The Sacramento Kings will tip off against the Utah Jazz in the Delta Center on Oct. 25.
The Kings went 1-4 in their 2023-24 NBA preseason schedule. They defeated the Jazz in their final preseason matchup at the Golden 1 Center. Sacramento guard Malik Monk led the Kings with 23 points off the bench. Three Sacramento starters, including forward Sasha Vezenkov and guard Davion Mitchell, scored in double figures for the Kings. Forward Kessler Edwards added 14 points and a team-leading eight rebounds off the bench.
The Kings will have a handful of key players under contract for the 2023-24 season, including the duo of forward Domantas Sabonis and guard De'Aaron Fox, according to sports contracts and salaries website Spotrac. Forward Jalen Slawson, guard Jordan Ford and forward Keon Ellis make up the Kings two-way players. Ellis, who played in 16 games for the Kings last season, brought down three rebounds and dished three assists in Sacramento's win over the Jazz.
What are some bold predictions for the Kings 2023-24 campaign?
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De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis will repeat as All-NBA selections
Fox and Sabonis took spots on the All-NBA Third Team last season. They joined now-Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Fox earned his first All-Star selection during a 2022-23 season that saw him average 25 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Sabonis would earn the third All-Star selection of his career last season.
“We do a lot of planning and forecasting of what it's going to look like,” Kings general manager Monte McNair said in May, via NBC Sports Bay Area Digital Content Creator Jarrod Castillo. “We talked about it when we initially traded for Domas. Until it comes together, you're not sure exactly what it's going to look like.
“But those two guys have just surpassed expectations, both individually and with each other.”
Fox and Sabonis will be invaluable for the Kings to make a potential repeat run in the NBA postseason. The duo averaged a combined 43.8 points, 16.4 rebounds, 12.4 assists and 3.5 steals per game during Sacramento's seven-game series against the Golden State Warriors in last year's playoffs.
Keegan Murray will have a breakout season
Murray ended his rookie season with averages of 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. The No. 4 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft earned a spot on the 2022-23 All-Rookie First Team, joining Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams. Murray scored a season-high 30 points during a 20-point win over the Houston Rockets in February.
“I think it's no secret that Keegan is going to be a huge part of how far we can go these next few years,” McNair said at Kings Media Day, via NBC Sports Bay Area Digital Content Editor Tristi Rodriguez. “Obviously, a top-five pick, I think he had a very successful rookie season. I talked a lot about how he continues to answer questions that come up. The first two or three games of the playoff series (against the Golden State Warriors) were maybe not his best, and then he figured it out and had a fantastic end of the series.
“He's done that throughout his whole path. Now for him, we saw in summer league, can he take on a little bit more of a scoring role? Can he be more aggressive? I know coach made the joke that he got some wiggle, took it coast to coast, dunked on guys, so that's going to be a big step for Keegan. We have big hopes for him. And I don't think there's anything secret about that. He's got big hopes for himself.”
The Kings will make an extended run in the NBA Playoffs
The Kings were matched up with the Warriors in the 2023 NBA playoffs after they finished last season with a record of 48-34. Sacramento would tie the series at 3-3 with a Game 6 win in the Chase Center, but would fall in Game 7 despite a combined 38 points from Sabonis and Fox. The Kings re-signed forward Harrison Barnes and traded for guard Chris Duarte in the offseason. The Kings newest additions and returning faces alike must play key roles in pushing the Kings to another spot in the NBA playoffs.
“That's what we want. That's what we compete for,” Kings head coach Mike Brown said, via Andscape senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears. “We're already a good team. We're already a playoff team, and so we're competing for a championship just like everybody else. And the first thing that you have to do in order to attain anything in life is you have to believe in it.
“If you don't believe in it, it ain't going to happen.”
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