Sacramento watched Malik Monk and the backups go off on the scoring end despite the loss.
The Sacramento Kings avoided trading away Malik Monk ahead of Friday night's primetime game.
Turns out that was a wise decision -- with the reserves leading the scoring charge against the Los Angeles Clippers in scoring 18 points through 22 minutes. Plus leading a deep bench that accounted for 76 total points.
But that scoring effort wasn't enough, with the Clippers winning 114-111 inside the Golden 1 Center.
Monk nailed six shots from behind the arc to lead the Kings. He also finished 6-of-13 from field goal range.
Again, Monk once heard trade chatter from inside the Kings' building. The veteran reserve first became a potential swap before Christmas. Sacramento, however, never found a suitor for Monk.
He wasn't the only one who maintained his spot inside the Kings' locker room. Notable other trade contenders Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan avoided getting dealt away.
General manager Scott Perry earned lots of criticism before the game, though, for his handling of the roster during the league's trade cycle that ended on Thursday. But he stood by his belief in the current model the Kings are attempting to create.
“I don’t know any of what I call overnight successes… you’re talking years of drafting, developing, trading. We’re not just gonna chase shiny objects for the sake of doing it… this process that takes a little longer with the drafting and developing is the more solid foundation in my opinion," Perry said to reporters before facing the Clippers.
He added: “We’re not trying to become a team that’s hanging in the play-in realm every year… that’s probably the worst place to be.”
Sacramento still handed LAC a scare. Nique Clifford finished second in scoring with 16. Dylan Cardwell and Devin Carter added 14 points apiece.
Rookie Maxime Raynaud was the only starter to reach double figures at 12. DeRozan, Russell Westbrook and Zach LaVine scored no more than six points on their end.
Newcomer De'Andre Hunter, who came via the Keon Ellis/Dennis Schroeder trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers, started for the first time with the Kings. He ended the night scoring six points but missing all five of his three-point attempts.
Sacramento has now lost 11 straight -- its worst skid since 1998.
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