The Sacramento Kings have been officially eliminated from the playoffs, securing their 16th straight season without a playoff appearance. The Kings now hold the record for longest playoff drought in NBA history.
9 of the 16 seasons come under the stewardship of Sacramento Kings Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. It’s fitting that the loss to secure the longest drought in NBA history came against Vivek’s beloved Golden State Warriors, who Vivek has wanted to emulate since taking over the Kings.
The Kings last playoff appearance came in 2006, Rick Adelman’s final season with the franchise. Since then, not only have the Kings failed to make the playoffs, they’ve also failed to even win 40 games in a season. The drought has been marked by Kings ownership and/or management (there’s little point in trying to parse out who is responsible for what at this point) firing head coaches at any sign of success. It appeared the team was on the path to success when Michael Malone was abruptly fired because Pete D’Alessandro wanted a head coach of his choosing. It seemed Dave Joerger was on the path to success, with a drought-best 39-win season, before being fired so Vlade Divac could hire his friend from the Lakers.
As the drought officially reaches it’s 16th year, there’s no clear end in sight. The Kings currently sit at 29-50, with three games left in the season. They’ve once again played themselves squarely into the middle of the lottery order, with the hope of pure luck rescuing the franchise with a savior in the draft. The Kings will once again be hiring a new head coach this summer. And the GM’s seat will likely be hot if the Kings aren’t suddenly better next season.
The next longest active drought in the NBA is the Charlotte Hornets, who are in the play-in and could potentially end their drought this year. Their drought is just 6 seasons long. The Kings drought is a full decade longer than the next worst franchise.
The Kings had previously been in a historic tie with the Los Angeles Clippers, who missed the playoffs for 15 straight years.
16 years. What a disaster.
This calls for a toast to celebrate setting a league record!
We’re toast!
Fu.. with numbers – Western Conference playoff appearance during the Kings drought:
San Antonio – 13*
Dallas – 12
Denver – 11
Houston – 11
Portland – 11
Utah – 11
Oklahoma City – 10
Golden State – 9
LA Lakers – 9*
LA Clippers – 9*
Memphis – 9
New Orleans – 5*
Phoenix – 5
Minnesota – 1*
*Two of these five teams will add to their totals via play-in winners
The average for these teams is 9 playoff appearances over the 16 seasons. The median is also 9. Your Sacramento Kings?
My god that’s depressing.
I dreadfully click on the story with that headline and end up laughing my ass off. Good day.
just plain randomness should have avoided this but the Kings are not random. They work to undermine their fate. Work at it.
It has to be a year or so now since I did the research, but we are the only team in the four major pro sports leagues that has not made the playoffs since 2006.
If I remember correctly, the T-Wolves and Pirates gave us a good run, but they wimped out and decided to make the playoffs.
I think Mariners actually have the all sport record for playoff futility right now at 20 consecutive seasons. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2001.
I think it’s a bit unfair to compare to baseball. They traditionally have so many fewer teams than can make the playoffs each year. They also don’t have the same kind of competitive balance built into their bargaining agreements like other pro sports.
…and yet every MLB team other than the Mariners has a playoff drought of ten years or less. KANGZ
Exactly. It’s really incredible.
It is really incredible, with the number of teams in the NBA making the playoffs each year, it’s hard to miss the playoffs so often.
Worst franchise-most poorly run-in all of sports.
Your Sacramento Kiiiings
The only reason the Marlins don’t have a long playoff drought anymore is b/c they made the playoffs were enlarged during the shortened season.
I used to live in Kansas City. The Kansas City Royals won the World Series in 1985. They didn’t go to the playoffs again until 2014, when they lost the World Series and won it the next year. Then back to their own version of Kangz (the Kings are named the Kings because Kansas City already had the baseball Royals when the basketball team moved there from Cincinnati.
However, as you mentioned the Royals won two World Series and two other finals in the time Kings in Sac . I would love that in comparison .
Good catch on the Mariners. Not sure how I missed them the first time around.
So, who makes the playoffs first, Kings or Mariners?
The Mariners nearly made the playoffs last season, so I think they’re more like to make it before the Kings.
Mariners could easily make it this season.
Three words.
Fu&@ You Vivek.
it takes seriously flawed-ego driven person to screw things up this badly and repeat the same idiotic missteps over and over.
Just leave already Vivek and Matina. Or, at least let the GM run it.
again, randomness o would have avoided this – do nothing and get in but do something Kingsy and get out.
I think I’ve reached a new low of apathy because I no longer have the energy to despise Vivek. It’s all just numbness.
Look on the bright side: nobody in India is watching the Kings. “NBA 3.0.”
By the way, the Kings have now been in Sacramento for 37 years, and during that time the Kings and Warriors have never made the playoffs in the same season.
This drought makes me wanna slap someone…
Kings biggest problem is the owner and the second biggest is that he refuses to hire a proven winner as GM . Always rookies that need jobs and can be controlled by said owner . You are welcome.
It is probably hard to lure away a proven GM. If you believe in GM trees, our current GM at least comes a successful front office. I am not a huge Morey fan, but he has had success anyway.
Actually Morey had far less success than previous Rockets GM , Carrol Dawson 2 world Champs and another finals . It is very hard to get a proven GM especially when you do not try ! Remember Jerry West going to Memphis ?
Second biggest is he refuses to keep his nose out of GMs biz-to allow basketball people to run hoops.
Though, setting up an overall dysfunctional organization is close.
Mistake after Mistake…
This team was given chance to make themselves better, but they would just made it a failure…
1) Trading Iman Shumpert
2) Firing Dave Joerger
3) Drafting Bagley when gifted with #2 pick
4) Hiring Matina, PDA, Peja, Divac
5) Hiring Luke Walton
6) Making Gentry as interim coach
7) Winning meaningless games
8) Inability to develop rookies
9) Giving Fox a Max contract
10) Trading away Tyrese
#Here_We_Billboard_Again
#Enough is Enough
#Step Down Vivek, take Everyone else with you !!!
I’m not sure trading Iman Shumpert ranks anywhere near the top 20-30 mistakes this franchise has made during the last 16 season.
I wish I didn’t wear a T-shirt to the draft party that said:
DONCIC OR BUST
you totally called it, though
We busted.
We drafted the Bust.
And anyone with eyes could see it the moment Bags took the floor.
How about letting Isaiah Thomas go for Alex Oriakhi and whatnot?
I would say the only 3 major mistakes the Kings did during the Vivek era are:
#1. Firing Malone – For once, Vivek actually made the right decision in hiring Malone.
#2. Drafting Bagley instead of Luka – This was the most OBVIOUS choice for Vlade and somehow found a way to fumble that golden opportunity.
#3. Firing Joerger – Again, just like Malone, when looks like the team is finally gelling and buying to the coach’s system, they canned the coach.
KANGZ!
Letting IT go for nothing, hiring Vlade & not tanking when it’s the right move are other major mistakes.
Didn’t they trade a 1st rounder for JJ Hickson once upon a time?
It all comes back to Matina somehow
All Kings employees salute you !
Losing a top asset ( Bogi) for nothing should be on this list .
And signing Buddy Hield to $90 mil.
Drafting Willie Cayley-Stein ahead of Devin Booker or Myles Turner . Vlade first draft mistake.
Vlade’s entire 2016 draft comes to mind.
Inability to develop rookies? Name rookies who have left the Kings and succeeded elsewhere. Inability to draft talent has been a problem along with stupid overpayments for aging veterans with diminishing skills.
Go Kings!
How’d that work out?
Sacramento Kings Owner: 'We Want to Be Like the Spurs, but Exciting'
Vivek, from that article:
Derrick Williams was able to play the 1-2-3-4?
The versatility of Derrick Williams:
/Vintage_Coca-Cola_Vending_Machines_2-5c4b9e4a46e0fb00014c3589.jpg)
I will take the “boring” Spurs style of basketball everyday. Calling a team with Parker, Manu, and Duncan “boring” shows that is an idiot and doesn’t appreciate the game of basketball.
We did it!
At this point it’s actually pretty hard to argue that winning basketball games is the objective for this organization. Doing very little while the franchise valuation continues to go up seems like the goal here.
Absolutely.
Hanlon’s Razor: They’re not evil. Just dumb.
Maybe they’re both? If anything, the last half decade has taught us that seems to be the order of the day.
Yeah, it really sucks. Nothing to be done now.
Moving on:
So there is a shot. I’m looking forward to watching. It’s the life of a fan.
Unless the Kings get lucky in the draft, Fox makes a monumental jump, or the Kings trade for a real Number 1 option…This team isn’t going anywhere next year. Ceiling would be a play in.
Look at a Healthy West and you tell me who are the Kings leapfrogging to get into the Top 8!
Dubs
Grizz
Suns
Nugs
Clips
Pels
Mavs
Wolves
Jazz
I would say ZERO. In fact most of those aforementioned teams will gobble up all the best free agents, they are the best trade partners, and their current players will improve.
The Kings are in no man’s land Again.
I like your list, but I would include Barnes more as a potential trade piece. The Kings need to go with younger talent, and I would be shocked if Barnes is on the team next season.
Eh, it’s whatever. The drought is what it is. That’s actually part of the problem, me thinks. There’s so much focus on ending that within basketball operations rather than controlling what you can control. Well from Ranadive’s POV at the very least. But he did this to himself, really. He’s hired the wrong people (for the most part, IMO, Malone, Joerger and McNair excepted) in part because Ranadive doesn’t hear things that make him uncomfortable. If he isn’t the worst managing partner in all of sport, he’s on a very short list. What’s sad is, he’s actually willing to spend money up to a point.
This franchise has earned the record, there’s no doubt of that. And whether or not they can change the MO around the G1C is a whole other matter. It remains to be seen. Cautiously optimistic would be my view.
But none of this really matters in the grand scheme other than can you learn from your mistakes. So far Vivek Ranadive has not. Maybe the 3rd time is the charm.
Vivek is a success in business terms. The value of the franchise has skyrocketed. His initial investment and those of his partners have worked out very well.
Winning matters to the fans. It does not matter as much to the investors.
Stop going to the games. That will shake things up.
Rarely go. Only when a real basketball team is playing in the building.
With an empty building and a television deal at risk this team is still worth a lot more than it cost them. This is the current reality of this team. Shit….but worth a fortune.
If anything angers me about this, it is that I am no longer angry.
A good re-read every couple of years.
https://deadspin.com/geoff-petrie-lambastes-vivek-ranadives-sophomoric-atte-1787717438
“..I have 80 gigs of data, nobody else has that”
I think the last line is easily the most revealing:
And this is a guy who worked for the Maloofs, of all people. Even they knew what they didn’t know, which was nothing. Or everything. I don’t know either.
They just didn’t have the money and didn’t want to sell. Their business acumen was, at the very least, questionable. I don’t think they were terrible owners from a managing partner standpoint.
Agreed. They weren’t bad from the perspective of managing the team. They got out of the way until they went broke. They went broke because they weren’t very smart, which in hindsight is better than a guy constantly screwing up because he’s so sure of his own genius.
What a horribly low bar that is.
SIXTEEN???!!!
only 68 more years until this gif to be sole property of the Sacramento Kings!
Actually, in Dog Years that’s about right.
If you had a puppy named REX when the Kings last made the playoffs….well….
When the Kings last made the playoffs I was finishing up my freshman year in high school. By the time they make the playoffs again, I may not even be alive!
That’s a little vague, Klam. Let’s go with retired instead. 😉
Our streak can officially drive. It’s gonna get weird in here when it gets to vote in the next presidential election and is going to go absolutely bat shit crazy when it gets to drink at 21. Buckle up!
My money is on our streak being able to rent a car eventually, too!
Just imagine what the Dirty Thirty will be like.
We’re the best at being the worst!!!
Over this span of time, while other franchises aim for the championships, the KINGS be aiming for the
playoffsplay-ins.Fun fact!
We are also tied for the 8th longest drought!
One of the most painful mistakes the Kings made was the 2011 trade of a protected #1 pick for J.J. Hixon. Hixon didn’t even make it through the whole season and for the next six years the Kings had to finish in the bottom 10 to keep their draft pick. Imagine the 2017/18 Kings with DeMarcus Cousins and Donavan Mitchell.
Also, not only missing the playoffs for 16 years but no winning seasons in Sacramento history except under Rick Adelman (firing him was not a good idea, but that was the Maloofs). The Kings could have easily won 42 games in 2019. They didn’t even have a first-round pick to tank for. But no.
Finding the problem is easy – there is one constant, and that is you-know-who. He has started to hide from the limelight – can’t remember the last time he was interviewed but it’s the guy in the graphic.
And that is common knowledge. The Genius can’t see beyond the mirror, and worst still, he just doesn’t care to. And it’s that behavior that has lead to a dismal future outlook. Why, would anyone of worth – present or potential want their Head Coach prospect here? Or Rookie? A familiar song but let’s refrain from that refrain. What does a playoff team look like in Sacramento? How do you get there? Or is it Adam Silver who finally provides the “enough is enough” reprieve? 20 seasons? 25? Perhaps.
If one were to look at the only successful period of the Sacramento
ErrorEra, it wasn’t just Coach Adelman nor GM Petrie or The Maloofs it was the relationship of all 3. Petrie and Adelman worked to support the other. The Bros. Maloof just wanted some camera time but otherwise they were able to let Petrie drive the car, which was fine until they ran out of gas money. Vivek – that guy just don’t get it. It’s always been and always will be about him. And he has financial cushion, so it ain’t that.If GM McNair can hook up with a HC who can tandem bicycle with him – and if McNair has the ability (GM DIvac did not (temperament without knowledge), GM D’Alessandro did not(knowledge without temperament)) and the Coach who has the ability (Coach Walton did not – interestingly, Coach Joeger and Coach Malone did- but ownership got in the way as did their respective GMs and drove them out).
So here they are again – whether they go somewhere or nowhere – it should not be expected to happen for minimum another 2-3 seasons, each year a step closer – no home run swings, please. Maybe GM McNair gets fired by then. Maybe they hire the wrong HC. Vivek/Matina/Aneel will still be here so maybe it’s just not attainable.
What’s most telling is that this record is now in the books and NO ONE – not King Vivek – has the integrity to apologize and take responsibility. So much for being a Captain of Industry, it’s weak sauce on a lameburger.
Vivek’s the biggest problem, but he hasn’t been a constant during the drought. It started under the previous owners. AFAIK, Matina’s the only constant.
I wonder if the odds makers on taking bets on the Kings being a non playoff team for 20 years. It seems like easy money to take that bet. They “went for it” this year, and they somehow are even worse. I just roll my eyes every time someone says “This” GM is really smart. By his own standards of saying we trying to win now, he is a failure.
The Malone firing was bad, and it actually ruined a chance to see what the previous Cousins core could do
Joerger fired himself with his dumb insubordinate comments
But I think it underscores how much the team could improve next year just not having a Walton/Gentry head in the seat
The 2013 draft is the epitome of the Kings incompetence. Ben MeLemore over Giannis, Gobert, McCollum, Steven Adams, Schroeder, Olynyk,
That was a weird draft in general & it was poorly scouted by people other than the Kings. Anthony Bennett was the 1st pick. It was called a weak draft, but it had some players who have been good to elite. However, Oladipo was the only star who was picked in the early part of the lotto.
If you are going to do something, be the best at it!
I visited the team’s official website for the first time in years, just to see if they made reference to this amazing accomplishment. For some reason it wasn’t mentioned…
I visited the team’s official website every year for 16 years.
They haven’t referenced the playoffs all those times I checked out their page!
Summer League Playoffs!
The last time the Kings made the playoffs, Queta, the team’s current youngest player, was two months shy of his 7th birthday.
This team is almost assuredly going to reach the point of drafting a player who not once in their lifetime has seen the Kings in the playoffs. Come on down, draft class of 2024!
The next Kings playoff team hasn’t been conceived yet.
All you tall, coordinated couples out there, go do some humping already!
I already did and Bret was wearing his hair helmet
I did my part already and I could be a part-time model. But still probably have to work my regular job.
Queta is that old? Lame!
The drought is more unbelievable than embarrassing as it coincides with the Kings never really tanking or just embracing their development curve. They have missed the playoffs by primarily being very short sided and trying to make the playoffs. This hasn’t been multiple rebuilds despite all the signs suggesting that was the franchises pragmatic timeline. The amount of high mid levels, assets or draft picks traded or justified for immediate impact despite all the facts suggesting to be patient is whats truly embarrassing.
The facts are there are incentives to being a bad team. The Kings have ignored those benefits, and have stayed bad as a consequence.
We’re #1…
We’re #1…!!!!
I went ahead and gave a thumbs up to every comment that blamed Vivek. That’s my comment.
The joke’s on us. We still have people paying to go see this shit show every game. The NBA picks one of the dumbest sports minded people to serve as a so called owner. This garbage is all rigged just like politics.
Politics at least has voting and term limits. If Vivek can pass down his role to Aneel, they might be in charge forever.
Like I said above, everybody has got to stop showing up. Let the NBA see an empty arena for weeks to months plus no money coming in and I bet something will happen. What’s the worst that can happen ? They sell the team? Hell at this rate I wish they would as it’s been nothing but torture watching this ownership group.
There’s no guarantee Aneel would be this bad. I know we have Ranadive PTSD around here but Aneel is an entirely different guy. I wouldn’t assume it would automatically get better with Aneel , but I wouldn’t assume it’s impossible.
For example, Josh Kroenke has turned out to be the better managing partner than his father Stan for the Nuggets. There were certainly hiccups after he hired Tim Connelly but for the most part they’ve done well as a tandem. They came together in 2013. Connelly had a rough start trying to sign Kenneth Faried to a 5 year rookie max extension without the max dollars. Which is, of course, no bueno. They took lots of lumps back then. Woj wrote a hit piece on Yahoo about it, for instance.
Remember, Connelly inherited the Nuggets off a successful 3 year run with Masai Ujiri at the controls (I feel people forget Ujiri was in Denver) and George Karl as the HC. They left, as did Andre Igoudala in FA. That Nuggets roster was coached by Brian Shaw for a year and change before Shaw got the axe and ultimately that summer the Nuggets hired that Michael Malone character.
In 2014 they drafted some Serbian Joker looking Dad Bod hipster with the 41st pick. You probably know him better as the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.
In 2015 they drafted Emmanuel Mudiay with the 7th pick.
In 2016 they drafted Jamal Murray at the 7th pick.
In 2017 they traded the 13th pick (Donovan Mitchell) for Trey Lyles (Whoops.)
In 2018 they drafted Michael Porter Jr at the 14th pick.
Certainly the record is a bit mixed in the draft and trades. They often are. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.
They’ve exercised patience with Malone even though they weren’t big winners immediately. The roster has been filled with quality through a variety of low 1st round hits, undrafted, G League and 2nd rounder hits. They had Jusuf Nurkic (they also got the draft rights to Gary Harris in 2014 when the Nuggets acquired the draft rights for Nurkic and Harris for Doug McDermott, the 11th pick in 2014, in a trade with Chicago), the Nuggets traded him for Will Barton in 2017 when it was clear Jokic was better than Nurkic.
I know that this is a longer than necessary comment to make an obvious point that sons aren’t necessarily their fathers. But at the time there was a lot of skepticism that Josh Kroenke would end up being better than Stan. Or that he would be anything more than Daddy’s puppet.
History will likely show not only that Kroenke has turned out to be a good managing partner, he’s much better than his father at it as it turns out.
Josh was a good div 1 player at Missouri and All State player . Zero comparison to little Vivek .
I wasn’t comparing Aneel Ranadive to Josh Kroenke. Why would I?
You said he would not be as bad and based on nothing except heritage . One has a basketball background the other squat !
It’s a good thing I never said Josh Kroenke was Aneel Ranadive or vice versa.
Otherwise you might have a point.
Sure. But Vivek’s only record is failure and the person who succeeds him should have actually earned the right to be there.
I agree that Ranadive has been absolutely terrible, right up there with (probably surpassed) Donald Sterling. But… the reason the NBA picked him is because his was the only group willing to keep the team in Sacramento. So we get to keep the team, but it’s this team.
Honestly, at this point I’m not so sure that 16 years of the Seattle SuperSonics version 2.0 would have been worse than this.
My friend and I who split the cost of two seats told our rep today that we’re not renewing for next year. I’ve been a STH since 2013, him since 2007, I think. A 29 win team, with Fox, Sabonis and likely a #7 pick in a weak draft aren’t enough to spend $8000/ season for each of us.
Good for you. Make them earn your business.
Hopefully they keep losing STH’ers until this franchise gets their shit together.
You friend should get a prize or a refund or something for paying for paying for 16 seasons of basketball without one playoff game. Talk about bad timing. And good for you for cancelling.
Unless the Kings get lucky in the draft, Fox makes a monumental jump, or the Kings trade for a real Number 1 option…This team isn’t going anywhere next year. Ceiling would be a play in.
Look at a Healthy West and you tell me who are the Kings leapfrogging to get into the Top 8!
Dubs
Grizz
Suns
Nugs
Clips
Pels
Mavs
Wolves
Jazz
I would say ZERO. In fact most of those aforementioned teams will gobble up all the best free agents, they are the best trade partners, and their current players will improve.
The Kings are in no man’s land Again.
who is left? LAL, OKC and Houston.
no man’s land Still.
Kings ranked LAST in Kevin Pelton’s ESPN Future Power Rankings.
LAST
LAST
Poor roster, low ceiling for young players.
Trade for Sabonis was a trade (desperate) to get to play-in. Hali would have given them more ranking, says Pelton.
3 years ago finished ahead of Suns, Griz and Mavs in the West. Rest is history of draft, emergence and free agents.
I do seriously think that draft position makes a difference- I know !- rated last yet still quibbling about draft.
Right now position is 7th but LAL have won 31, Kings 29. If LAL lose all their games ( could happen ) and Kings win 3 or even 2 of 3 for a tie, draft position goes to LAL
and, by the way, NOP own that pick. Tie = coin flip for draft position. Good luck with that.
NOP is another team that the Kings can’t catch.
Who can they beat in the West? Houston for a year or two, OKC ? Portland?
Sad day in Sactown.
“There is no way out of here said the Joker to the Priest” (Dylan)
I don’t like soccer but maybe I can learn to like it.
Told my ticket rep this afternoon I’m not renewing for next year. Had been a STH since 2013. Fox, Sabonis, and the #7 pick not enough to justify $8000 per seat for a season.
Replying to myself to note that I only repeated myself because I didn’t see my earlier post. I thought I might have forgot to send it do I sent another one.
It’s worth saying twice. Way better things to do with those dollars I’m sure.
We should be proud, do you know how hard it is to be that bad for that long when such a high percentage of the teams make the playoffs; it’s almost like it was a perfect storm of ineptness to make this happen.
Just can’t wait for the press from McNair about this season once the season has come to an end.
Like
1) What is the original goal before the season started
2) How he felt about his off-season move (TD, Harkless, TT, Holmes)
3) How he felt about his mid-season move (Tyrese, Buddy for Sabonis)
4) How he felt between Walton and Gentry
5) What is his off-season’s plan on players, trade and coach
6) Who should take accountability on another loss season
Scot Pollard….. I love you!
So the “Sacramento Kings” are a professional NBA franchise?
“The blues are easy to play, but they’re hard to feel.” Great quote that pretty much says it all as far as Viveks’ utter inability to manage this franchise with any insight or awareness of how people are more than widgets to be produced. This franchise is doomed with him at the helm. I despise his “leadership” style and arrogance.
Vivek Ranadive Hopes for Kings 3.0
“He believes in data. He believes in “Civilization 3.0” — that the world is entering a stage of massive disruption and that cities are one of mankind’s 10 greatest inventions. He believes that he can make basketball the second most popular sport in India (behind cricket). He believes in gluten-free consumption, which he says “declutters your mind.” But more than anything, he believes in himself.”
Sounds like Vivek’s got a delusional belief problem. The data speaks for itself.
[…] didn’t participate in the playoffs for a record-breaking 16th consecutive season. The Kings are the first and only Sacramento-based franchise in the top […]
Badge Legend