If the Kings' coaching staff and front office were looking to hype Sacramento's fanbase with their preseason performance, they missed the mark by a wide margin. Fortunately, Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell continue to give hope to the fans still tuning in.
The Kings are three games into the preseason with three straight losses to show for it. They have one preseason game left before the regular season starts. The problem is that it's against Luka Doncic and the Lakers, so there isn't much hope for Sacramento to carve out a victory.
While the performances of many of the Kings' starters, particularly Dennis Schroder, leave much to be desired, a group of rookie standouts are thrilling fans with their high energy and big moves. It's enough to make viewers wonder why they aren't starting.
The Kings' rookies
Rookie center Maxime Raynaud has been solid throughout the preseason, though he was a little quieter than usual last night. He only picked up five points and four rebounds in almost 16 minutes on the court, but his defensive presence was unmistakable.
Dylan Cardwell, another rookie center, had a big evening. He took home eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block, all in just over 13 minutes. Caldwell's aura is growing every time he touches the court, which is always incredible to see from a hungry player who went undrafted.
Then there's Nique Clifford, who should just be starting. The rookie shooting guard was the highest scorer on the team, collecting 19 points, three rebounds, and one steal. Clifford absolutely outperformed Dario Saric, who started in place of an injured Keegan Murray.
The most consistent Kings
After three preseason games, Clifford, Raynaud, and Cardwell are proving to be the three most reliable members of the roster. The only other player in that group is Zach LaVine, who has been scoring up a storm for the last three games. He has to since most other starter seem to be asleep.
Watching the Kings play is absolutely tragic so far, particularly when the coaching staff makes decisions like starting Dario Saric. He had a solid game against the Blazers, but plays much better off the bench than in a starting role. This was the perfect opportunity to put a young gun in the game.
For the final preseason game, the Kings should be considering starting Clifford at point guard, Raynaud at center after the Sabonis injury, and Cardwell at power forward alongside LaVine and DeRozan. The fans want to see what the Kings' Three Musketeers can do.