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The Sacramento Kings saw their season come to an end after they conceded to the 10th-seeded Dallas Mavericks, 120-106. Let's not forget that the Mavericks also had their fair share of struggles this year. It was a rough 2024-25 season for Sacramento, as the foundation of the very team that ended the franchise's playoff absence is slowly withering away. Despite putting together some of the most talented players, there have been plenty of changes that hampered the team's campaign this year.
It's safe to say that the Kings have been brought back to earth, especially after making some noise in the past few seasons. For this piece, let's take a look at the three Sacramento Kings most to blame for the 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament debacle vs. the Mavericks.
Turmoil in the front office
The biggest concern about the Kings' current state is the turmoil in the front office. With Monte McNair parting ways with Sacramento, it looks like the issues that have hounded Sacramento's 2024-25 season have started to surface. The recently let-go Kings GM was rumored not to be on the same page as the franchise's majority owner, Vivek Ranadive.
Some of the moves that stemmed from the fallout include the firing of 2023 NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown, who was the tactician responsible for ending the Kings' record-breaking playoff drought. Letting go of Brown, elevated Doug Christie as interim head coach. Although Christie recorded a 27-24 record and carved out a good relationship with his players, Sacramento couldn't win in the crucial stretch.
Another major change brought about by the turmoil in the front office was the blockbuster trade to send away former NBA Clutch Player of the Year De'Aaron Fox in exchange for Zach LaVine. Moreover, the offseason addition of DeMar DeRozan was also another questionable move. Fox was supposed to be the face of the franchise in the present and the future.
With so many changes throughout the season, it was a tough mountain to climb for Sacramento to book a spot in the playoffs. And in the game that mattered the most, the Kings' lack of chemistry ultimately showed in the do-or-die game against the Mavericks. Unfortunately, the uncertainty continues for the franchise, as Vivek will have plenty of groundwork during the offseason to re-right the ship in Sacramento.
Reuniting the old Chicago Bulls duo
The addition of DeRozan to the Kings during the 2024 offseason certainly fueled expectations. His fit alongside Sacramento's established chemistry was something to look forward to. Fast-forward to the trade deadline, and the Kings made another eyebrow-raising move by bringing in his former Bulls teammate LaVine, paving the way for a reunion.
Any Bulls fan will tell you that this partnership was already tested enough to fail. During their time together, LaVine and DeRozan could only lead Chicago to one playoff appearance. Swapping Nikola Vucevic for Domantas Sabonis wasn't going to alter the story in Sacramento.
On the bright side, LaVine and DeRozan played relatively well during the do-or-die game against Dallas. DeRozan finished with 33 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. On the other hand, LaVine registered 20 points, three rebounds, and nine assists. But while their performances were great individually, their production also affected the team's pace and spacing. In fact, they demanded the ball a little too much, negatively affecting the team's flow on offense and taking touches away from other key contributors.
Domantas Sabonis fails to reassert mastery over Anthony Davis
Speaking of major contributors, Sabonis had one of the worst games in a Kings uniform that came at the worst time possible. He still posted 11 points and 13 rebounds, but he was a -26. Sabonis also finished the game shooting only 5-of-13 from the field overall. Defensively, he had a rough night trying to anchor the team's defense against a familiar foe in Anthony Davis. Davis feasted on the Kings, producing 27 points and nine rebounds.
With DeRozan and LaVine taking charge offensively for the most part, Sabonis was relegated to just an enforcer. He got a lot of his points, mainly from misses. While the former Bulls duo forced him to play on a reduced role, it was also the Lithuanian big man's limitations that prevented him from making a bigger impact.
After the series of front office moves coupled with the uncertainty ahead, it won't be surprising if Sabonis follows through with his upcoming meeting with Sacramento's top brass. While the Kings' center has already expressed his willingness to stay, a change in scenery can also happen during the offseason, especially after a disastrous campaign that resulted in plenty of unfamiliar faces for Sabonis to work with.
