With All-Stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis leading the Kings to the playoffs for the first time since 2006 a year ago, hope in the Californian capital is the highest it has been in some time. Headed by reigning Coach of the Year winner Mike Brown, the Kings return this season with the same core of players as they look to build on their seven-game series defeat to rivals Golden State. In these previews, we will take a look at each team’s key acquisitions, fantasy stars, and projected finish.
Key Acquisitions
The eight players who played the most total minutes for the Kings in their postseason loss to the Warriors are all returning for the upcoming season with the front office prioritising roster continuity over the summer.
In comes former Pacers wing Chris Duarte, veteran big JaVale McGee, former EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov and rookie Colby Jones.
Duarte averaged 13.1 ppg shooting 36.9 per cent on 4.6 threes per game as a 24-year-old rookie before his numbers dropped drastically across the board last season.
The Kings will hope for somewhat of a resurgence from Duarte this season and, given they finished last year’s regular season the league’s best offence, the Dominican Republic native comes into an ideal situation.
McGee provides Sacramento with depth at the centre position with Richaun Holmes no longer with the team and Alex Len not exactly proving to be a strong option a year ago.
Fresh off a down season with the Mavericks, the 35-year-old will play sparingly behind Sabonis and look to prove himself as a rim-protecting lob threat.
Vezenkov makes the awaited move to the US after a successful European career which culminated in a EuroLeague MVP award with Olympiacos.
In 40 EuroLeague starts a year ago, the 28-year-old put up 17.6 ppg and 6.8 rpg shooting 37.8 per cent on threes and will this season aim to crack Sacramento’s wing rotation.
Fantasy Stars
Fox (41st overall, 17th PG) and Sabonis (15th overall, 5th PF/5th C) are this team’s engine and are drawing a nice amount of fantasy buzz heading into the year.
Fox averaged 25.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, and 6.1 apg on 59.9 TS% a year ago en route to a maiden All-Star nod whilst Sabonis, in his first full season with the franchise, averaged 19.1 ppg, 12.3 rpg, and 7.3 apg on 66.8 TS% on his way to an All-NBA 3rd Team nod.
Projected Finish
Having finished third in the West a season ago after 16 years without any taste of playoff action, it will be up to the Kings that last year’s campaign was more than a flash in the pan.
Many are tipping Brown’s squad to fall back into the pack just a little after a year in which they were the league’s healthiest team – the eight guys that they relied on most come the postseason played in at least 73 regular season games.
The West has also strengthened from top to bottom whilst the Kings may have lost the ‘plucky underdogs’ tag after spending a year ruthlessly outscoring their opponents.
This is still undoubtedly a very good basketball team with a star guard and big flanked by a nice collection of role players; the expectation in Sacramento should still be to avoid the play-in but replicating last season’s 48 wins will not come easy.
