With a fresh chapter beginning for the Kings, and just under a week until the regular season begins, the team’s preseason slate has been the perfect time to prepare and adjust.
The contests are providing an ample opportunity for Sacramento to put their hours of offseason toiling into action heading into the grind of an 82-game regular season.
An assortment of new faces, systems, teammates, and, for the rookies, a new level of competition has allowed for learning moments throughout the Kings four games thus far.
After picking up a win in their first preseason contest at home against the visiting San Antonio Spurs, the team has come up short in the next three contests.
Beyond the wins and losses, however, the schedule has served as an opportunity to tweak lineups and adjust rotations - areas in which the potential for the team shine through.
Younger members of the Kings have displayed flashes, as Frank Mason III leads the team in scoring average, notching 11.7 points per game in his three contests. The Kansas product also has converted 42.9 percent of his attempts from three-point range while grabbing an impressive 4.7 rebounds per game.
No. 5 overall pick De’Aaron Fox has averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals across his three contests and has done so in efficient fashion as he has logged just 16.6 minutes per game.
Continued progress from big men Skal Labissiere and Willie Cauley-Stein has also been evident as the duo’s spacing has improved alongside their jump shooting abilities.
Although the veterans have seen a more limited role compared to the younger members of the team in the exhibition schedule, they’ve made their presence felt when given the opportunity. Zach Randolph turned in a 16-point, six rebound showing against the Los Angeles Lakers while in that same contest, Vince Carter added nine points (all of which came from three-pointers) adding to VC’s 75-percent mark from beyond the arc in the preseason.
With just two more matchups to go - a road trip that includes encounters with the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors - the Kings will be looking for a strong close to their exhibition matchups heading into next Wednesday’s regular season opener in Sacramento.