Three Takeaways as Kings Fall to Grizzlies, But in Fun Way?

The Sacramento Kings lost their tenth straight game, but had some positive takeaways from their 129-125 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies

Feb 4, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (18) shoots against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings' losing streak grew to ten games as they fell 129-125 to the Memphis Grizzlies, but it was an enjoyable night of basketball that had a lot of positive takeaways for Sacramento.

The trade deadline is tomorrow, and moves can still happen, but tonight felt like a glimpse into the rest of the season for the Kings. All the veterans still played, but no one broke the 30-minute mark, as DeMar DeRozan led the team with 27:35 minutes.

The defense wasn't great, and the Grizzlies shot 43.9% from beyond the arc, but here are three takeaways as the Kings drop to 12-40 on the season.

Hunter Quiet in Debut, But Vision is There

De'Andre Hunter made his debut tonight to the tune of nine points, two rebounds, and an assist. He didn't shoot the ball particularly well, going just 3-of-11 (27.3%) from the field, but he did make two of his four three-pointers.

While the offense wasn't quite there tonight, what did stand out immediately was his size. He's tall and lengthy, and when he gets in a solid defense stance, it's no wonder Scott Perry and Doug Christie are excited to have him aboard.

Getting him as many minutes with Keegan Murray this season should be crucial, but it's already clear that Hunter brings what the Kings have needed for years.

Sabonis Shines in Limited Minutes

The rotations are still odd for the Kings, and Sabonis only played 24:04 minutes, but when he was on the court, he was dominant. He finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 assists on 10-of-18 from the field. The Grizzlies roster is decimated from the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, and Memphis didn't have much size tonight outside of Santi Aldama.

Sabonis has been heavily involved in trade rumors for months now, but even more so in the last few days. Between the proposed deals with the Toronto Raptors and the brief discussion with the Washington Wizards, Sabonis future is still up in the air with the deadline tomorrow.

It appears that he'll be with the Kings following the deadline, but tonight was one last reminder to the league of what he can do on any given night, and how he got to be a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA player.

Young Guys Getting Run and Having Fun

Watching Sabonis was great, but what made this game so fun was watching the young players gelling and playing, dare I say, fun?

It's something that can't be said about a lot of the Kings' games this season, but even though it was against a depleted Grizzlies team, this was a fun game to watch. The quartet of Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, and Devin Carter all played well tonight. Clifford led the way with 14 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds as he continued to show improvement of late.

And Carter had his best game of the year, finishing with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, a steal, and a block. He played with hustle and energy that led him to be the thirteenth pick in last year's draft. His future is still up in the air, but it's good to see him get an extended opportunity to show what he can do.

Overall, we saw more lineups with three or four of the young players with a veteran or two, which was a combination for success. It felt like a good mix of scoring, defense, and role players for the first time all season for the Kings. Hunter may not have had a huge debut, but his versatility was on display tonight already. Having him on the roster should open up a whole new world of lineups and rotations for Doug Christie.