During December and January, the Sacramento Kings went through some serious injury issues. This led to the rise of the Beam Boys. Lately, their usage has both declined and changed dramatically, but that's because the Kings seem to be pushing players they are trying to trade to showcase them.
When the Kings had a nasty run of injuries, a group of players got bigger minutes and excelled. Those guys were rookies Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, and Nique Clifford alongside veteran defensive powerhouse Precious Achiuwa. Together, they became the Beam Boys.
It was an interesting time for the Kings during an otherwise miserable season. The great play of the Beam Boys as a unit was a big part of Sacramento's only win streak so far this season, which capped out at four. Then, it was back to losing for the Kings.
The Kings lose focus on the Beam Boys
Since the return of Domantas Sabonis, usage of the Beam Boys has changed dramatically. This has been especially true for Raynaud as he went from being a starting center back to the bench. The impact on all four of them has been real, though.
Recent injuries have put Clifford and Achiuwa in the starting lineup. Cardwell has continued to play off the bench, but now he's competing with Raynaud for minutes instead of being his backup center. Honestly, it's a bit of a mess.
Usage for the Beam Boys has been all over the map for the past few games, and the Kings have fallen back into another losing streak, which is now up to seven straight. It doesn't make sense from the perspective of trying to win this season, but there is actual logic to this move.
Sacramento is playing for the future
As it stands right now, the Kings are trying to move Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder, and possibly even Malik Monk. All of these players are getting more minutes despite the fact that focusing on them is not winning games.
Realistically, the 2025-2026 season is a wash for the Kings. They're not making the Playoffs, and need to plan for the future. They've turned this season into a showcase for the players they want to trade, either before the upcoming deadline or during the 2026 offseason.
Not focusing on the Beam Boys is definitely costing the Kings wins now, but the front office is taking the long view. This rebuild will play out over the next few seasons. If losing now means having a winning team in Sacramento in the future, then it is the way to go.