What We Learned In Kings' First Summer League Loss to Wizards

The Sacramento Kings fell big to the Washington Wizards 104-85 for their first loss of Summer League.

Apr 5, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) before the game against the LA Clippers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Sacramento Kings' perfect Summer League has officially come to an end, as they fell big to the Washington Wizards, 104-85. There were some good takeaways from the game for the Kings, but compared to the first four games, we're left with more questions than answers.

Raynaud's Return

Maxime Raynaud made his Summer League debut and led the Kings with 20 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal in 30:48 minutes of action, but it wasn't enough to lift Sacramento to victory. For the first game that Darius Acuff Jr. has played, it was someone other than the seventh overall pick who led the team in field goal attempts, with Raynaud taking 15 and Acuff 14.

Nique Clifford was right behind them with 13, but it looked like the Kings were trying to involve Raynaud early. And arguably most important, he attempted five threes, making two. If the Kings are going to run out two big lineups, which we saw tonight with both Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell starting, Raynaud shooting more threes is going to be crucial.

The other glaring difference with Raynaud back was the difference between Raynaud and Cardwell was the interior defense. While it's Cardwell's strong suit and money-making skill, it's safe to say the same isn't true for Raynaud. Raynaud tries on defense, and has taken some strides throughout his early NBA career, but he'll have to continue on that end of the court if the Kings are hoping to get back to the playoffs.

There is a noticeable difference with the Kings' interior defense when Dylan Cardwell is off the floor and Maxime Raynaud is on.

Going to be an issue again this season for sure.

— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) July 13, 2026

And just like has been the case with the rest of the team so far in Summer League, Raynaud will have to work on his efficiency, as he shot 46.7% from the field, but it was a solid debut for the sophomore big looking to build on his All-Rookie campaign, even with the defensive concerns.

Will Riley Goes Off

Apr 10, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Will Riley (27) shoots the ball as Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The storyline coming into this game was both the return of Raynaud and the matchup between Acuff and first overall pick AJ Dybantsa, but stealing the show was Wizards sophomore forward Will Riley, who scored a game-high 32 points.

He knocked down six of his eight threes to get there and looked comfortable with his shot all game long. It could be that the Kings were so focused on Dybantsa that Riley fell off their radar, but the number one pick also finished with 23 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, so it's not like they shut him down either.

It could be an early indication that the two big lineups aren't going to cut it on the defensive end. Thankfully for Sacramento, this is the time to experiment. If another forward goes off on them with Raynaud and Cardwell in the lineup, they could quickly find an issue with their center rotation.

Quiet Night for Acuff

Even with Acuff struggling with his shot and efficiency so far this Summer League, he's been able to help the Kings win with his overall scoring and playmaking. But tonight, he shot just 4-of-14 (28.6%) and failed to make any of his four three-point attempts. He chipped in four assists, but also had five turnovers, which isn't exactly an ideal ratio.

The Wizards have so much size and speed that it seemed to bother the Kings all night. One of the biggest question marks on Acuff, outside of his defense, is his size. He'll have to get used to playing against NBA lineups with length and athleticism all over the floor.

It's just one game, but it feels like we haven't seen a true breakout from the seventh overall pick yet, given his struggles from the field. The Kings will have their first rematch of the year as they face the Brooklyn Nets for the second time in the Summer League on Tuesday at 3:00 PM PST.

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