It’s been almost half a year since the Kings last played actual basketball, and a new season is right around the corner. There’s new young talent in town, players returning from injury, and a fresh slate for everybody involved.
So why can’t I find myself getting excited?
I don’t think I’m alone in this regard. Being a Kings fan has hardly ever been easy, and these past 20 or so years have taken a toll on this fanbase. What few bright spots we’ve been given to enjoy have been quickly dimmed. We’re Charlie Brown, kicking at a football that we know is going to be pulled away each and every time.
Last season was one of the toughest I’ve ever had to sit through, watching players I knew had no future with this franchise toil away and set personal records while the team itself floundered and had its worst season in over a decade. The team couldn’t even manage to lose right, winning eight games after the All-Star break that saw them slip from the best lottery odds to the fifth worst and eventually fall to the seventh pick in the draft. We also had to watch our last head coach, Mike Brown, go on to win the NBA championship in his first year after leaving us, while the other team in the Finals had our former franchise player, De’Aaron Fox. It was the ultimate proof that the grass is indeed greener anywhere outside of this franchise.
Now, all that’s not to say that I don’t have hopes for this season. The Kings actually do have some young talent this season, namely Darius Acuff Jr., but I also really like what I saw from second-round pick Emanuel Sharp in college and Summer League. Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell and Nique Clifford were bright spots last season, and they’re returning and hopefully going to be even better. Keegan Murray is healthy again and hopefully will return to form.
But the ultimate hope for a fan of any team is to see their team win games, and that is not something I think the Kings will be doing much of this season. Most NBA pundits put the Kings at or near the bottom of the league. Las Vegas has set the team’s over/under for wins on the season at just 21.5, the lowest in the league. To add to that, being a bottom-three team this year actually punishes teams with lower lottery odds, and with 16 picks in the lottery being selected now, a team like the Kings could see their draft slot drastically drop. If you think going from fifth to seventh is bad, imagine going from first to 12th.
This team also has no real identity around it as of yet. There are still players like Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis who will play heavy minutes for this team but clearly have one foot out the door, waiting for their next best opportunity. Doug Christie feels as close to a lame duck coach as you can get without explicitly being such. You have Ben Simmons talking about how the Kings are a great opportunity because both he and the team have “low expectations” (he’s not wrong on either count). Scott Perry has opted to be patient over seeking short-term satisfaction (a strategy I’ve asked the Kings to employ for years to no avail), but it’s put this team in a holding pattern that’s going to take some time to get through.
I am happy that basketball is back. I’m going to go to games, root for wins and hopefully see a few Beams lit here and there. But I don’t feel that same excitement I usually have around this time of year. I see Lucy holding that football again, and it’s hard to work up the motivation to kick.
Wait, now. Didn’t you see Ben hitting pull up threes in the first training camp practice? haha
Charlotte: “We have the worst sports media.”
Kings media day: “Hold my beer.”
Sac Bee: “No sports media for you!”
Can’t have a hot mic incident if you don’t have any mics …
The Ringer and I feel you Akis.
Just Relegate Us Now
30. Sacramento Kings
My brain malfunctions whenever I think about this team. Domantas Sabonis is emotionally distraught whenever he looks at the roster sheet. Doug Christie—somehow, incredibly, still employed—sheds a tear whenever he’s reminded that Zach LaVine is his no. 1 option. Ben Simmons lives? This is, on paper, one of the worst defenses ever assembled, and it’s not outside the realm of possibility that rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr.’s usage rate will exceed his field goal percentage. “Light the Beam” might as well have happened 35 years ago.
Looks like The Ringer already has relegated the Kings completely out of the league. The Kings land zero players in their Top 100, and zero players on their Top 100 Trade Value list.
Yes, I know how bad the Kings are. But to rank Jokic #3, and have Sabonis – often considered a poor man’s Jokic – not in the Top 100 of either list seems strange.
King’s fans have always rated Domas higher than non-King’s fans and those who cover the NBA. Yet said King’s fans somehow think they’re right. I’ll never understand it.
You honestly think that there are ONE HUNDRED players in the NBA who are better than the dude who led the NBA in rebounding for 3 consecutive seasons until getting hurt last year?
Seriously?
That would mean EVERY TEAM in the NBA has 3-4 players on their roster better than Domas.
Seriously?
The Top 10-15 teams in the league? Sure. Beyond that? C’mon.
I won’t argue for any other King. But yeah, I live in a world where Sabonis is a Top 100 player in the Association. Full stop. No apologies.
Sorry.
Never understood the ignorant hate for Domas. The majority of NBA players don’t play any defense. Domas always plays hard. Makes his teammates better. Is a rebounding machine. Maybe its best to trade him to a team who will appreciate him.
You do understand that Kings fans didn’t get a vote when he was selected All NBA two years in a row, right? (BTW – making an All NBA team, even third team, means you are being selected as a top 15 player.)
Or when he was selected for the All Star team three times?
Dude, your comment is objectively and verifiably false.
I’m getting myself excited because I do think they’re going to beat the expected win total, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they push for the play in.
I say that because last year’s team was basically a bad iso-offense, bad defense team with zero balance. This team feels much more like we have some offense, some defense, and I think the players actually complement each other a lot better. Plus we have some length and versatility on the wings.
What I’m concerned with is I have zero faith in Coach Christie, who I think is only in his role because he costs a pack of bubble gum and a few rubber bands, and is a “company man” that Vivek likes. Doug Rocks!
Vegas has them at 21.5 wins. Yikes. Anybody who gambles out there know how often Vegas is off with their predictions? Like, have do they routinely get around 10 off from that actual win total or are they pretty much 80-90% accurate?
BBRef for 25-26 season
Charlotte over performed by 16.5 and we underperformed by 13.5
As down as I am on this franchise (and to be clear, I am as DOWN on them as I’ve ever been since they came to Sacramento) I honestly believe they’re just going to be classically bad (27-55) as opposed to being historically bad (9-72).
There doesn’t seem to be a plan, or any actual defense to speak of. But the parts fit together a tiny bit better than the past few seasons, and there is actual NBA talent sprinkled across this roster.
If Sabonis/Lavine/Murray don’t ALL go down again for extended periods, I don’t see how we finish with less than 22 wins.
I guess the the thing that get me thinking is yeah, they had a ton of injuries, but the still had DDR and Westbrook to pick up some scoring slack. DDR was effectively the leading scorer when LaVine wasn’t playing and Westbrook led the team in assists and was the second leading scorer with all the injures. If any of the “big 3” in Sabonis, LaVine, or Keegan goes down, who steps up?
Even though DDR and Westbrook were terrible to watch, they contributed. Who fills those shoes in the 4-12 spots on the bench? If somehow Acuff matches Westbrook’s production at 15, 6 and 5, he’s a lock for first team all-rookie and possibly in the running for ROY…but I’m not holding my breath on that kind of production from a 19 year old.
Agree from the standpoint that if ALL of them go down again for extended periods, then all bets are off, and this might become a historically bad team if that happens.
But I think the odds of that are unlikely, and if any one of them goes down, I think the remaining two can likely still carry the offensive load well enough to scrape together 22+ wins.
I think 25 wins or so, but no way I’m putting money on that.
100% agreed. There is very little talent and even less depth on this squad.
All I know is a month ago when in Reno, I bet them to go over 21.5 and I also bet them to win 30 at like 4.5 to 1. I didn’t think about it too hard and I’m not a huge gambler.
They will be bad, but if not crazy injured mid 20s feels like a lock and with a little luck maybe squeak to 30-32 wins.
This will be fun to look at in 7 months…either way : )
I have them at 29-53.
I think they’re a 21 win team who will win 24 games after a desperation midseason trade involving first round picks for one of Zion, Ja Morant, Anthony Davis, Paul George or Kawhi Leonard, who I think they would deal five first round picks to acquire. I think they would love to trade for Kuminga or Klay Thompson as well.
SAD SAC
print the shirts TKH lol
SUCTOWN KANGZ…
Just 20 years? Walk a mile in El Ron’s orthopedic shoes.
I think the only thing I’m really, truly looking forward to this season, is potentially a full season of Keegan Murray at the 3, and finally not playing out of position for most of the season.
Genuinely curious to see what he could look like on the wing for the better part of 82 games.
IMO, the 3 and 4 spots are virtually interchangeable in today’s NBA but curious to who you have at the traditional 4 spot that slides Keegan full time to the 3? FWIW, Keegan is bigger and stronger than Hunter when it comes to guarding big 4s.
That’s an excellent point, and you’re right. For some reason I was thinking of Hunter as an undersized 4, and Precious is definitely an undersized 4. Simmons can play there as well.
But yeah, they could slide around based on matchups, but it definitely won’t be a full season of Keegan at the 3.
Dang it…and here I thought I had a single reason to watch this team this season!!
To your point, it’s one of the reasons I like the “idea” of Simmons as a point 4. Keegan, LaVine, and Acuff are your perimeter roaming shooters, cutters, and gunning it off the DHO. I theory it all sounds nice, but would be shocked to see it work out so well.
It would be brilliant to have two guys in the frontcourt (Simmons, Sabonis) with a passers mentality constantly looking for cutters or guys on the wing left open for 3’s.
But then again, brilliant and Kings are two words not often found in the same galaxy with one another…
You mean like the glory era Kings with Vlade and Webb. I guess you can squint and see that. Sabonis does have a nice offensive game in the paint, much like CWebb along with some of the Euro unconventional moves of Vlade. Simmons is the best passer of the bunch and potentially the best defender, but with the shot selection of Vlade.
Crazy to think Vlade came to the Kings at age 30…same age Simmons is now.
That worked in part because Webber and Vlade were a threat to shoot from the elbow. That’s true for neither of Sabonis or Simmons. I can’t see how it’s going to work on offense with those guys, especially if Keegan looks like he has for a couple of years now, and if Acuff isn’t FAR better than he was in the preseason. I expect LaVine to miss at least a quarter of the season and be dealt at some point for a bad long-term contract in trade for a “big name” player.
Trying to work out what 10-deep could look like this season:
PG: Acuff, Jr. / Simmons
SG: Lavine / Monk
SF: Murray / Clifford
PF: Hunter / Achiuwa
C: Sabonis / Reynoud
That….isn’t awful, actually? I mean, they might have to score 130+/night to win, but they might actually be able to do that 22 times and at least beat the oddsmakers predictions..lol.
In a vacuum? No. But like a vacuum, they’ll still suck.
That’s one of the worst defensive teams ever assembled. There’s two sides to the court.
Strangely, and for the first time it what seems like forever, I kinda think the Kings are actually being underrated this year!
The 20 or so win projections seem pretty low, and I almost always take the under. So, I am optimistic this year … I guess? lol
That’s life as a King’s fan, right? 30-52 makes you an unbridled optimist.
Just imagine the day …
I admit as well, 21 wins seem awfully low, especially with how underwhelming the rest of the Pacific looks.
IMO, the wheels would have to fall off to match last season, but then again Doug is still coach and all hope seems to rest on a 7th pick/19 year old’s shoulders.
I would have liked him on the Kings last remaining 2-way spot. He’s a true PG that could have been useful if Simmons and Payton flame out.
Wow almost 5 years since Gwiss’ Apathy article: https://kingsherald.com/articles/on-apathy/
TBH I’d be happy with 6-8th spot next 10 years, at least we can enjoy 1 playoff series per year amirite?
First time since 2013 we don’t have season tickets. Couldn’t give them away last year at the end of the season. I’ll watch on TV and might go to a handful of games.
I feel out of sync with most of the comments. I think the Vegas odds changed to 22.5 as over/under.
I expect an over. If they win half the home games and a smidgen on the road- that’s 30.
Right now, they are undefeated.
I think Acuff is better than Fox at the same point in career- will that last?
They have new size- Ben, Precious and Hunter and Sharp may be the new Keon.
Not a play off team but no relegation either.
Badge Legend