The "Light the Beam" era feels like a lifetime ago. Honestly, if you walked into Golden 1 Center today and expected to see the same high-octane squad from a couple of seasons back, you’d be staring at a group of players that looks more like a 2K fantasy draft gone rogue. The current Sacramento Kings depth chart is a fascinating, frustrating, and somewhat chaotic puzzle that Doug Christie is trying to solve in his first year as head coach.
It’s been a rough 2025-26 campaign. With a record sitting at 11-30, the Kings are deep in the lottery basement, but the roster itself is packed with names that make you do a double-take. De’Aaron Fox is in San Antonio. Zach LaVine is here. Russell Westbrook is starting at point guard in the year 2026. If that sounds like a fever dream, welcome to the reality of Kings basketball right now.
The Starting Five: A Strange New World
Basically, the starting unit is a mix of high-volume veterans and a rookie who was supposed to be a project but ended up being a lifeline. Since the blockbuster trade that sent Fox to the Spurs last February, the identity of this team has flipped.
Russell Westbrook has taken over the primary ball-handling duties. While he’s 37 and definitely not the "Brodie" of 2017, he’s still putting up numbers that keep him relevant, averaging over 14 points and 7 assists. Beside him, Zach LaVine has been the primary scoring engine, pouring in nearly 20 points a night. It’s a backcourt that has plenty of "name brand" appeal but has struggled immensely to stop anyone on the defensive end.
The frontcourt is where things get even weirder. DeMar DeRozan is still doing DeMar things, operating as a pseudo-power forward many nights and leading the team in minutes played. He’s the veteran stabilizer. Then you have the rookie, Maxime Raynaud. The 7-foot-1 Frenchman, taken 42nd overall in the 2025 draft out of Stanford, has been the season's biggest surprise. He’s been forced into a starting role because of the injury bug, and quite frankly, he’s been more productive than anyone expected, averaging a double-double per 48 minutes.
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The Domantas Sabonis Situation
You can't talk about the Kings' rotation without addressing the elephant in the room: Domantas Sabonis. He’s been out with a partial meniscus tear in his left knee, and it has completely gutted the team's interior presence.
He actually just made a brief return on January 16 against the Wizards, coming off the bench for 21 minutes. It was a weird sight seeing an All-Star center playing second fiddle to a rookie like Raynaud, but it’s part of the cautious ramp-up. When Sabonis is fully healthy, the Sacramento Kings depth chart shifts back to him being the sun that everything orbits around, but for now, he's a "limited minutes" guy trying to find his legs.
The Bench: Where Depth Becomes A Danger
The Kings' bench has been a revolving door. Because of the sheer number of injuries—Keegan Murray is currently sidelined with a nasty ankle sprain—players who were supposed to be "break glass in case of emergency" options are now playing 20+ minutes.
- Malik Monk: Still the flamethrower. He’s arguably the most important player on the second unit, though he’s started plenty of games this year too. His 3-point shooting remains the only thing keeping the spacing alive.
- Dennis Schröder: Acquired from Detroit last summer, Schröder provides a steady hand. He’s actually been one of the more consistent performers, often closing games alongside Westbrook or LaVine.
- Precious Achiuwa: Since signing in November, Achiuwa has been a defensive spark. He’s undersized for a center but plays with the kind of motor this team desperately needs.
- Nique Clifford: Another rookie who’s getting more run than expected. He’s shown flashes of being a solid "3-and-D" wing, though the "3" part is still a work in progress.
It’s a lopsided bench. You’ve got a lot of guards who want the ball and not nearly enough wing defenders. When Keegan Murray is out, the lack of size at the small forward and power forward spots becomes painfully obvious. Doug McDermott is still kicking around, providing some veteran shooting, but he’s a defensive liability at this stage of his career.
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Why the Defense is Non-Existent
If you look at the stats, it’s ugly. The Kings are 29th in offensive rating and 27th in defensive rating. How does a team with LaVine, DeRozan, and Westbrook struggle to score? It comes down to fit. The Sacramento Kings depth chart is currently built with pieces that don’t quite slot together.
LaVine and DeRozan both thrive in the midrange and isolation. Westbrook needs the ball to be effective. Sabonis, when healthy, needs the paint clear to facilitate. There just isn’t enough "gravity" from role players to keep defenses honest. Opponents are sagging off the non-shooters and daring the Kings to win with contested jumpers.
On the other end, the rim protection has been virtually zero until Raynaud started finding his footing. Dylan Cardwell, the two-way rookie from Auburn, has shown some shot-blocking chops in limited minutes, but he's still learning the NBA's verticality rules.
What’s Next for the Rotation?
The trade deadline is looming, and honestly, the current Sacramento Kings depth chart might look completely different by February. With the team sitting 14th in the West, the front office has some hard choices to make.
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Do they move DeRozan or LaVine to a contender for draft capital? Does Sabonis get moved to kickstart a full-scale rebuild? These aren't just rumors anymore; they are the conversations happening in every sports bar in Roseville and Mid-Town.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you’re tracking this team for the rest of the season, here’s what to keep an eye on:
- Watch the Raynaud/Sabonis Pairing: When Sabonis is back to full health, will Doug Christie try to play them together? It would be a massive lineup, but in a league that’s getting smaller, it might be too slow.
- Keon Ellis’s Health: Ellis is the one guy who actually plays high-level perimeter defense. When he’s out (like he was recently with knee soreness), the Kings' defense goes from "bad" to "non-existent."
- The Minutes Distribution: Watch if Devin Carter starts stealing minutes from the veterans. As a lottery pick, he’s the future. At some point, the Kings have to prioritize his development over playing Schröder or Westbrook 30 minutes a night in losing efforts.
The Kings are in a transition phase that feels more like a collision. The depth is there on paper, but the chemistry is still a work in progress. For now, the "Beam" is staying dark more often than not, but the development of the younger pieces like Raynaud and Carter is the only silver lining in a season that has otherwise gone off the rails.