The Sacramento Kings were one of the NBA's most pleasant surprises during the 2018-19 campaign, contending for a playoff spot in the rugged Western Conference for a good portion of the season. Now, the Kings are hoping to make their first playoff appearance since 2006, and they have the young talent to make that dream a reality in the 2019-20 NBA season.
Here are five bold predictions for Sacramento going into next season:
5. They'll Finish Above .500
The Kings won 39 games this past year, so I see no reason why they won't expand upon that total this coming season.
This is a team that is perfectly capable of winning 42 games or more, which should put Sacramento right in the thick of things in the race for the final seed in the Western Conference playoff picture.
The Kings have not finished above .500 since last making the postseason in 2006, so this would be quite the feat for the ailing franchise.
As a matter of fact, Sacramento has not even won 40 games since then, with the 39 contests it totaled this past season representing the club's high-water mark.
4. They'll Have a Top-10 Offense
The Kings ranked 15th in offensive efficiency in 2018-19, a major jump from 2017-18 when they finished 29th.
Look for Sacramento to make yet another leap this coming season and finish in the top 10 in offensive efficiency.
From De'Aaron Fox to Marvin Bagley to Buddy Hield, this squad is loaded with offensive talent, and thanks to Bogdan Bogdanovic and veterans like Trevor Ariza and Nemanja Bjelica off the bench, it also has some depth.
The Kings' defense will be another story, as they are still a ways away from being an elite defensive team, but offensively, Sacramento is going to be putting it on opposing clubs this coming season.
The Kings have shooters, slashers, post scorers, you name it. They can score in a myriad of different ways, and that will be on full display right off the bat in late October.
3. Marvin Bagley will Challenge for Most Improved Player
Sacramento had a couple of guys who challenged for the Most Improved Player of the Year award this past season, as Fox and Hield represented very viable candidates.
This year, it will be Bagley's turn.
Bagley had a terrific, albeit abbreviated, rookie campaign, averaging 14.9 points and 7.6 rebounds over 25.3 minutes per game while shooting 50.4 percent from the floor in 62 contests.
I actually feel that Bagley, not Fox or Hield, is the Kings' best young player moving forward and will eventually develop into the No. 1 option, as he is insanely gifted on the offensive end.
Watch out for Bagley to show major improvement in his second season, which will capture the attention of voters and have him in the running for Most Improved Player.
2. Sacramento will be a Very Tough Place to Play Again
Back in the early 2000s when the Kings were one of the best teams in the NBA, Arco Arena was one of the most difficult places to play. Sacramento made cowbells famous, and the fans were as rowdy as you've ever seen.
The Kings now longer play at Arco, as they now host their games at Golden 1 Center, but the same fans remain, and Sacramento began to show signs of rebuilding its home dominance this past season, as the Kings went 24-17 in their building.
With Sacramento on the upswing, that record will almost surely be more impressive this coming season, and it would not surprise me to see the Kings win around 30 games on their home floor.
Of course, Sacramento will also have to learn to win on the road, but for a young team, it all starts with consistently winning in front of your own crowd, and I expect the Kings to do that in 2019-20.
1. The Kings will Make the Playoffs
The Clippers, Lakers, Nuggets, Warriors, Jazz, Rockets and Blazers all seem like locks to make the playoffs in the Western Conference, leaving only one playoff berth available.
I think that spot will go to the Kings.
Yes, they'll have to battle with several other ballclubs for that eighth seed, but I think Sacramento's talent will prevail in the end.
The Kings were the ninth-place team out West in 2018-19, finishing nine games behind the Clippers for the final playoff spot in the conference. I expect them to close that gap considerably, and with the Thunder almost a lock to fall out of the top eight, someone is going to have to replace them as the eighth team.
Why not Sacramento?
I still think the Kings are a couple of years away from truly being a threat, but they are on their way, and they will begin to show the league what they are capable of this coming season.
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