It was a narrow win to say the least, but the Sacramento Kings still kicked off their California Classic with a 79 - 76 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Fans got a sense of where the front office is focused, as they watched some familiar faces work alongside some recently drafted and acquired players.
First off, there were two notable names missing from the roster. The Kings' breakout 2025-2026 rookie Maxime Raynaud is in France due to commitments to the national team. He should be back for the Summer League. Alex Karaban is out for an indefinite amount of time due to an ankle injury.
Regardless, the Kings sent an impressive lineup. Raynaud might not have been in the mix, but his fellow Sacramento sophomores, Dylan Cardwell and Nique Clifford, were. They picked up exactly where they left off in the regular season, demonstrating their skills on both defense and offense.
The other three starting lineup members included rookies Darius Acuff Jr. and Emanuel Sharp, in addition to recent free agency acquisition Jonathan Mogbo. Filling out the roster, Adam Flagler, Marquel Sutton, Mitch Mascari, and Jamarion Sharp all got minutes in the game.
Sacramento showed off the future of the team
Acuff had a rough start to the game, but looked great once he got rolling. As he continues to find his groove in the NBA, he'll be more consistent. That being said, Acuff's leadership skills were evident. Unfortunately, so was his weak spot on defense, something head coach Doug Christie will work on.
On the other hand, Cardwell, Mogbo, and Emanuel Sharp put on quite a defensive performance. Between them, this trio had 13 defensive rebounds, six steals, and 10 blocks. They also had 14 personal fouls, which is an issue they are going to have to work hard to turn around quickly.
Flagler, in particular, had a tough game. He played just over 18 minutes and shot one for eight from the field. That includes going zero for five from the three-point line. The upside was his defense, which definitely had an impact on the game, though that doesn't show up in the box score.
Who didn't play was a surprise. Two-way veteran Isaiah Stevens didn't see the court, which was strange. On top of that, neither Elias Ralph nor Haowen Guo got minutes. That was odd being that they have strong developmental potential. Hopefully, that will change as the Classic continues.
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