Describing the Sacramento Kings' preseason as dismal might be generous. Regardless, the team can't let it define their season, which hasn't been great so far, and must move forward. The larger question has to be whether 2026-2027 will contribute to the rebuild or be another lost season.
There's no question that the Kings have needed this rebuild for a very long time. During Rick Adelman's tenure as head coach, Sacramento made the playoffs eight seasons in a row. After his final season in 2006, that level of success disappeared entirely, and the Kings headed for the basement.
In the 20 years since then, Sacramento made the playoffs once, getting bounced out in the first round by the Warriors. The reality is that this inability to find the postseason is a symptom of much bigger problems in the organization, some that even the rebuild can't fix.
The state of the Kings
Once becoming Sacramento's general manager, Scott Perry was finally able to convince co-owner Vivek Ranadive to rebuild the roster. It had long suffered from a massive imbalance that leaned towards smaller wings. Perry has worked to make positive changes to the roster.
The problem during the 2026 preseason was the absurd number of injuries the Kings sustained, which felt like a continuation of last season's woes. Sacramento was really hoping to move past those issues and proceed with the rebuild. That's not easy when everyone is hurt.
On top of that, there are bigger issues that need to be addressed. Perry might be the right GM, but Doug Christie isn't the right head coach. Even worse, Ranadive still isn't the best person to head up this franchise. It's only a matter of time until he goes back to his micromanaging ways.
How the Kings can salvage this season
There's a lot to be concerned about when it comes to the Kings in 2026-2027, especially considering how the opening game went. While it won't be a winning season, it could still be productive. If the Kings can make progress on rookie and sophomore development, it would be a huge step forward.
Now, if Sacramento can also move some big contracts, find a new head coach, and keep Ranadive out of the day-to-day basketball operations, this team would be in a great spot. The crazy part is that pulling all of that off is completely possible for the Kings.
Some of those steps won't happen until the end of this season, but they'll still happen. That will set the Kings up for the future and success in the rebuild from there. It's going to be a tough regular season. That doesn't mean it won't be an important part of the bigger picture.
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