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With the 2018-19 NBA season is rapidly approaching, Off the Glass is previewing all 30 NBA teams. Today, we'll take a look at the Sacramento Kings.
2017-2018 Record:
27-55, 4th in Pacific Division, 12th in Western Conference
Season Recap:
2017-2018 was another lost year in Sacramento, marking the 12th consecutive season the Kings have missed the playoffs. The team constructed by general manager Vlade Divac finished 28th in offensive rating and 29th defensively rating while playing at the slowest pace in the league. Head coach Dave Joerger at times compounded the un-watchability of this team by giving extended minutes to veterans who have no part of the future in Sacramento. There were some bright spots, such as the numerous clutch moments by point guard De’Aaron Fox (GW link), 2nd team All-Rookie Bogdan Bogdanovic, and the team’s opening of the glistening new Golden One Center in the heart of downtown Sacramento.
Key Losses:
Garrett Temple (SG)
Key Additions:
Marvin Bagley III(F/C), Nemanja Bjelica (F), Yogi Ferrell (PG), Ben McLemore (SG), Deyonta Davis (F/C)
Player to Watch:
Marvin Bagley III, De’Aaron Fox
Preview:
The Kings have maneuvered their roster to almost fully embrace a youth movement, but there are still some veteran holdovers on the roster who will take some minutes from the young guys. The Kings should be exciting as their young core develops and should in fact be a better team overall thanks to their offseason additions, but the improvements of the rest of the squads at the bottom of the West this offseason will make the 2018-2019 season another uphill battle in Sacramento.
Worst-Case Scenario:
The Kings could ruin their rosters development if they throw their young big men in situations where they’re destined for failure, like playing Marvin Bagley out of position at small forward. A worst case-scenario would be that Bagley’s game is shown to be more suited to college and neither he nor De’Aaron Fox show progress with their outside shooting. The rest of the young core could be revealed to be nothing more than decent role players at best, and the sting of another losing season would be amplified by the Celtics snagging a top young talent with the Kings draft pick.
Best Case Scenario:
All the young players show incremental steps forward, while one of Fox or Bagley, or ideally both, asserts themselves as a franchise centerpiece, giving a glimmer of hope for Kings fans in what will likely be another year spent outside of playoff contention. There isn’t really a realistic route for Sacramento to make the playoffs out West, or really even seriously contend, but putting up over 30 wins while the young guys blossom would serve as a strong season for the Kings and help lay the groundwork for the next winning team In Sacramento.
2018-2019 Prediction:
25-57, 5th in Pacific Division, 15th in the Western Conference