Sure, 2025-2026 didn't go according to plan for the Sacramento Kings, assuming there was a plan in the first place. Fortunately, they were able to break their historic losing streak. That was largely thanks to the phrase, "try something different." That same ethos will lead to greater success this season.
For a long time, the Kings have been guilty of making the same mistakes over and over. They did not learn from their own history. This led to a complete lack of growth, stagnation, and endless failure. It's a good thing that Sactown fans are so devoted, as other fanbases would have walked years ago.
This issue was on full display in the front half of last season. Doug Christie took too long ot move off Dennis Schroder as the starting point guard despite obvious problems. The same was true of his over-reliance on veterans who just weren't playing well as a unit or individually.
Then, the 16-game losing streak kicked in, and things got really ugly for the Kings. It took leaning into something different to even get Sacramento slightly on track. That meant giving rookies and other young players real time on the court to find a rhythm together, which they actually managed to do.
The Kings need to take big swings
While Christie finally made the right call by benching Schroder, he was kind of forced into making bigger lineup adjustments by injuries. That doesn't change the fact that he put his trust in a group of rookies and sophomores who definitely were not battle-tested. And they succeeded. Well, kind of.
The rookies managed to end the losing streak and had more success in the last few weeks of the season than the vets did early on. It was a look into the future of the Kings, what the core of the rebuild will be. But that's not the end of the chances that Christie's Kings will have to take.
A path like this is filled with potholes and detours that will slow things down. To get past them, Sacramento is going to have to take some major risks along the way. Some will pay off while others won't. That's just the way the basketball gods work. Nothing is guaranteed.
Everyone in the Kings' organization has to be willing to take those kinds of risks. Some of these changes will come from long-term planning and patience. Others will be rapid advances from decisions made in the moment. It's definitely a no-pain, no-gain situation.
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