The Sacramento Kings concluded their 2026 preseason schedule with a 98-110 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers at the Golden 1 Center on October 13. This result gives the Kings a 1-3 record in exhibition play, with their lone win coming against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 5. Head coach Mike Brown used the game to evaluate rotations and give minutes to his core players ahead of the regular season.
The Kings' preseason was a mixed bag. They opened with a strong 103-127 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on October 5, showing offensive firepower. But they then dropped three straight. A close 114-110 loss to those same Lakers on October 8 was followed by a 111-106 defeat to the Golden State Warriors on October 10. The final preseason outing, the 98-110 loss to Portland, highlighted areas needing work before games count. Turnovers and perimeter defense were consistent themes opponents exploited.
Key players like De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis saw limited action, focusing on rhythm rather than heavy minutes. The preseason allowed Coach Brown to test different lineup combinations, especially on the wing and in the frontcourt depth. Young players and training camp invitees got extended looks, fighting for the final roster spots. Evaluating that bench strength was a primary goal of these four games.
Attention now turns to the regular season. The Kings' immediate next fixture is a road game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 16. That contest will be the first that impacts the Pacific Division standings. Preparation in the coming days will shift to fine-tuning the offensive sets and locking in defensive assignments.
The team will hope to have its full rotation healthy and ready for the Spurs. Preseason is about process, not results, but the coaching staff has plenty of film to review. Cleaning up the defensive communication and reducing live-ball turnovers will be top priorities. The intensity at the Spurs' arena will provide a real test of the lessons learned over the past two weeks.
Facing a young Portland team, the Kings struggled to contain dribble penetration and gave up too many open three-point looks. Offensively, the flow was inconsistent outside of bursts from the starting unit. While the final score of 98-110 shows a 12-point margin, the Blazers controlled the pace for much of the night. It was a useful dress rehearsal that exposed specific weaknesses.
Coach Brown will use these final preseason performances to set his rotation for opening night. Decisions on the backup point guard and the final wing rotation spots are still being finalized. The game also served as a final chance for players on the fringe to make an impression. Now, the real work begins as the Kings aim to translate preseason lessons into regular-season wins.
