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The Sacramento Kings haven't made a lot of big moves this offseason, but they have certainly gotten better, making some depth signings to bolster their young and talented roster.
The Kings entered the offseason with a ton of cap space, but it was widely accepted that no big names would be signing in Sacramento. Still, the Kings spent some money, adding veterans Trevor Ariza, Dewayne Dedmon and Cory Joseph while retaining Harrison Barnes. That is a significant collection of added players to fill in gaps and reduce weaknesses.
Did Sacramento overpay for some of these guys? Probably, but a ton of teams in the league overpaid for role players, so it's really not that big of ad deal.
Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Kings' offseason:
3. They Focused on Defense
The Kings may have contended for a playoff spot in the Western Conference for much of the 2018-19 campaign, but it wasn't because of their defense: They ranked just 19th in the league in defensive efficiency this past season.
Vlade Divac and Co. made sure to address that issue this summer as best as they could, signing three defense-minded free agents in Ariza, Dedmon and Joseph, all of whom are not scrubs offensively.
As for Barnes? He is not known as a great defensive player, but at the very least, he can guard multiple positions, giving Sacramento some versatility in its starting lineup.
The Kings should certainly be better on the defensive end next season.
2. They Became Really, Really Deep
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You may not realize it, but suddenly, the Kings are one of the deepest teams in the league.
Think about this for a second: Sacramento has Barnes, Buddy Hield, Ariza and Bogdan Bogdanovic on the wing, and both Barnes and Ariza have the ability to play the 4 in smaller lineups. That is pretty solid.
Not only that, but the Kings have numerous big men, including Dedmon, Marvin Bagley, Harry Giles and Nemanja Bjelica.
Basically, Sacramento has at least one capable reserve at every position, and given how much De'Aaron Fox, Bagley and Hield should improve going into next season, the Kings could be scary.
1. They are Ready to Make the Playoffs
Again, the Kings contended for a playoff spot for a good portion of this past season, but ultimately came up short, winning 39 games. The West was too deep and formidable, with the Los Angeles Clippers getting the No. 8 playoff spot.
However, Sacramento should absolutely be a playoff contender next season, and the additions the club has made this summer prove that the Kings can smell a postseason berth and are pushing for it.
It will be tough in an improved Western Conference, but Sacramento has a great shot of snagging one of the lower seeds thanks to its combination of youthful talent and veteran savvy.
Something the Kings sorely lacked this past season was experience, and now, with the pieces they've brought in this offseason — coupled with the fact that the youngsters have gotten a taste of meaningful basketball — Sacramento should be ready to make a serious push in 2020.
In a couple of years? Look out: The Kings could be the next big thing out West.
