What we learned in DeRozan’s perfect Kings preseason debut vs. Warriors

What we learned in DeRozan’s perfect Kings preseason debut vs. Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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SACRAMENTO — There was good, bad and ugly in the Kings’ 122-112 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center.

But relax. It was just the preseason opener.

While Sacramento undoubtedly has a long list of items to work on before the 2024-25 NBA regular season starts later this month, plenty of positives can be taken from the defeat.

The biggest? DeMar DeRozan, who was perfect in his unofficial Sacramento debut. No, literally. He didn’t miss a single shot he attempted, connecting on 6 of 6 for 15 points in 15 first-half minutes.

De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis each added 11 points, with the latter also racking up eight rebounds and four assists.

Keegan Murray looked sharp on both ends of the floor as he works his way toward becoming a two-way star, finishing with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting, two rebounds and one assist.

Keon Ellis scored just two points, but he had the primary job of defending Warriors superstar Steph Curry, who finished with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field and 3 of 6 on 3-pointers in 16 minutes.

The Warriors’ leading scorer was former Kings guard-turned-nemesis Buddy Hield, who finished with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field and 6 of 7 on 3-pointers in just 19 minutes. He was booed by the G1C crowd when he entered the game and sporadically thereafter, but he wasn’t fazed by it.

Here are three takeaways from the Kings’ loss:

All eyes on DeRozan

In his unofficial Kings debut, DeRozan looked like he fit right in with his new squad.

Just 47 seconds into Sacramento’s 2024 preseason opener, DeRozan scored his first points off a Sabonis dribble hand-off, which coach Mike Brown hopes will open many opportunities for the Kings’ offense this season.

DeRozan had 10 points by the end of the first quarter, and he added five more to close the half. In addition to making all his field-goal attempts, he also knocked down both of his free-throw tries.

Not bad for the new guy in town.

The bench and the new guys

Other than DeRozan, the Kings made several other under-the-radar moves this offseason.

DeRozan should be the only new player in Sacramento’s starting lineup this season, but the team’s other acquisitions will compete for minutes once the regular season rolls around. This is the time to prove they deserve the opportunity.

Jordan McLaughlin, Devin Carter and Orlando Robinson all sat out because of their respective injuries, but Boogie Ellis, an undrafted free agent who signed a contract after his standout summer league showing, turned heads in his limited minutes. The USC product finished with 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field and 2 of 6 on 3-pointers.

Jalen McDaniels, acquired in a trade with the Toronto Raptors, played 21 minutes — some with the starting unit — and finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field, with four rebounds and one steal.

Isaac Jones, another undrafted free agent, added 10 points in 20 minutes. He signed a two-way contract with the Kings over the summer.

Veteran Kings center Alex Len also impressed, falling only one rebound shy of a double-double, with 10 points on 5 of 7 shooting, nine rebounds, five assists and one steal.

Mason Jones, a veteran guard who played in five games for the Kings last season, chipped in seven points.

Sacramento’s Sixth Man shows out

He’s so back.

DeRozan received the loudest ovation during introductions, but the reaction to Monk entering the game at the 6:02 mark of the first quarter wasn’t far behind.

Sacramento loves its sixth man, who re-signed this offseason on a four-year, $78 million contract, and he showed exactly why.

When Monk gets going — no matter when that is — it’s hard to turn off that switch. From deep 3s to big finishes at the rim, his energy is unreplaceable.

Monk exited the game at the 8:18 mark of the second quarter, and The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson cited a source in reporting that it was for personal reasons and not injury related.

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