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Can Kings' Vibes Stay High with Another Losing Season?

Jan 11, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Dylan Cardwell (32) and center Maxime Raynaud (42) celebrate lighting the beam after defeating the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images Justine Willard-Imagn Images

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Can Kings' Vibes Stay High with Another Losing Season?

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Will Zimmerle | Last updated May 31, 2026 12:13 PM ET

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Not much went right last season for the Sacramento Kings. They won just 22 games, dealt with a rash of injuries, and were terrible on both sides of the ball. But through all that, the locker room and players were able to hold their heads high and keep the vibes up throughout the long season.

A lot of times, when a season turns sideways, morale around a team can drop and make everyone miserable for the long haul of the year that is left, but somehow the Kings were able to avoid that. Part of that is likely Scott Perry having such a focus on character and team building from a building perspective.

He often talks about his six pillars and wanting volunteers, not hostages. That may not have been the case for everyone who was in Sacramento last season, but it seems to fit the majority of the roster. But the big question is, if the Kings are near or at the bottom of the standings once again next season, can they keep the vibes and morale up once again while they struggle to collect wins?

Injuries

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Something that actually worked in the Kings' favor at the end of last season was the injuries to the veteran players in Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine. It's never good to lose talent, but from where the Kings stood in the standings, they had little to nothing to play for in terms of wins.

Sabonis and LaVine being hurt opened the door for Raynaud and Clifford to get extended minutes as starters. If they had still been playing, difficult conversations would have been necessary to limit their minutes. But instead, they were almost completely taken out of the picture by their season-ending injuries.

It's still up in the air if either of the veterans will be back for another season in Sacramento, but if they are and the losses pile up, it's going to be harder for the veterans to accept another year on the bench if they are healthy.

Young Players

The Kings' veterans have been through their ups and downs in the league, but the young players are still getting their NBA legs under them. It's important to remember that most rookies who make it to the NBA are accustomed to winning throughout their lives.

Getting through one bad year is one thing, but when they start getting strung together in back-to-back seasons, it gets harder to ask young players to be patient. All of the Kings' young core has the high character that Perry has preached, which may buy them some extra time.

Fans

From a fan's perspective, this was the first year in Sacramento where it felt like fans had given up on the team. Tickets weren't selling as much, and fans were vocal on social media how they weren't watching.

There's a difference in fan perspective and what the players are doing and seeing, but at the end of the day, the two are connected. What makes the Kings special, through all the losing, is that fans have always stood by the team. Another year of losses could diminish that and bleed into the players. But, hopefully, Kings fans continue to show love and support for their team regardless.

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This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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