One Underrated Kings Reserve Is Quietly Having a Critical Preseason

The Sacramento Kings have one preseason standout who could make a dent in the rotation.

Feb 9, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie reacts during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Sacramento Kings have started their preseason with four consecutive losses. Fortunately, the results of these games do not matter, but it is obviously not a good sign. Still, we can find the positives in such a disastrous preseason campaign.

For example, star rookie Darius Acuff Jr. has been very impressive, showing that he is capable of leading this franchise in the right direction, but he is not the only standout.

One of the Kings' most underrated players has emerged as their second-leading scorer and top rebounder through the preseason: Jonathan Mogbo. The Kings signed Mogbo to a two-way deal after the Toronto Raptors let him walk, and the 24-year-old forward is turning heads.

MOGBO with the SLAM🙌 pic.twitter.com/7781fwDDzO

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) October 9, 2026

Through three preseason appearances, Mogbo has averaged 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.7 steals per game, while shooting 53.8% from the field. Standing at 6'9" with a 7'2" wingspan, Mogbo has used his length and athleticism to truly make a difference on both sides of the ball and has used these preseason opportunities to make a statement to the coaching staff.

Can Mogbo compete for a spot in the rotation?

Realistically, Mogbo deserves to get minutes in the regular season. He has been more productive in the preseason than other power forwards on the roster, despite being on a two-way contract.

The Kings have had a couple of notable two-way standouts over the past few years, with Dylan Cardwell as the most recent example. Why can't Mogbo be the next? He already has some valuable NBA experience under his belt, as he shined as a rookie with the Raptors two years ago, and the Kings have to be taking note of how he has performed in preseason.

"I just want to play hard out there," Mogbo said after a preseason-high 15 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. "I feel like I want to be that impact guy that comes off the bench and gives the team a spark. So whatever I can do in that field, and I feel like it will translate to the rest of my game."

Jonathan Mogbo gets a podium game. He’s played extremely well throughout preseason: pic.twitter.com/cGcMBuPBfQ

— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) October 14, 2026

Mogbo has certainly made the most of these preseason opportunities, and that is likely something that Doug Christie will respect and potentially reward him for. Especially as the Kings deal with some key injuries, we could see Mogbo in the rotation as early as opening night next week.

It certainly helps to have a depth piece of Mogbo's caliber available, and we can hope to see more of him in the regular season. On a risk-free, two-way deal, Mogbo was likely one of the best-value pickups of the offseason, and the Kings are lucky to reap the benefits.

The Kings' rotation this season is still up in the air. Sure, we can predict the starting lineup, especially now that Ben Simmons is expected to start, but what does the bench unit look like? There is undoubtedly a world where Mogbo sneaks into the rotation this season, especially if he continues to play at this level.

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