offset the salary of 2016 lottery pick Papagiannis, who was waived to create a roster spot.
Besides the cash restrictions, Sacramento cannot trade a first-round pick until 2021.
The free-agent focus
The Kings will be looking to create roster flexibility with $19 million in cap space and 14 players on guaranteed contracts, including their first- and second-round picks in June.
The likely odd man out: Shumpert. Although the guard will probably opt into his $11 million contract, Shumpert doesn't project to be on the Kings' roster when training camp starts -- because of either a buyout or a trade.
Once the Kings do open roster spots, one name that would fit a need is Oklahoma City's Jerian Grant. Likely to cost about $8 million, Grant will be an unrestricted free agent and a possible cap casualty if Paul George elects to return to the Thunder.
Although the goal in Sacramento should be about cap flexibility, the 24-year-old would allow coach Dave Joerger different lineup options based on Grant's ability to play multiple positions.
Extension-eligible candidates
In the next three offseasons, Sacramento will start seeing a parade of former first-round picks become eligible for rookie extensions. The first happens this summer with Willie Cauley-Stein.
Having started 108 games in his first three seasons, including a career-high 48 this season, Cauley-Stein became more a focal point this season (usage rate of 20.6 percent from 11.7 percent in his rookie season) without DeMarcus Cousins. Still only 24, Cauley-Stein is one of the better passing big men, averaging 2.3 assists per game and having assisted on 12.8 percent of the team's made shots.
Even with Cauley-Stein's improvement and increased minutes, Sacramento should take a conservative approach when exploring extension talks based on three factors: the possibility of the Kings drafting a center, another season of evaluation with an improved roster and preserving cap flexibility in 2019. Cauley-Stein has a $14 million cap hold in 2019, and unless the starting number is considerably lower (think $10 million), the Kings would be better off waiting until restricted free agency in 2019.
Veterans Temple and Koufos are also extension eligible if both players opt into their contract. Neither player is likely to receive a new contract.
The draft assets
The infamous trade with Philadelphia in 2015 will haunt the Kings next season when an unprotected first- and second-round pick will be sent to the 76ers or Celtics.
In the meantime, Sacramento will have another lottery pick.
Here's how ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have Sacramento picking in the 2018 draft:
No. 2 (own): Marvin Bagley III | F/C | Duke
No. 37 (own): Moritz Wagner | C | Michigan
Despite not having a first-rounder in 2019, Sacramento will have two second-round picks (from Cleveland and Milwaukee). The next year, the Kings will have their own first- and three second-round picks (from Detroit and Miami)