What we learned from DeRozan's perfect Kings preseason debut against the Warriors

What we learned in DeRozan's perfect Kings preseason debut against the 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 the Golden 1 Center.

But relax. It was just the start of the preseason.

While Sacramento undoubtedly has a long list of things to work on before the 2024-25 NBA regular season begins later this month, there are plenty of positives to take from the loss.

The biggest? DeMar DeRozan, who was perfect in his unofficial Sacramento debut. No, in the truest sense of the word. He didn't miss a single shot he attempted, going 6 of 6 for 15 points in 15 minutes of the first half.

De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis each scored 11 points, with the latter also adding eight rebounds and four assists.

Keegan Murray looked good on both ends of the floor as he developed into 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 his main job was defending Warriors superstar Steph Curry, who scored 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 Buddy Hield, former guard and nemesis of the Kings, who finished the game with 22 points on 8 of 9 field shots and 6 of 7 on 3-pointers in just 19 minutes. He was booed by the G1C crowd as he entered the game and sporadically afterward, but that didn't faze him.

Here are three takeaways from the Kings' loss:

All eyes are on DeRozan

In his unofficial Kings debut, DeRozan seemed to fit perfectly into his new squad.

Just 47 seconds into Sacramento's 2024 preseason opener, DeRozan scored his first points on a Sabonis dribble handoff, something coach Mike Brown hopes will open up plenty of opportunities for the Kings' offense this season.

DeRozan had 10 points at the end of the first quarter and added five more to end the half. In addition to all of his field goal attempts, he also failed on both free throws.

Not bad for the new guy in town.

The bank and the new people

Aside from DeRozan, the Kings made several other moves this offseason that went under the radar.

DeRozan was expected to be the only new player in Sacramento's starting lineup this season, but the team's other additions will compete for minutes once the regular season is over. This is the time to prove that they deserve the chance.

Jordan McLaughlin, Devin Carter and Orlando Robinson all sat out because of their respective injuries, but Boogie Ellis, an undrafted free agent who signed after his standout performance in summer league, 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 of them starting – and finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field, with four rebounds and a 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.

Alex Len, the Kings' senior center, also impressed, falling just one rebound short of a double-double with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting, nine rebounds, five assists and one steal.

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

Sacramento's sixth man shows up

He's so back.

DeRozan received the loudest ovation during introductions, but the reaction to Monk entering the game at 6:02 of the first quarter wasn't long in coming.

Sacramento loves its sixth man, who signed a four-year, $78 million contract this offseason, and he's shown exactly why.

When Monk gets going – no matter when – it's hard to turn that switch off. From deep threes to big finishes at the rim, his energy is irreplaceable.

Monk left the game with 8:18 left in the second quarter, and Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee quoted a source reporting that it was for personal reasons and not injury-related.

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