[Editor’s note: The following article is from Athlon Sports’ 2024-25 NBA season preview magazine. Order your copy today .] In hopes of making a deeper playoff push, the Sacramento Kings achieved two key offseason goals.
They declined to break up their core group — De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Malik Monk — while making a big free-agency move in acquiring DeMar DeRozan in a sign-and-trade with Chicago. And they granted head coach Mike Brown a three-year contract extension. Will that enable the Kings to make a postseason run? It’s hard to say, because the Kings compete in a crowded Western Conference.
Nonetheless, Sacramento believes that its approach will give it the best chance to compete amid salary-cap restrictions and small-market disadvantages. It may also ensure front office, coaching and roster stability after experiencing nearly two decades filled with frequent turnover in all three departments. The Kings look to the Denver Nuggets as validation for their philosophy; Denver won the 2023 NBA title after experiencing various learning curves and injuries in previous seasons.
Matt Marton-Imagn Images FRONTCOURT On paper, the Kings have one of the league’s most dynamic frontcourts. Sabonis has become a versatile scorer as well as one of the league’s best rebounders and passers. The Kings didn’t include Murray in any trade discussions this offseason because he has morphed into a dependable all-around player as a versatile defender, score.