The Kings, who won 30 and lost 52 last season, missed the playoffs again, which is the 16th consecutive season, setting a new NBA record. Throughout the history of the Kings over the years, they have been constantly rebuilding, rebuilding failures, rebuilding again, failing again. You know, around the beginning of the 21st century, they have played in the playoffs for eight consecutive years, and the 18-19 season is the closest they have come to the playoffs, that year they are ninth in the West, but nine wins away from the eighth in the West. The reason for all this comes from the fact that management has made brainless decisions again and again.
In the 06-07 season, the Kings sent Chris Webb and Stojakovic to the 76ers and Pacers, and in the middle of the 07-08 season, Mack Bibby was traded to the Hawks, and since then, all players have left the team in the King's heyday. The team's top three stars were Artest, Brad Miller and Kevin Martin, but the team did not make the playoffs for the second consecutive year and the Kings management was finally determined to rebuild.
Then Artest and Brad Miller were sent away in succession in exchange for a group of players who barely played, and the Kings were 17-65 this year, the league was at the bottom, but the bad luck only drew the 4th pick, but this pick brought them the team's only rookie of the season in the 21st century - Terrick Evans, Evans' rookie season average of 20.1 + 5.3 + 5.8 per game gave the Sacramento hope, and the selection of DeMarcus Cousins the following year added vitality to the team But the poor role positioning of the players in the team did not make the team much better. In the 2011 draft, the Kings selected Jimmer Fredette, and Evans, who had previously performed well in the back line, was placed in the starting third position, when the team's garbage chief was about no one to take over, the rookie could not get the opportunity to exercise, and the King's prospects were dark.
But the story of the King's departure is not over, with Thomas Robinson with the fifth pick in 2012, Ben McLemo with the seventh pick in 2013, Nick Stauskas with the eighth pick in 2014, Willie Cowley Stein with the sixth pick in 2015, Georis Papayanis with the thirteenth pick in 2016, and Except for Cowlie Stein, all but Cowlie Stein have not been able to gain a foothold in the league. After the All-Star Game, the Kings sent Cousins, the most talented big man in recent years, to the Pelicans, and the team once again stepped into a big rebuild. The King's vision has been much better than before, with Fox with the fifth pick in 2017, Marvin Bagley in 2018, Tyres Halliburton in 2020, Davyn Mitchell with the ninth pick in 2021 and Keegan Murray this year all showing great potential, although Halliburton has already sent the Pacers in the first half of this year.
The Kings' starting lineup next season will probably be Fox, Sabonis Jr., Barnes, Keegan Murray and Hult, and this starting lineup will be difficult to start out in the Wild West.
Daron Fox, who signed a five-year, 163 million top salary contract with the team in 2020, is undoubtedly the team's number one star next season, but last season, under the premise of increasing playing time, the main data fell across the board, and the shooting and three-point shooting rates that matched it also declined to varying degrees. In this era of "three-point respect", a defender without three points is really limited in his help to the team. That's why fans played countless question marks after the Kings sent away Halliburton instead of Fox last season. The latter's dealership, organization, and defense seem to be slightly better than Fox's.
FOX
Domantas Sabonis, which was the main chip in the deal to send away Halliburton, when he first came to the Kings, fans thought that this Kings had enough strength to return to the playoffs, Sabonis averaged 18.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists in the 15 games he played, but the team only achieved a record of 5 wins and 10 losses, so the players have a long way to go to get the team back on the right path!
Two of the most outstanding inside lines in the league
Harrison Barnes has been playing in the Kings for four years as a starter, and the North Carolina Blackhawks' four-year stats have been as consistent as Goji Brother. On the one hand, the Kings came to Barnes from the Lone Ranger trade to not only take on the current role, but on the other hand, he is one of the few players in the team who can contribute steadily every game, and stepping into the 30-year-old is at the peak of his career, whether there is a breakthrough in the new season also affects what kind of echelon the Kings are in next season.
North Carolina Black Hawk
In the starting second place next season, the team has a lot of options, in my opinion, the most suitable backcourt with Fox should be the new signing Hult, although Mitchell is better defensive, Munch is more accurate in three points, but in terms of comprehensive shooting, defense and running, the 24-year-old Hult is more comprehensive, and the tall figure can give the opponent more defensive pressure in this position.
Hult in the Eagle period
The last big forward position will definitely be reserved for Keegan Murray, who has just been selected with the fourth pick, and in the just-concluded summer league, Keegan Murray has just led the team to the championship and has become the most valuable player in the summer league. A player who averaged 27 points per game in college, he also showed his independent offensive ability at Summer League that is stronger than that of people of his age, and he is sure to get a lot of performance opportunities next season with Sabonis and Fox. Only with a natural disadvantage in terms of height, coupled with Sabonis's unreliable defense, the Kings' interior defense will be the weakest part of the team.
Summer League MVP Keegan Murray
In addition to the starting five, the Kings bench Holmes, Lyles, Xiaomichell, Davis, Metu and others have performed well, while in the offseason they also snatched Munch from the Lakers with a 2-year, 19 million contract, and signed Bazemore with a base salary. It can be said that from the starter to the bench, the Kings already have the best team in recent years and look forward to breaking the wrist with the Western Conference powers next season!