Sacramento’s training camp is about to turn a roster logjam into a real basketball problem, and that’s exactly where the Kings are headed as camp opens. The talent is there, but the minutes are not. That means Doug Christie will spend the early part of the preseason sorting out who actually fits, who stays in the rotation, and who gets squeezed out.
A lot of the attention is going to land on Ben Simmons, one of the Kings’ biggest offseason additions and still one of the most intriguing names on the roster. Sacramento is not bringing him in to chase the version of Simmons who was once a three-time All-Star in Philadelphia. The bet is narrower than that: can he still bring enough playmaking, rebounding and defensive versatility after a year away to matter?
On the latest episode of the Matt George Podcast, Matt George and Chris Watkins dug into that question, and George made his view pretty clear. He sees Simmons as a backup point guard behind Darius Acuff Jr., largely because his shooting limitations make it harder to use him away from the ball.
“If Ben Simmons is the backup point guard, plays 15 minutes a night and gives you defense, rebounding and a decent amount of playmaking, I think that’s really good value for the contract and really good value for the roster spot,” George said.
That sounds straightforward enough, but the rest of the roster makes nothing simple. Sacramento’s projected starting five - Acuff, Zach LaVine, De’Andre Hunter, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis - already leaves a lot of capable players fighting for a smaller number of available spots. Malik Monk is expected to remain a major part of the mix, and Maxime Raynaud’s All-Rookie season gives him real momentum entering Year 2.
Then there’s the next layer of the roster, where Dylan Cardwell, Precious Achiuwa and Nique Clifford are all trying to earn steady minutes. Cardwell offers something the Kings could use badly with his rim protection and defense, while Raynaud is the more polished player even if his game looks different.
“The Kings need what Dylan Cardwell brings more than they need what Maxime Raynaud brings,” George said. “But Maxime Raynaud is the better center, and he’s coming off of an All-Rookie Second Team season.”
Achiuwa is in the conversation too. After giving Sacramento dependable minutes last season, he could work his way into the rotation as a bench forward and give Christie another option behind Murray or Hunter.
Still, the most important basketball question may be how Acuff and Sabonis fit together. For a rookie guard who is expected to grow into the face of the franchise, getting comfortable next to one of the league’s best screeners and passing big men could speed up his development. Sabonis could benefit too if Acuff proves to be the kind of high-end playmaker that makes the whole offense hum.
George wants that partnership emphasized right away once camp begins. “Sabonis, in my mind, is instrumental to anything successful that the Kings are going to do this year,” George said.
That matters beyond the immediate season. Sabonis and LaVine remain two of Sacramento’s most important trade pieces entering the year, and general manager Scott Perry has not been eager to attach draft capital just to move their contracts. What happens on the floor this season could shape the market for both players.
The bigger rebuild may not fully arrive until the summer of 2027, when Sacramento is expected to have much more financial flexibility. For now, though, camp is the first real chance to see how this group works together and which combinations actually hold up.
Christie’s job is clear: find the right rotation. The Kings have more playable pieces than available minutes, and that kind of depth can be a luxury - until it becomes a puzzle that has to be solved before the games start counting.
Sacramento’s 2026-27 preseason begins Monday, October 5th vs. Los Angeles Lakers at 7 P.M.
PST, followed by Thursday, October 8th @ Los Angeles Lakers at 7:30 P.M. PST, Saturday, October 10th @ Golden State Warriors at 5:30 P.M.
PST, Tuesday, October 13th vs. Portland Trail Blazers at 7:00 P.M.
PST, and Friday, October 16th @ San Antonio Spurs at 7:00 P.M. PST.
In Other News...
Kings Rebuild May Hinge On These Young Core Pieces
With Sacramento looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, the organizations rebuild is starting to take shape around a young group it believes can grow into something more than just depth. Dylan Cardwell, Maxime Raynaud, Emanuel Sharp, Alex Karaban and Jonathan Mogbo are all part of that long-view plan, a collection of players the Kings are counting on to develop into real pieces as the roster continues to shift.
The challenge, of course, is turning potential into a foundation. A rebuild only works if the right prospects keep progressing while the front office sorts through the rest of the roster, and Sacramento appears prepared to let that process play out. The early signs are encouraging enough to make these names worth watching, even if the bigger picture still depends on how much each of them can expand their role over time. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Still Have One Big Problem To Sort Out Before Opening Night
The Kings are getting close to opening night, but the roster still has a couple of loose ends to tie up before the real work begins. Sacramento is sorting through its final main roster spot and a two-way contract while also settling into a projected starting group of Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, Zach LaVine and Darius Acuff Jr., a lineup that already feels more like a starting point than a finished product.
For a team trying to get back on track, the issue is bigger than just paperwork. Sacramento is clearly balancing immediate expectations with player development, and there is a real chance the roster looks different as the season moves along. Even the coaching setup could end up part of that churn, which means the Kings are heading into 2026-27 with more questions than a contender usually wants this late in the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Sabonis Faces A Pressure Point That Could Shape Sacramentos Season
Domantas Sabonis is heading into his sixth season with the Kings carrying a very specific kind of pressure, the kind that comes with being both central to a teams present and part of its future uncertainty. Sacramento is expected to bring him back, and the organization seems intent on letting the market come to him rather than moving him before his value has a chance to rise.
For Sabonis, the season is about more than just steady production. He wants to sharpen parts of his game, especially his three-point shooting and passing, to make himself more appealing to contenders if his name comes up later. The Kings, meanwhile, are also trying to invest in their future by developing No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr., which makes Sabonis path all the more interesting as Sacramento tries to balance immediate credibility with long-term planning. [Read more 🡒]