Domantas Sabonis is already thinking about the Sacramento Kings’ season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers, and he’s ready to go to war with his teammates.
That’s the upside in Sacramento right now: a roster with real talent, real shooting and real athleticism. Sabonis sees it. The challenge is making it all click and doing it the way coach Doug Christie wants it done.
Christie has plenty to juggle. He’s trying to steer two former All-Stars in Zach LaVine and Sabonis while also developing Darius Acuff Jr., a Rookie of the Year candidate.
That’s not a simple job. The veteran core gives Sacramento its best chance to win now, but the rookie’s growth matters too, which leaves the coach trying to manage both timelines at once.
LaVine and Sabonis have already shown what they can do together. Through the first six games, they led the Kings in scoring and rebounding, but Sacramento still went 2-4.
The issue wasn’t just production. The Kings couldn’t close.
Late in games, they piled up fouls in the final five minutes and gave away back-breaking 3-pointers.
Acuff brings a different dimension as a ball-dominant guard, and the early signs with Sabonis were encouraging in the Kings’ preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers. Sabonis is a physical screener who makes defenders work through contact, and Acuff was able to shake loose downhill for clean mid-range looks and layups. He also did a nice job finding Sabonis on the roll, giving the Kings another way to generate an edge.
LaVine, meanwhile, gives Sacramento a flexible third scoring threat. He can hurt defenses with the ball or without it, and he led the Kings in 3-point shooting by hitting 39% of six attempts.
That trio could end up being the key to the efficient late-game offense Sacramento didn’t have last season. Their skill sets fit together cleanly.
Health, though, is the biggest factor in whether it all comes together over the course of 82 games.
LaVine and Sabonis both had season-ending surgery last February, and Sacramento missed what they bring on offense. The Kings finished tied with the Brooklyn Nets for last in 3-point percentage and owned the third-worst offense.
The shooting problems showed up again in the preseason, but Christie also held Sabonis out of three of the five games. That meant more reps for the back-end rotation, training camp group and two-way players, but fewer minutes for the core pieces who matter most.
As a result, Sacramento’s starters didn’t get the preseason run they needed. Wednesday’s opener will be the first time they log more than 30 minutes together.
In Other News...
Kings Suddenly Have A Point Guard Chance They Cant Waste
Kevin Porter Jr. is suddenly in the middle of a front-office decision that could matter for Sacramentos backcourt. After being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks, he is expected to hit unrestricted free agency, and the Kings are among the teams reportedly interested as they look for help at point guard after injuries and roster moves have thinned that spot.
Sacramentos pitch is obvious: there should be minutes available, and a real pathway to carve out a role right away. Minnesota is also in the mix, though, which gives Porter a very different kind of choice, between a team trying to piece things together and one with a clearer path to contention. For the Kings, the question is whether they can make the most of a chance that may not stay open for long. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Lose A Planned Starter And Keegan Murray Felt It Immediately
The Kings plans for their new-look lineup took a major hit before the season even got moving, with Ben Simmons going down in practice and shutting the door on what had been a fresh start in Sacramento. Simmons was brought in with the expectation that he would be part of the starting group, and his absence changes the tone of the roster conversation immediately. For a team trying to build around its pieces early, losing a veteran piece before opening night is as harsh a setback as it gets.
Keegan Murray did not hide how much the injury landed with the group, pointing to both the severity of the setback and the difficult road Simmons has already traveled. The Kings now have to recalibrate without a player they had penciled into a prominent role, while Simmons faces the reality of missing two straight NBA seasons. For Sacramento, the challenge is not just replacing minutes, but absorbing the loss of a player whose presence was supposed to help stabilize the first unit from day one. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Suddenly Have A Real Shot At A Guard Fans Know
Walter Clayton Jr. is suddenly back on the board after being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies ahead of the roster deadline, and the guard is already drawing attention from multiple NBA teams. Among the clubs monitoring him are the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings, two teams with very different paths but a shared interest in adding a young guard who could provide backcourt depth without much fuss.
Dallas may have the edge on paper because it has a two-way roster spot available and a pre-existing relationship with Clayton, which could make that an appealing landing spot if he clears waivers. Still, the next step may come down to something simpler than team fit alone: where he can actually get minutes, and how that lines up with the long-term direction he wants for his career. [Read more 🡒]