As the NBA trade deadline loomed less than 24 hours away, the Sacramento Kings took the floor looking to snap a lengthy losing skid on Wednesday night–and failed.
Although Domantas Sabonis returned to action in impressive fashion, the Kings continued to struggle, dropping their 10th consecutive game, this time to the Memphis Grizzlies, 129-125, at Golden 1 Center.
With the loss, Sacramento (12-40) has lost 10 straight games for the first time since March-April 1998, as they continue to march towards a high lottery pick in this summer’s NBA Draft.
The Kings will now set their sights on Thursday’s trade deadline (12 pm PT) as they prepare for the final stretch, one that could see new faces or new rotations that highlight the next chapter of basketball in Sacramento.
Cam Spencer SINKS the clutch triple to seal the deal for Memphis ‼️ pic.twitter.com/psQ7vlgSVE
— NBA (@NBA) February 5, 2026
Sacramento Kings vs. Memphis Grizzlies takeaways
Following a day that saw big man Domantas Sabonis at the center of rampant trade discussions and rumors, the three-time All-Star made his presence known early against a thin Memphis frontline.
The Grizzlies, fresh off trading former Defensive Player of the Year Award winner Jaren Jackson Jr., were without center Zach Edey (ankle) and forward Brandon Clarke (calf) on Wednesday, opening the door (and the paint) for Sabonis.
Sabonis went nine-of-11 from the field during the first half–all in the paint–en route to scoring 20 points and grabbing seven boards over just 14 minutes, but a short-handed Grizzlies team took a one-point lead into the break.
Thanks to Sabonis’ early dominance, the Kings held a 38-22 advantage in the paint through two quarters.
Sabonis. Slam.
He’s up to 18 PTS in the first half… Tap to watch: https://t.co/7mQzDCgydg pic.twitter.com/9Qhv7BOX05
— NBA (@NBA) February 5, 2026
Both teams played neck-and-neck for the majority of the second half, but the Grizzlies’ three-point shooting would put them in control with less than eight minutes to go.
Sacramento opted to play a young lineup in crunch time, one that included rookies Dylan Cardwell and Nique Clifford, as well as second-year guard Devin Carter, meaning Zach LaVine (22 minutes) and Domantas Sabonis (24 minutes) went to the bench for the final 7:54.
“We’re all aligned in what we’re doing,” Kings head coach Doug Christie said of his closing rotations. “We want to make sure that our young players are developing.”
Memphis went on to shoot seven-of-ten from three-point range in the fourth, with the final triple of the night–Cam Spencer’s straight-away dagger–being enough to send the Kings to a tenth-straight defeat.
Sabonis Shines As Rumors Fly
Sabonis’ name has often been mentioned in trade talks over the past 24 hours, but the big man took the floor on Wednesday after missing the past two games due to injury.
The two-time All-NBA center appeared to be in prime form, finishing the night with a team-high 24 points (10-of-18 shooting from the field) and 15 rebounds over just 24 minutes.
The Toronto Raptors had been Sabonis’ most aggressive suitor, but have turned their attention elsewhere as they don’t feel comfortable parting with a first-round pick in return for the Lithuanian big man.
According to The Athletic‘s Sam Amick, Sabonis is likely to remain with the Sacramento Kings through Thursday’s deadline, but discussions with the Raptors could resume during the summer.
Carter Gets A Shot
With Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis out of the picture, Sacramento’s backcourt logjam has freed up for second-year guard Devin Carter.
Carter, the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, showcased his talents across the board by scoring 10 points, grabbing six rebounds, passing out four assists, and swiping one steal over 23 minutes.
Although Carter went five-of-six from two-point range, he missed all six of his attempts from beyond the arc.
We’ll see if Carter remains with the Kings beyond the deadline, but if he does, this should be enough to prove that Sacramento should see what they have in the Providence product.
Carter’s 2026-27 option was already picked up by general manager Scott Perry, meaning the 23-year-old is currently in the equation for next season. Whether it’s to carve out a role in a Kings uniform or to boost his trade value for the summer, Sacramento should see what they have in their lottery pick from one year ago.
Welcome to Sacramento
Recently-acquired forward De’Andre Hunter made his Sacramento Kings debut on Wednesday night, getting the starting nod in his first appearance in purple and black.
Hunter, who was acquired from Cleveland on Saturday in return for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, didn’t take long to get involved in the Sacramento offense as he drilled his first attempt of the night–a corner triple during the opening possession of the game.
The 28-year-old struggled in his debut, scoring nine points on three-of-11 shooting from the field (two-of-four from deep) while committing five personal fouls over 26 minutes.
De’Andre Hunter splashes his first Kings shot 💦 pic.twitter.com/0V461kuL15
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) February 5, 2026
Westbrook Passes ‘The Dream’
With his three-point field goal at the 10:06 mark of Q1 on Wednesday vs. MEM, Russell Westbrook passed Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) for 14th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Sacramento Kings Injury Updates
Forward Keegan Murray will miss the next 2 weeks with a moderate left ankle sprain.
When is the next Sacramento Kings game?
The Sacramento Kings will continue a three-game homestand on Friday night against the new-look Los Angeles Clippers at Golden 1 Center.
Los Angeles traded star guard James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this week in a move that brought All-Star guard Darius Garland to the Clippers.
After starting the season in a 6-21 hole, Los Angeles has gone 17-5 over the past 22 games to pull itself back into the Western Conference postseason race.
Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage beginning at 5:30 PM PT on Game Night before a 7:00 pm PT tip-off from downtown Sacramento.
More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
Friday, February 6th – vs. Los Angeles Clippers – 7:00 PM PT
Saturday, February 7th – vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:00 PM PT
Monday, February 9th – @ New Orleans Pelicans – 5:00 PM PT
Wednesday, February 11th – @ Utah Jazz – 6:00 PM PT
Thursday, February 19th vs. Orlando Magic – 7:00 PM PT
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