4 Games, 4 Takeaways: What We've Learned From Kings' Disappointing Preseason So Far

The preseason hasn't quite gone according to plan for the Sacramento Kings. There have been some positive takeaways from the four exhibition games, but sitting at 0-4 with three really bad losses, the Kings have officially lost all positive momentum from the offseason, with the regular season just around the corner.

Hopefully some of these takeaways are just preseason oddities, but here are the four main takeaways from Sacramento's first four appearances of the 2026-27 season.

Darius Acuff Jr. Is the Real Deal

Starting off with the good, it's clear that Darius Acuff Jr. is legit. He's averaged 18.7 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 rebounds, shooting 42.6% from the field and 41.2% from three. He looks smooth and controlled on offense and better than he did in Summer League on defense.

Acuff is single-handedly the most important person in the Kings organization this season. Even if the Kings implode and win 12 games, and Acuff shows he's a potential perennial All-Star, the season could be viewed as a success. Ideally, that's not going to be what happens, but with the Kings and how preseason has gone so far, you never know.

But even with the Kings having a disappointing preseason so far, at least Acuff looks the part. He still has to improve defensively and continue to show he can score efficiently, but it's easy to see why his offense was so hyped leading up to the draft.

Keegan Murray May Not Have A Leap

On the flip side of the excitement around Acuff, it may be time to be a little nervous about Keegan Murray. To give the fifth-year wing credit, he's coming off an injury-riddled season and still working his way back to game shape.

But through two preseason games, Murray has looked sluggish and out of rhythm, and completely missed an opportunity to take over a game while the Kings were shorthanded against the Portland Trail Blazers.

It may just be time to change our expectations for Murray as he enters his fifth year. The hope was always that his shooting would return to his rookie-year form, when he made a then-record 206 threes on 41.1% shooting. Two games aren't a fair sample size to analyze Murray's three-point shooting, but the eye test last night is enough to take into account.

None of this is to say that Murray isn't a good player. Even with his diminished three-point shooting over the last three years, he's been a winning player for the Kings. He brings enough defensively and has improved as a rebounder enough to help teams win in other ways than shooting. But it might be time to start looking at Murray as a key rotational player compared to a franchise cornerstone.

Rotations Are All Over the Place

Getting to the most frustrating part of the Kings season, it feels like we haven't gotten a true look at the team. Players have been in and out of the lineup, and even when the starters or key players do get on the court, it's for limited minutes.

Through the first four games, Ben Simmons has played 8.9 minutes, Domantas Sabonis 10.1, and Malik Monk has yet to see the court. Simmons taking time to get back on the court makes the most sense out of the three, but Sabonis and Monk's limited play is starting to raise some questions.

Doug Christie's rotations are going to be heavily scrutinized throughout the season, and players going in and out of the lineup aren't going to make his life easier. It's great that the Kings and fans are getting a look at some of the end-of-the-bench players, but the preseason is a chance to build chemistry and cohesion on the court, and it feels like a missed opportunity this year for Sacramento.

Size Everywhere

The only upside to the Kings rotation being all over the place is that we're getting to see nearly everyone play meaningful minutes. And while we've only had the one game against the Golden State Warriors with nearly the full roster, it's clear that the Kings finally have size and length to hold their own on a night to night basis.

They obviously took a hit with the Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell injuries, but on the wings, the Kings have a slew of players they can throw in the rotation that bring length and athleticism. And what is great, compared to years past, is that they finally have enough of those players in Murray, De'Andre Hunter, Simmons, Precious Achiuwa, and even Nique Clifford, as a bigger two-guard, that they can play together.

Even Acuff and his 6-foot-7 wingspan stand out on the court and can help the Kings get into the passing lanes and disrupt opponents. The rotations will continue to be a huge talking point heading into and throughout the season, but at least Doug Christie has options as the season approaches.

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