Update: 9:45 pm
This season is something else, man. The Sacramento Kings lost its 15th straight loss, a new franchise record. On the other side of this 131-94 loss, the Orlando Magic set a franchise record for made threes in a game (27). The Kings made 8 threes. Sacramento had 19 turnovers for 24 Orlando points. The Magic had 29 fast break points, and the Kings had 6.
Keegan Murray returned in the game and finished with 15 points and 8 rebounds in 32 minutes. Maxime Raynaud had 17 points and 14 rebounds in 39 minutes. Precious Achiuwa added 14 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes.
The tank rolls on. Only a few more months left.
From Earlier Preview:
The Kings are back and should be fully rested considering how little representation the organization had at All-Star Weekend. Vacations for all.
Who: Sacramento Kings (12-44) vs. Orlando Magic (28-25)
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
When: 7:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM ET
Watch: NBCSCA / League Pass
Tanking, and more specifically resting healthy players, was a hot topic of conversation around the league heading into the break, so the Kings did the responsible thing: shut their most talented players down for good. Both Zach Lavine and Domantas Sabonis have undergone, or will undergo, season-ending surgery. Dylan Cardwell is also sidelined with an ankle sprain.
I want those players to get healthy, but this will be a great opportunity for the young players on the roster. And great for the tank. Win-win.
Who will Doug Christie start tonight? How will the new rotation shake out? Your guess is as good as mine, but we’re back.
Prediction: Kings 109, Magic 101.
Don’t draft Darryn Peterson.
His nickname isn’t DP, it’s DNP
I can’t remember having a prospective #1 pick have so much boom/bust potential. I was sour on him the first game I watched him. Bill Self stashes him in the corner on the defensive side of the ball. Either to preserve his legs or because he can’t play on ball defense. When he’s playing, his upside is undeniable on offense. But either he’s got some serious health/conditioning issues or serious attitude issues. Not sure I want to inherit either of these things with a #1 pick.
I heard his dad is highly involved and trying to keep him from getting injured by having his minutes managed. He just wants to get to the draft and be in the NBA…my issue is that he is on a team, and the team is trying to win a national title. How do his teammates feel when he just sits out half the games?
No thanks. Pass.
I totally agree. These sorts of “me first” attitudes don’t end after college. Team Bagley taught us that. And LaVar ball. Or even WCS overestimating his value to the team and becoming a distraction while not achieving his potential. It’s a red flag. Unless a team is convinced that Peterson has the fire to truly become a star AND he has the talent to do so, I’d pass.
Yeah, this is where the interviews/psychological testing come in.
“Hey Darryn, want to play for the worst franchise in the NBA?”
Pretty sure he would hate it in Sac from day 1 and be angling to leave ASAFP.
But we’re implementing a new culture…
for the 14th year in a row.
I’m not nearly unsold on Peterson yet. His talent is undeniable.
I remember a lot of consternation over Jalen Johnson’s health chart coming out of college. He wound up dropping from his projected 10ish spot to 20, much to the current delight of Atlanta.
Chet Holmgren was a health risk. Ask OKC fans how they’re feeling about Chet.
The good news is that there is still over four months between now and the NBA draft. Peterson still has a lot of time to show out one way or the other, and the ping pong balls have to fall in the right direction.
But if the draft was today and I have the pick, I am spending it on Darryn Peterson.
Well said and good points of reference from the past. As of today, I’m a tossup between DP and AJ. Time will tell, and the Kings have nothing but time at this point.
IMO I would take AJ. Next if possible get a point guard with the 31st. Maybe bundle to move up if possible.
Actually, Peterson is not a point guard unless averaging less than 2 assists per game is considered good . Also, zero assists in his last two games . Lot to prove in last 10 games + . Count me concerned !
11 assists in 11 Big Ten games and 1 assist in his last 84 minutes. YIKES!
Yeah, I agree. I’d rather have the bigger, harder-working, more-durable, better passing wing with KD-lite potential over the super talented scoring SG who is being compared to Ant. Talent is there with DNP, I’m not sure about his mentality or durability.
I’d honestly be happy with either one since they would both instantly be the Kings most talented player, but AJ would be my top pick.
AJ
DNP
Wilson
Flemings
Boozer
Brown Jr.
Ament
Personally AJ terrifies me, and for the Kings specifically is a massive stay away at #1. At #3 I welcome it, as he is the third best prospect in the class for me but otherwise I dont really see the argument before that. Listen he may just be big, fast and athletic enough to avoid the lack of nuance, but I see a player whose offensive arsenal is pretty narrow. He basically hunts for a seam 8 out of 10 times in an iso set. That skill does look elite factoring his size but that isn’t an NBA offense, especially when it usually begins with him on ball. His team is spaced out and letting him dictate near every possession on a single action.
Like I said he might just be that gifted athletically it wont matter, but the skills to fall back on if thats not the case worry me. I dont see what offball is intriguing, he isnt a convincing 3pt shooter, I think he goes to his middy only in reaction. I think in the right development structure he could be monster. Teams with excellent shooting development, great understanding as a cutter, and or him just being more crafty from the triple threat. But lets face it that isn’t Sacramento.
I dont think this will happen because for his size the ball handling is a great get out jail skill, but the logic in regard to Bagley wasnt that disimilar. I just keep asking the question is the way he is being a monster at this level truly translatable to the League.
I go with Boozer.
Peterson’s health risks are a bit different than who you mentioned. It appears these are more an artifact of him not wanting to do the minimum without damaging his draft prospects. I’m not sure if that makes it better or worse. I just find it incredibly disappointing that Bill Self is flummoxed at Peterson’s continual “leg cramps”. Peterson is put in a position where he is asked to play nearly zero defense. This is not good from a player development standpoint. His ability on offense is undeniable. I just worry about how he affects whatever team drafts him. There have been other offensive juggernauts that haven’t lived up to their potential.
I firmly agree.
I just started watching highlights and I’m not impressed. Is he an elite PG in the NBA?
NaPG
I know we tell ourselves this will make a difference in the long run, but it never does.
It’s a great opportunity to get a better draft pick. The truth is that there aren’t really any good young players on the Kings. The best player in the bunch is a fourth or fifth starter on a good team, and maybe not even that on a championship-level team.
Good question: Would any of the “young” Kings be seeing any court time on OKC or Boston’s squads? The teams that feature young players – Queta and Jordan Walsh and Scheierman or Hugo Gonzalez on Boston, Brooks Barnheiser, Branden Carlsen, Thomas Sorber, Nikola Topic and now Jared McCain for the Thunder – would they be featured more/less/same as these guys?
What is wrong with the Magic? I feel they should have a far better record than they do. I’ve read some grumblings that Paolo isn’t all that he’s cracked up to be and he might not be a foundational piece. Is this true?
Suggs and Franz have missed time, which probably has thrown things off for them.
He’s been injured, Suggs has missed time and they just sidelined Franz, who had just returned, for the “indefinite”.
Speaking of teams who would benefit from Domas, I like the Magic, just as much as Toronto and Atlanta (and Milwaukee).
Des Bane has been good for them, and though they traded a lot of the future for him, he has not been enough of a boon to put them in the upper echelon of the East. Atlanta is another team that has a number of enticing pieces but remains at .500. I will be surprised if the Hawks and the Magic don’t have a different captain at the helm next season if they flounder in the playoffs (if they even make the playoffs).
Everyone’s looking at the two seasons that took Detroit from the very bottom (14 wins, 28 game losing streak) to the very top (today, Pistons are above OKC at the Association’s best) and their major move was replacing Monty WIlliams (and his remaining 3 or 4 seasons at $13M per) with JB Bickerstaff.
For the teams that matter (no, sorry, not here) I am expecting the Summer to bring a host of coaching changes.
Also – I think CoY will likely go to Bickerstaff, but what about the job Joe Mazzula is doing in Boston? Jordan Ott in Phoenix?
Don’t you worry about Doug Christie – his position is safe here in Vivek’s Sacramento.
I agree that Domas makes a lot of sense for Orlando. I also think he’d work in Miami. What really worries me now is his health and rehab. If he’s damaged goods going forward, his contract would be damn near impossible to move. Even worst than Poeltl
Domas is an Ox. I agree with your comment that if the Kings were playing for wins, he’d be on the floor, getting his head clubbed, pummeled and bludgeoned on a nightly basis.
I haven’t seen his medical chart, but I suspect that he is tuning up a bad axel, but that may just be wishful thinking. Poetl*’s bad back is a larger concern, IMO.
*back in the COVID days when we had to find amusements, Wordle was popular and then it had all of the offshoots, and there was an NBA one, and it was called Poetl (as it rhymes with wordle).
Domas for Suggs and Howard works. Suggs, Clifford, Murray, AJ, Raynaud/Cardwell. Not bad for a start.
Good for both teams . Love it .
I really like Suggs. Would be tough to see Domas go, but he deserves to play for an org that cares about winning.
Orlando:
I’ve thought about Sabonis to Orlando as well and was thinking with how well Anthony Black has been playing for them at PG that maybe there could be some sort of Sabonis for Suggs trade? I think Orlando would worry about protecting the paint though since none of Sabonis, Banchero, or Wagner are particularly stellar interior defenders… it’s really too bad Jonathan Isaac has had so many injuries because he would be so cool next to Domas… Suggs would obviously be a great 3&D PG for us along with hopefully the addition of AJ, Boozer, or Whitmore at the 4 if we don’t get Peterson. Would love for Keeg to play more SF.
PG: Suggs / Carter
SG: Clifford / Monk
SF: Murray
PF: AJ, Boozer, or Whitmore
C: Raynaud / Cardwell
Atlanta:
I was REALLY hoping to trade Sabonis for Risacher, KP (expiring), and the 1st ATL has from Cleveland (late 20’s) at the deadline 🙁
Milwaukee:
God I hope they eventually take LaVine from us… PLEASE!!!
Toronto:
I was very relieved when we didn’t take Poetle and Barrett for Sabonis. The Poetle contract is U-G-L-Y and I’ve never been that big of a Barrett fan.
well, just my guess – but we now have to player infatuaters (word?) for the Kings – Vivek (and expect Kuzma) and Perry (expect Barrett).
And I don’t think Bucks will take Zach Lavine if they trade off Giannis -which I think they will do this Summer.
OT: This is what I wish the Kings would do. Give one of the two-ways (Stevens or Plowden) a standard deal with non-guarantees after that. Basically just a contract for the remainder of the season. That non-guaranteed contract could have value this summer. Kings would then have two 2-way spots to try on some dudes. We all know they need live bodies.
https://bsky.app/profile/mikeascotto.bsky.social/post/3mfaezp3nq22h
Fourteen losses with no wins in sight
As the Magic come in here tonight.
And now Domas and Zach
For this year won’t be back.
Hey, Vivek, SELL THE TEAM! Alright!
+1 Murray’s back!
Bring on the tanking investigation Silver:
LOL. Hey, the Kings are starting one of the best point guards to ever play the game!
I guess some “anti-tanking” measures are gonna go into effect next season?
Translation: Silver is a bitch to gambling corporations.
Silver is awful. He just does whatever for the money. He sold his soul years ago.
???? ???? ????
I’m sure he was on that island ????
Brought to you by Draft Kings.
Nothing to say and have done zilch about the Clippers violating the cap and the gambling mess in the league. Fans WANT their teams to tank.
BWWAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA
Says the league DEEP in bed with the gambling industry.
Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich…
Kayte rolling out the “toughest schedule in the NBA” line early tonight!
It’s bound to be a tough schedule when all 29 other teams are better than you are!
Oh look, a box in the corner with moving dots! Sprite Stat Trak? WTF? Unbelievable…
Franchise record 15 game losing streak, baby!!!
There’s just sooooooommmeething about that G1 building that makes the Magic get hot from three said Kayte. Yeah, it’s the Kings!
Clifford is awfully disappointing for a ‘high floor’ rookie. And he’s 24.
How much of his struggles can be blamed on playing for the most inept organization in the league?
I think that part of the tanking argument was seeing what we have in the young guys. I am not sure that you can take away much from what they do when they are on a 15-game skid and are dealing with beatdown after beatdown.
As Jerry says, even on the worst team, someone has to be the leading scorer (and rebounder, and assister)…
And remember, Perry basically traded the Spurs 2027 first round pick for Nique. Kings get to keep the pick if it falls 1-16 but it goes to the Thunder if it falls 17-30. The real kicker is, even if the Spurs falter next year the pick conveys to the Kings, Sac would then have to give 2 future second round picks to the Thunder.
You got to ask yourself, would you rather have the Spurs unprotected pick in your coffers right now, or Nique?
Been getting Colby Jones vibes.
Nique has basically been having the same statistical rookie season that Justin Jackson had, only JJ was two years younger.
Good comp!
Maybe “accurate comp” is more appropriate. There is little “good” about it.
He’s having a slightly worse season than Francisco Garcia did when he was a 24yr old rookie.
Garcia (Drafted 1rd/23pk): Shooting splits of 48/29/77, TS% of 51%, eFG% 46%, 2.8 TRB, 1.4 AST, 1.3 Stocks, 5.6 Pts, 98 Off Rtg, 104 Def Rtg (both are per 100 poss)
Clifford (Drafted 1rd/24pk): Shooting splits of 44/32/72, TS% of 46%, eFG% 46%, 3.1 TRB, 1.6 AST, 1.0 Stocks, 6.5 Pts, 96 Off Rtg, 122 Def Rtg (both are per 100 poss)
Garcia actually continued to get better despite also being an older rookie, he went on to shoot 48/36/80 over his 9yr career. His 3rd and 4th years saw the biggest improvements.
I’m not sure it’s possible to be disappointing as a #24 pick. The great majority of the players that late in draft end up as nothing.
True, picks in the twenties are no sure thing. But Perry purposely took an older rookie with a high floor / low ceiling because he thought Clifford could contribute to a play in push right away.
Perry was wrong in his evaluation of Clifford just like he was wrong in his evaluation of the team’s overall chances this season.
Will this team finish 12-70?
Drew Eubanks is the cherry on top of the worst signings of the season. The Kings are the only ones dumb enough to have signed this guy to a contract when he otherwise would have not even been in the NBA anymore. Absolutely horrible use of money to sign a 29 year old who only moves the needle backwards.
Doug McDermott may even be a worse signing . 33 year old vet signed to help the playoff push ????????
10 points in the 4th quarter. That’s unbelievable.
This season has been perfect. Basically paid no attention to Kings and might get a sweet pick. Vs paying some attention that I’m wasting my time with because maybe they’re going to make a play-in and then getting a high pick that’s not even that interesting. Definitely taking the first one all day until we hit on a superstar, saves me the effort of watching a minute of this team. Well played Kings, even though you were actually trying.
Love this losing streak, this is certainly the sorriest Kings team I’ve ever witnessed, in every way imaginable. You suck Vivek, give us our team back.
15 losses in a row. Franchise record. Another feather in Vivek’s cap. What a loser.
Yep, step aside Rochester, Cincinnati, and Kansas City . Sacramento establishes a 75 year record for losing .
If the Kings end up picking #5 Peterson might be worth the gamble. I’m a KU alum as well as a Kings fan and I watched Ben McLemore and Frank Mason fizzle rather than sizzle.
Also, the NBA should just get rid of the draft lottery. Just let the worst team pick first. The Kings go full tankarama and will still end up drafting two behind the Portland Trailblazers.
-57 from 3 last night. Wowsers.
The Kings now have a -10.9 point differential. That is good for third worst of any team…THIS CENTURY.
Only last season’s 18-64 Wizards with -12.4 and the 7-69 Bobcats with a -13.9 in 2011-12 are worse.
This Kings team is historically bad.
Or as we say in Sacramento, “Tuesday.”
Your 2026 Sacramento Kings: breaking records!
Well done Vivek. Your name is etched in the history of this team.
Question for anyone:
Do you believe this team is at rock-bottom?
Or do they have further to fall?
If they are not at the bottom, there is not much farther to fall.
Looking at the current roster, and figuring that the team is at least another season or two away from relevance (if everything breaks right), Keegan Murray might be the only starter quality player that is on the current roster and (perhaps) projects to be around long enough for the next upswing. Raynaud and Cardwell are both bench bigs unless you are crushing it at at least three other starting positions, which means two star players plus Murray taking a big step forward). Clifford has a way to go to become a legit core bench piece for a reasonably good team.
The Kings are so cap strapped that they may need to waive DeRozan next season to avoid the tax apron. The organization is targeting 2027-28 as their reload season, but my guess is that they will not boat any big FA fish.
In other words, they may not have further to fall, but I don’t know how they create a meaningful upward trajectory.
Setting aside location and front office/ownership, is there any team that you would NOT swap roster + Draft capitol with?
New Orleans is the only team within reach of that conversation, I think. They traded away unprotected picks in this year’s draft, their front office has the spectre of Joe Dumars, and other than Trey Murphy, their large contracts are rather onerous. If the Kings strike gold this coming draft, they might be a tick higher than the Pels. All that said,
We’re setting aside Dumars. It’s close. Yes, they have no 1st this year, but Murphy, Queen & Fears are all plus assets and better than anything on our team. But I agree, a generational talent this year would help.
The only other team close, IMO, is the Clips. A little thin on picks and impending punishment, but they do have Garland and Kawaii to restock the cupboard.
Yep. Rooting for either team is the equivalent of sliding down a large razor blade on your balls, but with Kings fandom, once you get to the end of the blade you fall into a pool of salt water.
I feel Murphy, Herb, and Queen trump any 3 “keepers” the Kings have, in large part because don’t even remotely have 3 keepers.
Yes, they don’t have their pick this year, but they have all their rest, and they have Milwaukee’s in 2027 which might be gold.
“Cap strapped” might be an understatement. Next year is scary.
With just the 9 fully guaranteed deals of LaVine, Sabonis, Keegan, Hunter, Monk, Carter, Nique, Maxi, and Cardwell they are sitting at around $176M. Should they cut and eat DDR’s partial guarantee they be at $186M. Should they stupidly keep DDR at his full $25.7M (I wouldn’t put it past them) they be over $200M with 10 players.
The cap next season is $166M with the tax line at $202M.
Now, add a top 5 pick’s guaranteed deal, and that’s a minimum of another $8M at the #5 spot or up to $12.5M for the #1 pick.
The math paints a picture of the Kings be just a hair under the tax or approaching the 1st apron.Oh….and they’d still need to add 4-5 more players to fill out a roster. The Kings may need to move their “best” rostered asset in Keegan to control their spending. I can envision Perry sending out his $24M for 2-3 smaller contracts in order to save money. Something incredibly Vivek stupid like Keegan to Dallas for Klay Thompson, AJ Johnson and #29 pick.
They be fucked.
It’s crazy being one of 6 tax teams heading into next season while also having the league’s worst record. NOP in the 8th highest salary slot is the other outlier. 2004 Pistons front office for the win!
Also, this is not 100% Perry’s making, but he made it a whole lot worse.
Had he not signed Schröder things would have been a lot better. They could have let Keon hit RFA in very depressed market to either keep him on the cheap or even move him in a S&T. There would have been no need to move JV and Perry would have had his $10M expiring to use at this past deadline. He also wouln’t have had to attach Saric to a 2nd round pick to create cap space for the Dennis and Keon trade. Lastly, the Kings definitely wouldn’t be sitting on De’Andre Hunter’s $25M guaranteed deal next season.
The shit just keeps compounding and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.
Honestly, I think you could’ve just posted the pic of the da Silva three as the entire recap and left it at that. It is a nice encapsulation of the game- Orlando player shooting (and making) a wide open three with not a single Kings player in sight.
I think the random crowd chatter from that moment was more of a distraction for the shooter than any Kings defender.
To be fair, the Magic had as many as five players on the floor at the same time. It’s hard to keep track of that many guys.
So that is why the Kings are keeping the arena’s seats empty!
Is there any sign that Christie is doing anything as head coach? Absolutely nothing has changed and his “points of emphasis” all seem to be areas where the Kings are actually getting worse.
He’s cashing his checks and not crossing Vivek. I think that is the job description.
You tell me what he could do with what he has to work with? I would gladly listen.
Developing the younger players that will be here for the foreseeable future, improving perimeter defense, instilling an identity, competing at some aspect of the game, anything? Is there a single positive thing he’s done?
I’m glad the team is growing coach, because my hatred for this organization is also growing. Know that.
Christie preaching that Maginot Line defense back in November.
I’m not a hater. I’m an apathater.
In Christie’s defense, he didn’t say what direction they’d be growing in.
In Christie’s defense he, uh…. never really had a defense.
Hunter is getting eye surgery and is done for the year now. I was hoping we could at least get a look at him. Oh well.
Also, yikes! That’s just terrible luck – get traded here AND get your eye nearly poked out of your head.
Welcome to Basketball Hell.
If this keeps up the Kings will have to bring up the entire G league team to play.
Spoiler alert:
Not sure they’re that good.
The only people with worse luck than Kings players are Kings fans.
Best wishes for Hunter for a full recovery. It’s bad enough getting traded to this team without adding a major injury on top of it.
Hey thanks a lot Adam Silver. You have “fans” sending death threats to players and their wives.
No one deserves to be treated like this, and Silver spends all of his time talking about tanking and zero time talking about gambling. I had my issues with David Stern, but Silver is an absolute garbage commissioner.
Having Silver as commissioner of this once great league has made me realize how much I miss David Stern and I really wasn’t a big fan of his.
Silver is getting worse every year and I see no point of return when it comes to him.
Amen, brother.
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