Whether you’re excited, neutral, or downright afraid, it doesn’t matter. Sacramento Kings basketball is back.
The 2025-26 regular season will tip off tonight in Phoenix, Arizona, when the new-look Kings take on another Pacific Division team with a drastically new look–the Suns.
One year ago, Sacramento entered the regular season with aspirations of a deep postseason run after signing star wing DeMar DeRozan to a multi-year deal. The Kings had De’Aaron Fox running the point, and 2022-23 Coach of the Year winner Mike Brown on the sideline.
Tonight, things are much different for the Beam Team.
Fox is in San Antonio. Brown is now the head coach of the New York Knicks. Zach LaVine, Dennis Schroder, and now nine-time All-Star guard Russell Westbrook are in purple and black, while familiar faces Domantas Sabonis (hamstring strain) and Keegan Murray (hand surgery) are on the mend.
Doug Christie, a fan-favorite and longtime assistant coach, enters his first year as head coach after finishing out the final 51 games of the 2024-25 season as interim head coach, compiling a record of 27-24 in the process.
While wins and losses were the measuring stick over the past couple of years, a common theme around this year’s Kings team in the early stages has been the hope of establishing an identity and culture.
Christie, who was an integral part of Sacramento’s greatest teams in its franchise history, is at the forefront of this initiative, as is first-year general manager Scott Perry.
Retaining a player like DeRozan, who has been outspoken about wanting to prove naysayers wrong regarding lackluster predictions about this roster, and signing Westbrook, a future Hall of Famer with a notoriously high competitive drive, are two examples that younger players on this Kings roster will look to learn from this season.
This team nearly has it all: Future Hall of Famers. Multiple players with the ability to score 20+ points per game. A potential four-time rebounding champion. One of the best three-point shooters in the game. A rookie wing who many view as a player who can immediately contribute at the NBA level.
Of course, ‘nearly’ is the keyword, there. While Sacramento has plenty of offensive firepower, defense will be the make-or-break factor this season.
After finishing last season with the seventh-worst defensive rating in the league, Christie — a four-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive Team during his playing days — will look to implement a new approach to holding opponents in check.
It all starts on Wednesday night as a shorthanded Kings team enters an uncertain season, one that could either be a triumph that proves doubters wrong or confirms those who think Sacramento is destined to miss the postseason for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
Sacramento Kings vs. Phoenix Suns Info
When: 7:00 PM PT
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center – Phoenix, AZ
TV: NBC Sports California, NBA TV (for out-of-market consumers)
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM – Coverage starts at 2:00 PM PDT on The Drive Guys
Line: Suns -3.5, O/U 228.5
Be sure to tune in right here on Sactown Sports 1140 for all of your Kings vs. Suns coverage, beginning at 2:00 PM PST on The Drive Guys before a 7:00 PM PST tip-off from downtown Sacramento.
Spider-Man Meme
The Kings and Suns enter this season in familiar territory.
Sacramento (De’Aaron Fox) and Phoenix (Kevin Durant) have both traded away All-Star franchise cornerstones since the midpoint of last season. The Suns, who still have star guard Devin Booker, also parted ways with Bradley Beal this offseason.
Both teams entered last year with playoff aspirations, and both teams were on their couch during postseason play in April (the Kings played one Play-In game, where they were demolished by the Dallas Mavericks).
New-look rosters. A fresh start. Looking for potential from different contributors. The Kings and Suns are two peas in a pod entering 2025-26, but who will find success first?
Phoenix still has players who can cause Sacramento problems, most notably former Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, who was acquired in the trade for Durant. Green, one of the most notorious instigators in the NBA today, will surely look to get under the skin of Kings scorers like DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Russell Westbrook.
The Suns, like the Kings, are also dealing with an injury bug to start the season, as they won’t have Jalen Green (hamstring) available on Wednesday.
These two teams are coming off similar failures and reconstructions for the 2025-26 season, but it will be crucial for Sacramento to get off to a strong start in Phoenix, especially when it comes to a potential postseason race.
What? Postseason implications in Game 1 of 82?
Yes. Down the closing stretch of last season, the Kings and Suns were neck-and-neck for some time in the chase for a Play-In spot. Head-to-head record acts as a tie-breaker, meaning Sacramento needs to handle its division opponents to help them down the line when things tighten up.
Booker, Booker, Booker
The Kings’ defense will be under a microscope this season, but Wednesday’s game plan is simple–slow down Devin Booker.
Over the past three seasons, Booker has averaged 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game against the Sacramento Kings. The All-Star guard has struggled from the perimeter in those matchups (31%), but converted nearly 60 percent of his two-point attempts.
Booker isn’t a one-dimensional scorer, meaning he can hurt you in a variety of ways. With Keegan Murray sidelined, it’s likely you will see a heavy dose of Keon Ellis, the Kings’ best on-ball defender, matchup against the Suns star.
How Will Russ Fit?
During Monday’s practice at Golden 1 Center, Russell Westbrook was in the starting unit as Dennis Schroder nursed a sore ankle. One day later, Schroder returned, moving Westbrook back into a reserve role.
It’s likely that Westbrook begins the season in a reserve role, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see him on the floor late in regulation if he’s a difference maker.
Christie has said many times that closing games matters more to him than starting, and Westbrook is a prime candidate for a closing lineup–especially with Sabonis and Murray out.
Westbrook’s physicality and ability to rebound could come in handy, especially without the three-time defending NBA rebounding champ in Sabonis.
Last season, Westbrook’s 370 boards would have ranked him third on Sacramento, only training Sabonis and Keegan Murray.
Playing Westbrook in the second unit with Malik Monk could give Monk more spot-up opportunities, something the guard said he was working on in the offseason after mostly setting the table for teammates a season ago.
We’ll see how Christie’s rotations shake out, but expect to see ‘Brodie’ out there in Phoenix–potentially when the stakes are highest.
Sacramento Kings vs. Phoenix Suns Injury Report
Sacramento
Keegan Murray (recovery from thumb surgery) – OUT
Domantas Sabonis (hamstring strain) – OUT
Phoenix
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
Wednesday, October 22nd – @ Phoenix Suns – 7 PM PT (Season Opener)
Friday, October 24th – vs. Utah Jazz – 7 PM PT
Sunday, October 26th – vs. Los Angeles Lakers – 6 PM PT
Tuesday, October 28th – @ Oklahoma City Thunder – 5 PM PT
Wednesday, October 29th – @ Chicago Bulls – 5 PM PT
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