While the Sacramento Kings might have gotten utterly destroyed by the Los Angeles Lakers last night, two rookie Kings stepped up in a big way. Both Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford had great performances, highlighting what the future of Sacramento will hopefully look like.
At this point, the Kings losing a game isn't exactly news. They do it all the time. In fact, they recently managed to lose 16 games in a row, a franchise record. More unexpectedly, Sacramento has actually won two of their last five games, which is pretty impressive for a team with a 14 and 48 record.
In their most recent loss, the Kings took a 128 to 104 beating from a discombobulated and uncentered Lakers team. Inconsistent shooting performances from veterans continue to weigh the team's offense down, while the roster struggles to find a defensive presence without Dylan Cardwell.
The Kings may not be intentionally tanking, mainly because they have losing naturally down to a science, but they are likely in line for a top-five lottery pick this draft. With a young player of that caliber, Sacramento could begin to seriously build around their current rookie class.
Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford go to work
On the upside of another bad loss were the performances of two members of that same rookie core. With Cardwell still on the shelf for a few more games, both Raynaud and Clifford continue to step up in huge ways. Their development has been meteoric, providing a clear vision of the future.
Raynaud finished the game with his first double-double of March as well as his 12th of the season. Clifford, on the other hand, recorded 26 points, his second-highest single-game scoring total this season and his eighth time scoring in double-digits in the last 12 games.
The level of production both rookies are putting out is definitely improving, which bodes well for the rebuild. Raynaud and Clifford should be foundational parts of the process, assuming the Kings' front office doesn't trade them for D'Angelo Russell and a late second-round draft pick. Knock on wood.
When Dylan Cardwell makes his return, the Beam Boys will be reunited and can get back to work. At the same time, the Kings need to ensure that their selections in the 2026 Draft will complement this group and not derail any of the mojo they have managed to forge in the flames of a difficult season.