The Sacramento Kings have their final game of the preseason tonight against the San Antonio Spurs tonight at 5:00 PM PST, and it looks like we are finally going to get a full look at the rotation, with three players withstanding.
Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell are both out due to known injuries, but Malik Monk is joining them again as inactive, meaning we'll wait to see the fan favorite make his season debut until the regular season.
Kings availability for today:
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) October 16, 2026
AVAILABILITY vs. SAN ANTONIO SPURS 10/16 Malik Monk: OUT Dylan Cardwell: OUT Max Raynaud: OUT
Monk has reportedly been managing left ankle soreness, but it's been an interesting few weeks for Monk as few details or updates have come out regarding his injury. Raynaud and Cardwell are both pretty cut and dry for their availability, but Monk's status continues to raise questions around Sacramento.
James Ham, host of The Kings Beat and Locked On Kings podcasts, reported that Monk has been managing the ankle soreness through training camp and the preseason.
According to a league source, Malik Monk has been managing left ankle soreness during training camp and preseason. He’s working with the medical team to prepare for return to game action. His opening night availability will depend on how the ankle responds over the next few days.
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) October 16, 2026
An Odd Feeling
There's not enough information to fully know what's going on with Monk and the Kings, but something feels off heading into the season. It's been a tumultuous year and some change for Monk and Sacramento, as the veteran guard has been in trade rumors since the minute Scott Perry took over as General Manager.
Monk was in and out of the lineup last year, and early indications are that that may be the case again this season. But hopefully Monk is able to get his ankle healthy and get back on the court for the Kings.
More Sabonis Minutes?
With both Raynaud and Cardwell out, it's possible we'll see more Domantas Sabonis minutes tonight. The former All-Star center has played just over 10 minutes this preseason, but in that time, looked great next to Darius Acuff Jr. It's hard to say how long we'll see them together again tonight, but it's certainly something to watch tonight in the preseason finale.
Behind Sabonis, expect Precious Achiuwa and Jonathan Mogbo to man the backup center minutes. Both have excelled so far this preseason, and Mogbo especially has a lot to prove as he's on a two-way contract.
— Will Z. Stats (@will_zimmerle) October 16, 2026Raise your hand if you realized Jonathan Mogbo is 2nd on the Kings in points per game this preseason.
13 PTS, 8.3 REB, 2.7 AST, 2.7 STL, 56% FG%
There's been a lot of storylines for Sacramento this preseason, but Mogbo is quietly shining
It will also be interesting to see if the Kings lean into Ben Simmons manning the center spot at all tonight. But with the minutes likely still being lower, it's hard to know how many different lineup combinations we'll get to see for Sacramento.
It would have been ideal to get everyone on the court together sooner, but at least we'll get more of a look at the Kings' likely rotations. Expect rotations and minutes to be a hot topic following the game tonight, much like it will throughout the entire season at this rate.
The Kings and Spurs tip off at 5:00 PM PST as Sacramento looks for their first win of the preseason.
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