The Sacramento Kings’ 110-98 preseason loss to the Portland Trail Blazers was one thing. The real headache from Tuesday night was the mess around the team’s health.
Eight Kings were out, and the list included Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Darius Acuff Jr., Malik Monk and Ben Simmons. Some absences have been explained - second-year centers Dylan Cardwell is dealing with a calf strain, and Maxime Raynaud has a knee issue - but for several others, Sacramento has said very little. That silence has only fueled the guessing game.
Doug Christie’s postgame comments made it harder to read.
When Christie was asked whether preseason games or controlled practices better prepare a team for the regular season, he didn’t waffle: “Preseason games are the most valuable.”
He said games offer things practice can’t truly recreate, including speed, competitiveness and physicality. For Matt George, that naturally led to the question hanging over Sacramento right now: if preseason games matter that much, why hasn’t the Kings’ core been on the floor together?
“I’m not going to lie to you,” George said on the latest episode of Sactown Sports’ The Matt George Podcast. “Now I’m even more confused.”
George said he doesn’t think Christie is trying to hold players back on purpose or put practice ahead of game action. Christie already addressed Simmons’ absence as something done in Simmons’ best interest and as part of preparing him for an 82-game season.
But the rest of the roster remains murky, and that’s the part George can’t get past.
“If it’s simply for rest purposes, divulge that,” George said. “If that’s the decision and it’s tactical, at least I understand that.”
Instead, the Kings have left people to sort through the possibilities on their own - whether these absences are related to injury, rest or precaution.
Sabonis has not played since Sacramento’s first preseason game, and Monk, Acuff and LaVine are also part of the unanswered portion of the equation.
George said he understands Christie’s side, especially after the injury problems Sacramento dealt with last season, but he also thinks the organization needs to be more open.
“The Kings are keeping it quiet, and unfortunately, it sounds like Doug Christie has to kind of fall on the sword a little bit,” George said.
That’s where the concern really starts to pile up: the Kings still haven’t seen their projected core share the floor this preseason, and the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers is only one week away. George worried that Sacramento could be forced to open the season with everyone available but without the benefit of real game reps together.
“Is that Doug Christie’s fault? Is he pushing them too hard in practice?
Are they just freaking unlucky? Are they reaggravating injuries?
What is going on?” George said.
“The Kings aren’t telling us, and it’s getting pretty darn frustrating.”
Sacramento has one more preseason game left, Friday against the San Antonio Spurs, before the regular season begins Wednesday, October 21st in Los Angeles.
In Other News...
Kings Preseason Absences Are Suddenly Raising Bigger Questions
Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk have both become familiar faces at Kings shootarounds this preseason, even as neither has been consistently available for recent games. Sabonis has logged only limited minutes so far, and his absence stands out at a time when Sacramento is already navigating injuries elsewhere on the roster. Monks situation is murkier, with ankle soreness mentioned in reports, but he has still been around the team as the Kings continue to shape the rotation and sort out where everyone fits.
For Sacramento, the timing makes the absences harder to ignore. Sabonis has been at the center of plenty of speculation around the league, with the front office believed to be open to trading him if the right deal ever materializes, while Monks role has been trending upward as his leadership responsibilities grow. Even in preseason, those two storylines matter because the Kings are trying to build stability, not uncertainty, and every missed game only adds another layer to an already complicated early stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Simmons Absence Vs Blazers Says A Lot About Kings Plan
Ben Simmons' first preseason appearance for Sacramento offered the kind of reminder the Kings were hoping for after more than a year away from NBA action, but his next game quickly showed how carefully the team is handling his return. He sat out against the Portland Trail Blazers, and head coach Doug Christie framed it as a workload decision rather than anything to do with health, a sign the Kings are trying to build Simmons up methodically instead of rushing him into a heavier exhibition schedule.
For a player expected to be part of the starting lineup when the regular season opens, the early emphasis is less on piling up preseason minutes and more on getting the body ready for the long haul. Simmons is reportedly in good condition and injury-free, and Sacramento appears intent on treating these first weeks as part of the ramp-up process, even if that means some nights off before the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Roster Move Puts One Young Guard On A Crucial Path
The late-October roster churn keeps rolling around the league, and the latest move came from San Antonio, where the Spurs waived guard RJ Davis after a brief stint on an Exhibit 10 contract. Davis had already built a G League rsum with the South Bay Lakers, where he earned All-Rookie recognition, and his situation fits the familiar pattern for this time of year: a quick signing, a quick waiver, and a likely path to a teams developmental program.
Sacramento has been part of the same wave of housekeeping, joining Denver and Atlanta in making similar Exhibit 10 transactions that are designed to funnel players toward their G League affiliates. For the Kings, these moves are less about the immediate roster and more about keeping the developmental pipeline active, even if the next step for each player still has to be sorted out. [Read more 🡒]