The 2024-25 NBA season is here! We present the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and fantasy predictions for all 30 teams. Enjoy!
Kings of Sacramento
End of year 2023–24
Off-season moves
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Enrichment: DeMar DeRozan, Jalen McDaniels, Devin Carter, Jordan McLaughlin, Orlando Robinson
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Subtraction: Harrison Barnes, Chris Duarte, Davion Mitchell, Sasha Vezenkov, Kessler Edwards
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Complete squad
The big question: Does DeMar make them talented enough?
When the Kings finally ended their 16-year postseason drought, they created an elite offense that ranked as one of the most effective possession attacks in history. But Sacramento's growth Also appeared in the context of the ongoing conference. Plenty of stars – LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zion Williamson – have missed major moments due to injuries. Some current power plants have undergone composition changes; some novices have not yet advanced their rebuilding.
All this uncertainty has left the door open and De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, head coach Mike Brown and Co. They kicked it open. But last season, with many of those stars returning and newcomers like Oklahoma City and Houston making strides, 10 of the remaining 14 Western teams improved their win totals. Seven of them finished with more than 48 wins for Sacramento in 2022-23; seven finished the game with higher offensive ratings than the Kings, who lit up the scoreboards (and beams) with their turnovers.
There were other factors: better preparation of opponents for an attack requiring a lot of dribbling; dropped Barnes and Kevin Huerter (still recovering from a surgically repaired labrum); worse bad luck with injuries; a decrease in the number of free throw attempts and shots at the hoop; etc. But for the most part, that's how you go from third to ninth, even though Sabonis and Fox combined for nearly 5,600 minutes at the All-Star/All-NBA level, and even though Brown urged the Kings to first-over… mediocre defensive finishing since 2006. The general tide of talent rose and swept the kings aside.
The search for more firepower reportedly included inquiries for the likes of Lauri Markkanen, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram before finally landing on DeRozan, a certified bucket collector who has averaged over 20 points per game for 11 straight seasons. The 15-year vet gives Brown another bridge to a successful offense, whether he flies solo or paired with Sabonis — or, for that matter, Fox and resigned bench boss Malik Monk — in a two-man game.
Over the years, DeRozan has refined his game into a streamlined tool of destruction. Since 2019, only 13 NBA players have averaged at least 20 points and five assists per game, and the true shooting percentage (including 2-pointers, 3-pointers and free throws) is over .590. This list is essentially an NBA-wide ballot. DeRozan is on it.
Factor in his elite turnover rate and remarkable durability (he's missed just 50 games over the last nine years and led the league in minutes last season), and even at age 35, DeRozan is one hell of an offensive player. His knowledge of the dark art of knocking defenders into the air and drawing contact should boost Sacramento's free throw percentage, which has dropped from fourth in 2022-23 to 25 last season. His bona fides in “difficult” situations, in which the advantage of five points in the last five minutes should help the attacking team, which was falling from first place, in efficiency during the crisis period in 2022-2023 Until last season 18.
And yet: Will it be enough to make up for the awkwardness of replacing a less-used, more three-point shooting forward like Barnes with a replacement for a more frequently used, non-shooting one? It will be worth watching to see if Sabonis, who shot 36.4% from three-point range as a King, starts to let them fly at the kind of elevated clip that Brown desires.
What about the likely defensive shortcomings of the Sabonis-DeRozan lineup? A huge responsibility will fall on offensive disruptor Keon Ellis, with the midseason find now in line to start alongside Foxa and third-year forward Keegan Murray, who developed into a quality perimeter defender last season, to fill the gaps.
If Brown can strike the right balance, Sacramento's fate will depend on whether Fox, Sabonis and DeRozan have enough firepower to survive on the field against so many tough opponents. Kings need them to be great; in this West, “pretty good” isn't good enough.
Best case scenario
Sabonis, DeRozan, Fox and Monk divide the scoring and playmaking duties beautifully; along with both Murray and Huerter having successful scoring seasons, that's a recipe for getting back into the top five on offense. Sacramento moves its top-10 defense after the All-Star break Ellis and Murray have established themselves among the best shortstops in the West. This combination will be enough to give the franchise its first 50-win season and first playoff victory since trading for Chris Webber.
If everything falls apart
The project of integrating the more thoughtful DeRozan into Sacramento's up-tempo system is proving to be a challenge, leaving the Kings stuck between stations in search of an offensive identity. The defense is retreating toward the bottom third of the league, where it has rested for most of the last 20 years. A slightly above-average offense and a below-average defense make for a severely mediocre team – one that can't get out of the play-in, return to the postseason, and give beam fans in California's capital a new reason to believe.
Spin fantasy
The Kings have four players who could be in the top 75 of fantasy rankings. However, I think DeRozan's arrival limits Murray's potential to break and break through. Murray is coming off a successful sophomore campaign in which he improved his scores in almost every category and saw his usage increase from 3% to 18%. Murray said his role will not change from last year, but the move from third to fourth option must have an impact on his exposure and opportunities.
While Murray remains a three-point specialist, he may have a greater impact on defense. He's Sacramento's best wing defender, so stockpiling more could help counter a potential drop in offensive output. Murray's seventh-round ADP is high, but I'm willing to make a move if he drops to eighth. —Dan Tytus
2024–25 schedule
The Kings have won 46 despite barely being above .500 in several games, most of their key pieces are either in great shape or approaching it, and they just added an All-Star caliber offensive weapon. Give me an end. Turn on the damn ray.
