DeMar DeRozan looks strong in Kings preseason debut vs. Warriors

It might have been a preseason tune-up game, but there was a regular-season vibe inside Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night.

The Sacramento Kings opened up its preseason schedule with a loss to their Northern California foes, the Golden State Warriors, by a final of 122-112 in front of a capacity crowd.

There was a feeling of familiarity in the building, which makes sense, seeing that the most recent game played in this building took place in mid-April when the Kings eliminated the Warriors from postseason contention in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Nearly six months later, fans filed back into the building to watch six-time All-Star forward DeMar DeRozan make his unofficial debut for Sacramento against a Golden State team that will be entering the season searching for a new identity following the departure of Klay Thompson.

We still have a few weeks until games count for real, but Wednesday’s matchup made it clear that Kings fans have been itching for action as Sacramento looks to get back into the playoffs in 2025.

Kings vs. Warriors recap & takeaways

DeRozan Gets Comfortable

It didn’t take long for DeMar DeRozan to get comfortable in a Sacramento Kings uniform.

DeRozan, one of the best volume scorers in the NBA over the past decade, quickly put his mid-range jumper on display early by knocking down his first attempt of the night–off of a patented dribble-hand-off from Domantas Sabonis, of course.

The six-time All-Star poured in ten points on four-of-four shooting over eight minutes of action in the first quarter to quickly assert himself in a Sacramento offense that handed out 11 assists during the first period.

‘Deebo’ wouldn’t stop there either, finishing his abbreviated night with 15 points on six-of-six shooting from the field over 15 minutes while displaying his well-known mid-range prowess.

Kings head coach Mike Brown made it clear before Wednesday’s action tipped off that the starting unit would only play during the first half against Golden State, but fans in attendance walked away with a solid first impression of DeRozan in purple and black.

Welcome Back, Malik

The last time fans saw Malik Monk in action, he left the floor with a knee injury in late March as Sacramento battled the Dallas Mavericks for postseason positioning in the Western Conference standings.

While it appeared as if the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up could depart in free agency for larger contract offers, Monk shocked the basketball world by re-signing with the Kings on a four-year, $78 million deal just days before the NBA free agent negotiating window opened in late June.

Fans showed their appreciation for Monk once the guard checked in for the first time on Wednesday, giving him a loud ovation midway through the first quarter. Monk returned the favor during his 10 minutes of action, finishing the night with 13 points on four-of-seven shooting, including one-of-two from deep.

Notes

• Sacramento’s three-point defense was… interesting early. The Kings allowed Golden State to shoot 15-of-27 (55%) during the first half before starters were pulled at the break.

• The Kings have one open roster spot remaining, and it’s likely that one of Boogie Ellis, Terry Taylor, or Brodiric Thomas will exit preseason in position to suit up on opening night. Ellis was the leader of the pack on Wednesday night, scoring 10 points over 16 minutes of play.
• Alex Len had a strong night in a backup role as the veteran stuffed the stat sheet in Sabonis-esque fashion. (10 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST over 21 minutes)
• The Warriors finished the night 28-of-52 (53%) from three-point range during the loss–just one shy of tying the regular season single-game record of 29 (Milwaukee Bucks, 2020).

Injury Report

Kevin Huerter is still recovering from a dislocated left shoulder shoulder and torn labrum that resulted in the sharpshooting guard having surgery in March. ‘Red Velvet’ still hasn’t been cleared for full contact practice, meaning we will likely have to wait another week or longer to see him in preseason action. Huerter is set to be re-evaluated by the medical staff in the coming days.

Rookie guard Devin Carter is also in the process of recovering from left shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum. Carter has been seen working with the training staff, but is unlikely to return to game action until January at the earliest.

Jordan McLaughlin, who was signed this summer to fill in behind De’Aaron Fox at the point guard position, is rehabbing a grade-two right ankle sprain, but is close to returning to action. The Kings will re-evaluate McLaughlin later this week.

Trey Lyles suffered a left groin strain during offseason workouts and will be re-evaluated in one week.

Orlando Robinson, who was signed as a depth option behind Domantas Sabonis and Alex Len at the center spot, will be re-evaluated in four weeks after suffering a left knee MCL sprain during training camp.

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?

Did somebody ask for more Kings vs. Warriors?

Sacramento and Golden State will meet for another preseason matchup on Friday night at Chase Center to continue working towards the start of the regular season.

Be sure to catch all of the action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 2:00 PM PDT on The Drive Guys before action tips off at 7:00 PM PDT from downtown San Francisco.

Sacramento Kings 2024-25 Schedule

Preseason

• Friday, October 11th – @ Golden State Warriors – 7 pm PDT
• Sunday, October 13th – vs. Portland Trail Blazers – 3 pm PDT
• Tuesday, October 15th – @ Utah Jazz – 6 pm PDT
• Thursday, October 17th – @ Los Angeles Clippers – 7 pm PDT

Regular Season

• Thursday, October 24th – vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – 7 pm PDT
• Saturday, October 26th – @ Los Angeles Lakers – 7:30 pm PDT
• Monday, October 28th – vs. Portland Trail Blazers – 7 pm PDT
• Tuesday, October 29th – @ Utah Jazz – 6 pm PDT
• Friday, November 1st – @ Atlanta Hawks – 4 pm PDT