The Sacramento Kings’ preseason opener against the Lakers looked a lot like a familiar script. The defense was loose, the structure wasn’t there, and the biggest problem hanging over the team still didn’t look any closer to being solved.
That’s the issue that keeps following Sacramento: defensive cohesion. It has to move to the top of the priority list, because the Kings don’t need a perfect defense so much as a functional one. At this point, even landing somewhere around the 10th-best unit in the NBA would count as a major step forward.
Instead, the first preseason game offered more evidence that the same old problems are still hanging around. Sacramento did have some solid individual efforts, but the group wasn’t working together cleanly on that end of the floor. For a fan base that has watched the same defensive breakdowns pop up for years, it had a very familiar feel.
There are some fair reasons not to overreact to one preseason game. Ben Simmons, Malik Monk, and Keegan Murray did not play.
And for De’Andre Hunter and Domantas Sabonis, it was their first actual basketball game in the better part of a year after injury absences. Perfection was never the expectation.
But that doesn’t make the underlying concern go away. For plenty of Kings fans, it still looked like more of the same. The defensive issues that have dogged this team for 20 years were on display again, and patience is wearing thin with the promise that improvement will come later.
That puts Doug Christie under the spotlight. He is back for his second full season as head coach, and his mission is clear: make the defense dramatically better.
The problem is that the clock is already ticking on that plan. His contract includes a team option for the 2027-2028 season, and keeping him in place is far from guaranteed.
Sacramento’s history with coaches only adds more pressure. The franchise let Rick Adelman go in 2006 after eight straight playoff seasons. Since then, Mike Brown is the only coach to get the Kings to the postseason, and he was dismissed after delivering that limited success.
So Christie doesn’t have the luxury of time. If he can’t turn Sacramento’s defense into something at least passable, he could be looking for work in the summer of 2027. And with this franchise, the leash has already proven to be a short one.
In Other News...
Clippers Bring Back A Familiar Name As Roster Battle Takes Shape
The Clippers kept their preseason roster moving this week by bringing back a familiar wing in Jahmyl Telfort, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract to fill an open spot on the 21-man group. Telfort had already spent time in the organization on a two-way deal before being cut in December, and this next step points him back toward the San Diego Clippers and the G League path that often comes with these late roster additions.
Sacramento also had a small piece of that roster churn, waiving Trhae Mitchell after signing him to an Exhibit 10 deal tied to a G League bonus. Portland made a similar move with guard Jaylen Martin, underscoring how these camp contracts are often less about the NBA roster itself and more about positioning players for the next stop once preseason battles sort themselves out. [Read more 🡒]
Doug Christie Enters A Make Or Break Season With The Kings
Doug Christie is back for another season on Sacramentos sideline after a disappointing year that was shaped by injuries and only 22 wins. The organization has given him more time, but it is not hard to see the expectations that come with it. The Kings believe the roster around him is better positioned now, with key players returning and new additions changing the look and feel of the group.
The bigger question is whether that improvement shows up quickly enough to matter. Around the league, this feels like the kind of season that can define a coachs standing, especially for a team that needs to push toward 40 wins or at least finish strongly enough to prove real progress. Sacramentos roster and culture shifts are part of the hope, but they also make this year feel like a proving ground for Christie and the direction he is trying to build. [Read more 🡒]
Kings May Be Showing Fans A Very Different Rotation Plan
The preseason has given Sacramento a look at a much bigger idea, with Doug Christie leaning into double-big lineups as he tests the rosters frontcourt depth. The Kings have mixed and matched several combinations, including starting Precious Achiuwa at power forward next to Domantas Sabonis at center, a pairing that gives the club a different physical look than fans are used to seeing.
It is the kind of rotation experiment that can tell a coach a lot before the games start counting. Sacramento is trying to find ways to use its size without sacrificing spacing or scoring, and the early returns suggest Christie is open to multiple paths rather than settling on one clean-cut formula. What happens next will say plenty about how often the Kings want to lean into that bigger style once the preseason gives way to the real thing. [Read more 🡒]