In today's 30-in-30 we look at the Sacramento Kings, a team looking to add more offensive depth to stand out in a crowded Western Conference
Identity is a funny thing in sports. Every team has one, whether they want to admit it or not. Some teams lean into their identity like the Knicks and Miami Heat of the 1990s. Those teams had an identity of toughness and defense, so when the opportunity came to get more players that fit that identity, they added those players. Other teams sometimes veer away from their identity, and it could have catastrophic results. The “seven seconds or less” Suns that featured Steve Nash did this when they acquired Shaquille O’Neal, resulting in their fast paced identity to be slowed down. The Sacramento Kings identity is to play fast and to outscore their opponents. They have doubled down on this identity this off-season.
The Kings had a renaissance in 2022-23, injecting renewed energy into the Golden 1 Center. They lit the beam every time they won a home game, which they did a lot of. They ended up matching up with the veteran Golden State Warriors in the playoffs and just couldn’t get past the former champs. Last year was a bit of a regression as they won two fewer games and as a result of an insanely competitive Western Conference were in the Play-In tournament where they lost the second game to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Kings 1-2 punch of Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox is a potent one. Sabonis is one of the most skilled offensive big men in the league with a passing package that opens up a multitude of looks for the rest of the team. Fox is a slashing point guard whose first step is lethal and can get to the basket at will. The Kings surveyed the landscape and realized that they needed a third scoring option upgrade over Harrison Barnes. And they got it with DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan, despite turning 35 this year, is still an incredibly efficient offensive weapon. He is the best midrange shooter in the NBA, and one of the most clutch shooters in the league today. Slotted in as a third option on this team is the perfect fit for someone with his skillset. This will particularly be evident come playoff time, where the game slows down and DeRozan can have moments of greatness. The thought process for the Kings is that they can rely enough on their speed and the Fox/Sabonis combination to win enough games in the regular season.
Besides Harrison Barnes, the Kings have also lost Davion Mitchell. Mitchell was an excellent rotation guard for the team, but it seemed that he was being phased out by Keon Ellis. Ellis will have added responsibilities from a defensive perspective, and I would expect him to be in the closing lineup on most nights for Sacramento. The team also re-signed Malik Monk, which has to be considered a massive win for this off-season.
Monk is yet another explosive scorer that seems to be comfortable in his bench role. The promise of a bigger role and more money was certainly on the table for Monk, but he opted to stay in Sacramento which is an indication of how much belief he has in this organization. This is simply not something that we used to be able to say about the Kings in the past. By retaining Monk, the Kings ensure that they will again have one of the better second units in the league, which is important since they will likely win with numbers as opposed to a singularly great player.
The Kings model seems to be along the lines of what other teams like the Celtics, Knicks, and Thunder are realizing. That if you do not have a top level superstar, you can still go far with a strong collection of very good players. The West will be as competitive as ever this year with teams like Houston, Memphis, and San Antonio likely to be improved over their previous record. If the Kings want to make noise they will likely have to improve yet again and win 50 games or more. DeMar DeRozan likely gets them there, but the question that will remain is if they can get past the first round. Sacramento certainly thinks it can.
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