Kings rest majority of rotation during preseason loss to Blazers

The Sacramento Kings had little going for them Tuesday night at Golden 1 Center.

With the majority of their rotation ruled out shortly before tipoff, the Kings struggled to find any offensive rhythm and were eventually blown out by the Portland Trail Blazers 110-98, falling to 0-4 in the preseason.

Portland led by as many as 35 points and never trailed, while Sacramento’s offense finished the night shooting just 33 percent from the field.

The Kings entered the night without Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk, Dylan Cardwell, Maxime Raynaud, Ben Simmons, Darius Acuff Jr., and De’Andre Hunter.

The decision to hold out most of the rotation appeared geared toward getting those players healthy for Sacramento’s regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers next Wednesday (Oct. 21).

On the subject of his thin roster, head coach Doug Christie said time may be running out for the Kings to build chemistry in preseason, but the team is prioritizing health after training camp and two-a-day practices.

“We want to compete; we want to build chemistry. Health, soreness, workload, we have to manage those at the same time,” Christie said postgame. “It’s a delicate balance. We have to build chemistry, but at the same time, we have to be smart.”

Still, the Sacramento Kings are now just one week away from the start of the regular season, and have yet to see their fully healthy roster on the floor together.

murrrayyyyyy https://t.co/Dmnqhtr3Na

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) October 14, 2026

That left Keegan Murray as the only projected starter available, and he made his second preseason appearance after dealing with an ankle injury during training camp.

Murray was expected to see an increased workload after playing just eight minutes in his first preseason appearance Saturday against Golden State. He finished Tuesday with 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting in 19 minutes.

Offensive Struggles

There was very little flow to the Sacramento offense on Tuesday.

The Kings repeatedly found themselves working deep into the shot clock before settling for difficult mid-range attempts or contested looks from three-point range. Sacramento shot just 13-of-46 (28 percent) from the field and 2-of-12 (17 percent) from deep in the first half.

Portland, meanwhile, shot 8-of-19 (42 percent) from three before halftime while playing the majority of its rotation, including new-look guards Damian Lillard and Ja Morant.

With Cardwell and Raynaud both expected to miss at least two weeks, Precious Achiuwa could see increased responsibility at center. He responded with a double-double Tuesday, finishing with 12 points, 11 rebounds and one block in 25 minutes, although he shot just 5-of-15 from the field.

Achiuwa exited late in the game with an ankle injury, but it remains to be seen if his departure was precautionary or a reason for concern as the Kings’ injuries continue to mount.

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 30: Precious Achiuwa #9 of the Sacramento Kings looks on a at Intuit Dome on December 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Rookie Emanuel Sharp continued to make a strong impression after turning heads throughout training camp. The Houston product scored 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three, while adding a steal in 23 minutes.

Jonathan Mogbo also provided one of the few bright spots for Sacramento. The two-way forward recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals in an all-around performance.

Tristan Newton, who signed a training camp deal last week, led the Kings with eight points in the first quarter as he continued his audition for Sacramento’s open two-way spot.

Nique Clifford had a difficult night, missing all 11 of his field-goal attempts. He did finish with five assists while playing a team-high 30 minutes. The Colorado State product is battling for rotation minutes in a crowded front court, but he could see run at the backup small forward spot–especially if Sharp’s two-way ability puts him in position to get some backup shooting guard minutes.

The biggest question surrounding the Sacramento Kings after four preseason games is simple: They still haven’t been able to see their full rotation together.

Whether that becomes a problem remains to be seen, but Sacramento has one more preseason game to get some answers before the regular season arrives.

Sacramento Kings Injury Updates

Maxime Raynaud (right patellar subluxation) will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Dylan Cardwell (left calf strain) will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

• Turner: Kings need to find a role for Emanuel Sharp
• Could Ben Simmons play his way into a starting spot?
• Jerry Reynolds: Darius Acuff should be a big part of the offense, not all of it
• Raynaud avoids serious injury, will be re-evaluated in two weeks

Sacramento Kings Schedule: 2026-27 Preseason

• Friday, October 16th @ San Antonio Spurs (7:00 P.M. PT)

Sacramento Kings 2026-27 Regular Season Schedule

• Wednesday, October 21st @ Los Angeles Clippers (7:30 P.M. PT)
• Friday, October 23rd vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7:00 P.M. PT)
• Sunday, October 25th vs. Memphis Grizzlies (6:00 P.M. PT)
• Tuesday, October 27th @ San Antonio Spurs (5:00 P.M. PT)
• Thursday, October 29th @ New Orleans Pelicans (5:00 P.M. PT)

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