After making a bold move during the offseason, the Sacramento Kings will be looking to make a return to the NBA Playoffs in the Western Conference.
The Sacramento Kings are heading into the 2024-25 NBA season with the hope of returning to their status as a dark horse contender in the Western Conference. After taking a bit of a step back, the Kings entered the offseason with a priority of upgrading their roster in a way that they could reemerge this upcoming season. They successfully did that but they are still a team that has plenty to prove.
As the start of the regular season quickly approaches, we explore two season-defining questions and make one bold prediction for the Kings.
Is another big move coming for the Sacramento Kings?
Even after making the move for DeMar DeRozan, there's still a sense that the Sacramento Kings may not be done upgrading their roster. And with how talented and deep the Western Conference is, it's hard to blame them. If the Kings don't get off to a quick start to the season, it could prompt the front office to get aggressive on the trade market.
Heading into the start of the season, this is certainly a question that will drive the narrative this year for the Kings. And if the front office is willing to make another aggressive move in-season, anything and everything could be on the table for this team. That could be viewed as both a good and unpredictable thing for the team. The first few weeks of the season could determine what lies ahead for the Kings this season.
Is DeMar DeRozan going to solve the offensive woes?
What made the Sacramento Kings successful during the 2022-23 NBA season, when they took the Western Conference by storm, was their No. 1 ranked offense. One of the bigger reasons why they ended up taking a step back last season is because their offense took a dip. They went from being the No. 1 ranked offense in the league to about average. Part of the reason the Kings took the risk in acquiring DeMar DeRozan was because of their problems on the offensive end of the floor this past season.
If the DeRozan acquisition for the Kings is going to pay dividends for the team, the team's offense has to recover this season. While there may be issues about how much of a fit DeRozan is, he is the type of player who should make the Kings' offense better. Whether or not that will end up happening remains to be seen.
I have no question in my mind that if the Kings do end up taking a step back up the Western Conference hierarchy, I'd imagine that DeRozan's impact on the offensive end of the floor is going to be a big reason why.
1 Bold prediction for the Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings will miss the playoffs again
Compared to last season, it would be difficult to argue that the Sacramento Kings have not improved on paper. They have built a team that will have a good chance to compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. However, my bold prediction for the Kings is that they will miss the playoffs for a second straight season. Maybe they make the Play-In Tournament but I don't believe they will be one of the official top 8 teams in the NBA Playoffs. The West is too deep and too talented. I could see the Kings winning between 42-45 games again this season but I don't trust the consistency of this roster.
What I'm most interested in is the fallout that could come this season if/when the Kings do miss out on the postseason. What does that mean for this core? What does it mean for the future? What could it mean for De'Aaron Fox who is waiting to sign an extension?
The Kings are hoping this season ends in making a return to the NBA Playoffs. However, there's a very real chance that big changes are on the horizon for the franchise.