The Sacramento Kings enter the season with plenty to sort through, but Domantas Sabonis says the health side of the equation is in a good place.
After a preseason that ended 0-5 and left the starters looking disjointed in their first run together against the San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento has at least one major positive going into the opener: its veterans appear ready. Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, and Ben Simmons are all working back from injuries and heading into the regular season, while Malik Monk remains a question.
Sabonis addressed his own status after practice and said he feels good, explaining that the limited preseason minutes for him and his teammates were more about caution than concern.
"No no no, everything's good. Just playing it smart. We've had a couple years, and especially with a couple bigs going down, we just want to be smart,"
That health piece matters more than ever for Sacramento. The preseason results were rough, but the roster still has talent.
The bigger issue is whether all of that talent can actually fit together and hold up across a full NBA season. Sabonis being healthy to open the year is a strong first step for the Kings.
He was also asked what he’s most curious about as this version of the team gets rolling, and his answer centered on getting the group on the same page once the real games start.
"Excited for the real games to start, for the rotation to be established, you know guys to play with one another. We've got a good group of guys that want to play, want to fight. Everyone has something to prove, so the energy and physicality is definitely going to be there."
That word - established - says a lot about where the Kings are right now. Around the league, teams spend early-season time trying to settle their rotations, but Sacramento feels like it may be a step behind after the way its preseason played out.
And unlike some teams, the Kings do not have much time to ease into things. If they want to surprise the NBA and make a push for a postseason spot, they have to get moving immediately. That is a tough ask when the lineup picture is still cloudy.
Scott Perry has assembled a deep roster, but depth brings its own headache: as many as 14 players could end up in the rotation. Injuries could simplify the picture, but Doug Christie still has a difficult job ahead of him sorting through all of it.
Based on the preseason and Sabonis’ remarks, it may take a few games before Sacramento settles on its look. The hope is that the shuffling ends there.
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Malik Monks Kings Role Suddenly Feels Far Less Clear
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Monks limited playing time has only added to the questions, especially because there has been no official explanation beyond the soreness. For a Kings team still sorting out its rotation and direction, the situation leaves Monk in a familiar but uncomfortable spot, with speculation about his future lingering even as the preseason moves on. [Read more 🡒]