George: Sacramento’s preseason injury situation is confusing

The Sacramento Kings’ 110-98 preseason loss to the Portland Trail Blazers was ugly, but the bigger concern coming out of Tuesday night for Matt George has little to do with the final score.

The bigger concern coming out of Tuesday night is the uncertainty surrounding the team’s health.

Eight Kings players were held out of the game, including Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Darius Acuff Jr., Malik Monk and Ben Simmons.

While some injuries are known, such as second-year centers Dylan Cardwell (calf strain) and Maxime Raynaud (knee), the Kings have offered little explanation for several absences, leaving plenty of room for speculation.

That became even more confusing for George after Doug Christie’s postgame comments.

Christie was asked whether preseason games or controlled practices better prepare his team for the regular season. His answer was clear: “Preseason games are the most valuable.”

Christie added that some elements of a game simply cannot be replicated in practice, including speed, competitiveness, and physicality.

For George, that raised an obvious question.

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If preseason games are that important, why have the Sacramento Kings gone through four games without seeing their core group 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 believes Christie wants his players on the court, rather than intentionally keeping them out to prioritize practice. Christie specifically explained that Ben Simmons’ absence was about doing what was best for Simmons and preparing him for an 82-game season.

But the lack of clarity surrounding the rest of the roster has become increasingly frustrating.

“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, George believes the Kings are forcing everyone to speculate about whether players are injured, being rested, or simply being held out as a precaution.

That includes Sabonis, who has not played since Sacramento’s first preseason game, as well as Monk, Acuff and LaVine.

George sympathized with Christie, especially after Sacramento dealt with significant injuries last season, but argued that the organization needs to be more transparent.

Head coach Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 22, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Kings 120-116. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

“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.

The concern is magnified by the fact that Sacramento has yet to see its projected core play together this preseason. With the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers just one week away, George worries the Kings could suddenly have everyone available without having meaningful 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.”

The Sacramento Kings will have one final preseason opportunity Friday against the San Antonio Spurs before tipping off the regular season on Wednesday, October 21st in Los Angeles.

Listen to all episodes of The Matt George Podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and watch each episode on SactownSports.com, the Sactown Sports app, or the Sactown Sports YouTube page.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

• Turner: Sacramento 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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