After a road win over the Dallas Mavericks on March 3, the Sacramento Kings were 32-28 and tied for the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference. The team had already traded standout guard De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, but the Kings weathered the early storm without him and all signs pointed to, at the very least, a Play-In appearance for Sacramento. Since then, the Kings are a dismal 4-12, including seven losses in the last eight games, and questions have arisen about the future for the team.
Over that month-long period, only the Jazz, Pelicans, 76ers, Wizards, Hornets, and Nets have worse net ratings than the Kings, and two of those teams (Washington and Charlotte) actually have better win-loss records than Sacramento despite no incentive to win. The Kings could rightly point out that Domantas Sabonis, the team's best player, has missed nine of the last 16 games, but Sacramento is allowing more than 1.2 points per possession on the whole and not exactly lighting the world on fire with or without Sabonis in the lineup.
Because of the struggles (and Kevin Durant-related injury issues) of the Phoenix Suns, the Kings still find themselves with a one-game lead for the No. 10 spot in the West and a trip to the Play-In. On top of that, Sacramento has a theoretical schedule advantage, with ESPN's BPI and other projection systems pointing to the Kings as a likely Play-In entrant. Still, there is more than the short term to consider in Sacramento, which begs a notable question.
Should the Kings ... try to miss the Play-In?
One major factor to consider is Sacramento's future-facing draft situation. The Kings owe a top-12 protected pick to the Atlanta Hawks in 2025 and, if Sacramento eeks its way into the Play-In, that pick is very likely (though not definite) to convey. If it doesn't convey this year, it becomes a top-10 protected pick in 2026, but it then morphs into a pair of second-rounders, rather than eventually becoming unprotected.
As such, the Kings could, at least in theory, take their foot off the gas down the stretch in an effort to focus on the future. To be clear, a move like this would probably require the Kings to also pivot into a more intentional rebuild, because there wouldn't be much of an incentive to punt on this year and then still end up sending a quality pick to Atlanta in 2026. It would need to be a tandem strategy to both try to keep the pick this year and do the same next year, which would be accompanied by trades in the offseason to ensure the future is the priority over the present.
Realistically, this doesn't seem likely to happen, particularly given that Sacramento's leadership structure seems wobbly at the moment. Wes Wilcox already left the Kings front office to take a college job, rumblings are in the void that Monte McNair could be in trouble, and there is apparent instability overall. It would be tough to choose this rather aggressive future path without clear direction, but the current scenario is an ugly one for the Kings.
Sacramento can fight it out with Phoenix, potentially earn the No. 10 spot, and send the 13th or 14th pick to Atlanta. That is a tough pill to swallow from a draft standpoint, but the Kings could at least try to tout another postseason appearance as some modicum of success. Overall, though, Sacramento probably needs a new direction, and it's not too late to choose an aggressive one.
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NBA news round-up:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo made NBA history on Thursday. He is no stranger to awe-inspiring on-court performance, but Antetokounmpo became the first player in NBA history to produce 35 points, 17 rebounds, and 20 assists in a single game. That effort led the Bucks to a win over the 76ers, and it is also perhaps a reminder that Antetokounmpo remains one of the best players in the world.
- Ja Morant was recently investigated for using a "finger-gun gesture" on the court, and though the NBA did not discipline Morant or Buddy Hield for the action on Tuesday, Morant apparently didn't feel any pressure to stop. In fact, he did it again on Thursday during a win over the Heat, and it seems quite possible that Morant will be getting another call from the league office in short order. On the bright side, he did win the game for the Grizzlies.
- Tyrese Maxey is going to miss the rest of the season for the 76ers, even if no one told Nick Nurse. It was widely reported that Maxey will be shelved, which makes sense for all parties involved given Philadelphia's place in the NBA pecking order right now. However, Nurse pushed back on the reporting at a press conference, insisting he wasn't aware of such a decision. It's not going well in Philly.
- The Oklahoma City Thunder still have a chance at 70 wins. It would take OKC winning each of its final six games to get there, but the Thunder are already on an 11-game winning streak. Perhaps the biggest test, at least on paper, for the Thunder comes on Friday against the Houston Rockets, but if they can win that game, look out.
This year's Final Four is juicy for NBA Draft observers
In the recent college basketball climate, the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament is not always must-see TV for NBA Draft diehards. However, the 2025 edition has the four best teams in college basketball all season meeting in San Antonio, and they include several top-tier prospects.
Duke is the main event, led by projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. The Blue Devils also have two additional lottery-level prospects in big man Khaman Maluach and wing Kon Knueppel with Isaiah Evans and Tyrese Proctor among additiona names that NBA folks are interested in for 2025 and beyond. Houston will face Duke in the national semifinal, and veteran guard Milos Uzan has been turning heads in scouting circles with his recent play.
On the other side, Auburn isn't littered with elite-level draft prospects, but big man Johni Broome is a first-team All-American who is expected to be drafted at some point in the 2025 draft. Finally, Florida has a trio of draftable players in 2025 with big man Alex Condon, All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr., and forward Thomas Haugh.
From college-only viewers to NBA diehards, there is something for everyone on Saturday in San Antonio.