The Sacramento Kings are 15 games into their season, and sitting comfortably at a 9-6 record, good for sixth in the Western Conference standings. It’s early enough in the season that these standings will continue to fluctuate, and far too early for any victory laps. And yet I find I funny how little fanfare there is about the Kings start to the season.
Consider for a moment how many factors the Kings have had against them this season. Of Sacramento’s 15 games, 10 have been on the road. The Kings have played 5 games without De’Aaron Fox. The Kings have also had missed games from Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, Trey Lyles, Alex Len, and Keon Ellis. Those concerns about the Kings being as healthy as last season? Turns out there may have been valid. And yet it hasn’t mattered, as the Kings depth has stepped up and answered the call.
The Kings have had a couple close losses, such as Klay Thompson’s buzzer beater for the Warriors and Brandon Ingram’s game winning drive for the Pelicans. The Kings have also had a couple of really ugly losses, like the two losses to the Rockets and the first loss to the Pelicans. And yet despite those horrible games with lopsided scores, the Kings still have a positive points differential for the season.
Meanwhile the Kings have had some really impressive wins over teams that the national media fawns over. The Lakers? The Kings have beat them twice. The Thunder? The Kings beat them without De’Aaron Fox. The Mavericks? The Kings beat them in Dallas. The Timberwolves? Sacramento beat them in Minnesota. The Kings will have a chance on Tuesday to avenge the loss to the Warriors, and maybe even exorcise some demons along the way. And yet, the storyline will likely be more focused on Draymond Green’s return to the court.
The path doesn’t get any easier after that. Between now and Christmas the Kings will face the Clippers (twice), the Nuggets, the Thunder (again), the Celtics, the Suns, and the Timberwolves (again). Luckily the Kings will also have a few games sprinkled in there against lower-tier Eastern Conference teams
The Kings may continue to fly under the radar, but that’s status quo for Sacramento. It doesn’t matter. The Kings have overcome injuries and a road-heavy schedule and are doing just fine. If the Kings continue to perform well and take care of business, people outside Sacramento will eventually take notice.
I will go to my grave thinking there is no professional sports rivalry like the Eagles/Cowboys…
…but this Kings/Warriors thing is getting close. Smaller perhaps, but the same intensity.
Put it this way, as a third-generation Eagles fan, I want the Cowboys to be destroyed. Coaches fired, players embarrassed, I want the the bus to pull away full of clowns.
I’m feeling that way about Golden State.
I want us to beat Golden State so badly tomorrow.
If we don’t beat Golden State tomorrow there is officially a problem IMO.
We all know the refs are going to handle Draymond with kid gloves. They don’t want the scrutiny that would come with T’ing him up yet again. And everyone knows the only reason Draymond’s suspension was only 5 games long is because the sixth game is this one against the Kings.
Yup. I think a win tomorrow would 100% mean that last year was no fluke and the Kings should be taken seriously…as in a top 5-7 team in the league.
Win or lose, I’d not put a lot of stock into a determination suggested by the outcome of a single game. It’ a long season.
Eagles/Cowboys isn’t even the main rivalry historically in the division lol…what?!?
Well, for as long as Was and NY have sucked, it has become the most relevant rivalry in the division. I mean, Raiders-Chiefs hasn’t been Raiders-Chiefs for quite some time now, for example. And for all the hand wringing over the Dubs, Kings fans of a certain age are still picking at Laker scabs.
And 1 – The Kings / Dubs game is far more important to Kings fans than Dubs fans, a la the way that Kings / Lakers games used to be far more important to Kings fans than Lakers fans. And it is likely to remain that way until the Kings win enough times to flip that script.
This but I still enjoy giving Laker fans crap
Absofuckinglutely!
Yeah I never though of Eagles/Cowboys as much of a rivalry, just an inter divisional foe.
Yes. Washington v Dallas was The rivalry in the division and the biggest (or top 3) in NFL until that piece of shit Dan Snyder showed up.
The Eagles we’re always an afterthought and they/NY and Washington all hated/hate the Cowboys.
When I was growing up, it felt like at least 50% of all Monday Night Football games were NFC East matchups. Blegh.
Ha. Back in the day it used to actually be a good division.
Interesting to see if the Kings will be better on their home court this season.
Last season was weird.
They need to be, the way the West is shaping up.
Short of being 15-0 at this point, there isn’t going to be any particular notice being paid to what the professional basketball team in Sacramento is doing. And as you’ve pointed out, all things being considered, 9-6 isn’t a bad place to be.
Now, I’ll hand it over to Skip Bayless, who will explain in agonizing detail how the Kings’ 15-0 start is due to player rest/illness/injury/crippling malaise, and a new form of cheating Sacramento has devised which is built around some heretofore unimagined and unknowable scheme involving scoring more points then their opponents.
Diabolical stuff, and deserving of a league investigation, if you ask me.
9-6 is actually right on pace to finish the same as they did last year with 49 wins. Not bad at all, in a loaded West
Sacramento has a happy stable roster with a record that is good, pretty good in fact. Their two All-NBA players are quiet and pleasant.
Winning? Well, we could talk about that high scoring team in California’s capitol and …
sorry, what was I discussing…
Hey that Draymond Green isn’t remorseful and what do the Warriors need to do to advance in the In Season Tournament and what about AD scoring 32 and Lebron was back in Cleveland…
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The Kings will be interesting when they start challenging for the Larry O’Brien. And only because they will have to get attention. And for any place that is not Sacramento, that’s all right (or at least, I think so)
Sadly I feel Denver gets some of the Sacramento treatment. You’d never know they were the defending champs by most of the story leads on sports news sites. Everything is about LeBron, the Warriors, Durant, or the Celtics.
I’m looking forward in the coming seasons when the media stops focusing on the aging stars of the Pacific Division because they will all be out of the league or bench role players.
Until the Lakers get Memphis to send them their best young players for a dogshit return, as has happened so many times before.
I will never understand why teams work with those entitled bastards to keep Los Angeles viable, when almost invariably, they could get a far better return from other teams. Every single time, it just looks greasy, and life stays good for the haves, and less so for the have-nots that make the having possible.
I don’t get it either. It really is remarkable how they pull things off, especially considering they’ve had just 5 lottery picks in the past 30 years! The last four, Randle, Ingram, Ball, and Russell were all traded away! They have no home grown talent. It’s like the draft doesn’t even apply to them.
If you consider home/road records they’d be around 53 wins. .800 at home and .500 at home.
All I care about and am looking for in the Kings this year is an ability to play Playoff winning basketball
IE- enough D and 1/2 court execution. 1/2 court very reliant upon Sabonis being good enough from mid range-and being aggressive enough that teams have to defend him away from the hoop. And so they can’t just eliminate all the DHO.
To me, the record or beating the Dubs in this game hardly matters. Are they growing/ and increasing their cieling?
My macro view of this team is that it is a good team; not a great team. Maybe I’m Mr. Negative but I can’t remember too many great teams suffering the types of blow outs this team has had. Maybe I’m wrong about that.
The team has a similar feel to the second and third years of the Webber era. We know they’re good, but it is also clear that some upgrades will be necessary to get to a championship level. The question is whether Monte expedites this or stays patient for another year or so.
You are not Mr. Mediocrity but you do have some delusions of mediocrity.
Defensive reinforcements will certainly be needed to reach contender status.
MM better be busy come February.
The 2016 Warriors only lost 9 games but those included a 17 point loss to an absolutely terrible Lakers team, an 18 point loss to the very mid Pistons and a 32 point loss to the Blazers
The main thing that team did was trade a very popular Jason Williams for Mike Bibby. They picked up some nice free agents along the way to (Jim Jackson is one I can remember).
I believe the Kings are in a good spot. Their best basketball is ahead of them. Last year MB and the staff focused on offense. It took them a while, but once they got it they were an offensive juggernaut. But weak on defense.
This year MB is focusing on defense. De’Aaron, Keegan, KH, Duarte, and others have responded by stepping up their defensive intensity, rebounding, etc. For Keegan and KH the offense suffered—although Kevin’s shooting is coming around. The same will happen for Keegan.
And as the season goes on their defense, particularly team defense, mastery of rotations, communication, etc., will continue to improve . By season’s end this will be a much better team. Wait and see.
It could certainly be a much better team but that doesn’t mean defensive personnel doesn’t need improving and we can just rely on internal defensive improvement.
This team needs a trade like the Doug Christie trade of yore. Just one wing that’s a legit defender can take this team to another level, but that wing is not currently on the roster.
I believe if OG is legitimately available, Monte will do whatever it takes to get him short of trading Fox, Sabonis, and Keegan. Everything else is on the table.
I’d include Monk in those untouchables, he is crucial to our bench unit.
OG is the best fit and is the holy grail of King’s trade targets IMO, but unless he indicates that he’s willing to sign an extension, I wouldn’t offer nearly as much as TOR would want and would prefer to sign him as FA in the offseason.
Siakam and Jeremy Grant are also good fits if the price is right. The Kings could really use a defensive wing who can contribute offensively, but as long as they are two-way players, they’ll likely fit right in with the core squad. On a side note, if an OG trade isn’t likely but TOR is still open to moving players, I really like Precious Achiuwa (and Chris Boucher to a lesser extent).
For defensive focused improvements, I’d love the Kings to target a quality player like Terrance Mann (LAC) or even an up-and-coming defensive force such as Peyton Watson (DEN). Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams as a pair (CHI) would be fantastic for depth, but Caruso looks to be the player that many teams want and CHI might be able to get quite a haul for him.
Other less notable two-way players like Josh Hart (NYK), Jonathan Kuminga (GSW), Trey Murphy III (NOP), Dorian Finney-Smith (BRK), PJ Washington (CHA), or even someone like Clint Capela (ATL).
Personally, I’m not interested in the Kings trading for someone like Z. Lavine, M, Brogdon, or G. Hayward as I don’t think they improve the Kings despite their obvious talents.
I also think simply playing Lyles over Barnes in more situations might slightly improve the defense (don’t really care who starts) without having to give up anything.
IMO Markkenen is the ideal fit next to Sabonis. Then move Murray who IMO should be our starting SF. Trading Mitchell for 2 seconds to get Achiuwa is also IMO a great way to get an athletic young backup center.
I’d imagine Markkenen is about as untouchable player as there is in the league. Then couple that with Danny Ainge it would take all the picks plus Monte’s next two unborn children to make that trade.
Agreed, the idea that the Kings could have LM without losing Keegan is pretty far-fetched. It’s tough to get ascendant young talent without a cost being paid.
Markennen is ideal, but untouchable. A more realistic trade would be Jonathan Issacs, A rim protector who could shoot. He’s been healthy so far, this year. Maybe, HB and Davion for Issacs….
I also read where we could trade Barnes plus compensations for Utah’s Lauri Markkenen. Also read where we could trade Davion Mitchell and 2 seconds for the Raptors Precious Achiuwa. Starting PF and backup center. What say you?
If Markkenen is available, the Kings should absolutely be in the mix. As for Precious, he would be a useful piece and he’s really good in transition (something that this team needs now that Metu is gone).
Lauri Markennen is an All-Star and last season’s MIP and should demand a King’s ransom in return. Why Utah and Danny Ainge would want to give him up (he is on the 3rd year of a 4 yr/$56M contract and becomes an UFA 2025).
A starting line up of Domas, The Finnisher, Keegan, Fox would be one of the best in the Association.
It is fun to dream…
Yeah, I don’t imagine he is available at nearly any price. They have a good young group to build around with Markennen, Walker, George, and Agbaji.
Yup. They are not sellers with all the picks they have. If anything they are just going to add talent to their young core.
If they move anyone, it’s likely Clarkson for picks. He’s basically their Malik Monk, but starting for them. He’d be an outstanding add to a contender.
Markkenen is their franchise player . No trade likely .
It’s crazy to think that both the Bulls and Cavs basically punted on him and now he is a legit all-star. The Bulls got Derrick Jones Jr. and a lottery protected first for him then Cleveland sold the farm, along with Markkanen, to get Mitchell.
Love him or hate him, Ainge has completely fleeced the Cavs and T-Wolves in recent trades. They have 9 first round picks over the next 4 years, and that is after the 3 just took this year!
I want the Kings to be under the radar and mis-interpreted. No attention is fine with me. In the past, I wanted to watch Sports center and see Kings all the time. Now I want no reporting. Let them fawn all over the LAL, LAC, duds, Suns, Magic et all. So what.
So far, I see much more focused and intense defense. There have been some cleaver double teams on Luka, on A. Edwards and little dancer dude from the duds, and the on ball defense has been better.
The offense is not as crisp as last year although on some occasions it is exquisite. I believe teams have caught on to the schemes and the focus on defense has detracted from the offensive focus.
Injuries more frequent than last year but good depth.
Tuesdays game is a good barometer.
Risk of any trades this year is chemistry and trust and the risk of diluting the bench.
Hard to “grade” players yet but there have been some disappointments and some delights.
LTB.
I still hit “Z” every time and I’m never not disappointed that it doesn’t work.
I watched the Clippers/Nuggets game. Oh boy…. Maybe the Clippers need just one or two more hall of famers on the floor to get to 105 against a Nuggets team without Joker, Murray and Gordon in their own house. Clippers play Kings twice and the warriors three times the next two weeks.
OTOH we’ll be on a SEGABABA for both of those Clipper games.
No pre-game and post-game show on NBCSCA? Boo!
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