Keegan Murray's injury is certainly a setback for the Kings, particularly since he's a rather unique player on the team. As such, there had to be a better choice for the starting lineup than putting Dario Saric of all people in Murray's spot.
Saric has been around the league for a few years, most recently with the Denver Nuggets before moving west. He was part of a trade that saw the Kings send Jonas Valanciunas, arguably one of the best backup centers in the league, to the Mile High City.
Starting Dario Saric
For the most part, Saric doesn't make a lot of impact on the court. He's a bench player at best, and not one who hits the court with something to prove. Saric is one of those guys who is definitely good enough to be in the NBA but not much more than that.
Yet, he did turn in a sold performance in the Kings' second preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He finished with 14 points, shooting four for for from the three point line. That being said, he had literally zero assists, rebounds, blocks, or steals, which isn't ideal.
Part of the Kings' bench
Saric makes sense on the Kings' bench as someone who can come in and give players a break. He's usually good for a few points, a couple of rebounds, and maybe an assist or two. But a team isn't going to get much more out of him than that, which is why starting him made so little sense.
With Keegan Murray injured, fans knew there would be a reshuffling of the roster to fill the gap. Someone like Keon Ellis or Devin Carter starting was expected. Even one of the standout rookies would have been logical. Heck, Doug McDermott is an actual forward. Give him a shot.
It's a bad sign for the Kings' season
Starting Saric over a multitude of better choices does not bode well for the Kings' decision making going into the regular season. Even in the preseason, starting Saric as a forward over other options seems like a strange choice. Plus, the Kings might need him elsewhere.
If Sabonis takes a while to recover from his injury, the Kings will need Saric at center, likely sharing the duties with Dylan Cardwell and Drew Eubanks. In this situation, Saric might actually be the best option to start, though the Kings hopefully won't sleep on the talent, skill, and spark Cardwell brings.
He certainly outplayed Saric against the Clippers.