Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
I know there is a ton of optimism surrounding the Sacramento Kings and the teams potential to be a playoff team this upcoming season. Now I want to believe that just as much as the next guy, but there have been no indications of any team in the Western Conference becoming significantly worse.
In this piece I will be giving an early projections piece on the Western Conference and we will see whether or not this Sacramento Kings team makes the cut. Do not assume just because you are on a Sacramento Kings blog site, that I will automatically put them in, but then again, maybe I will.
Let’s begin.
Next: The First Seed
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
1) Los Angeles Clippers
This team has to be considered the favorites over the reigning champions. The Clippers added a veteran leader in Paul Pierce and the team also added the player that kept them from reaching the western conference finals in Josh Smith. Let us not forget about the one and only, Lance Stephenson, as another player the team has added to their fully loaded depth chart.
The biggest news for their offsesaon however, was not a new player acquisition, it was the retaining of their highly sought after center DeAndre Jordan. Initially Jordan had a verbal agreement with the Dallas Mavericks on four-year, max contract, but faster than you can say “DeAndre” his mind changed and he wanted to return to his team. Can you say rivalry game?
The Clippers still have two All-Star players in Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, you add a more experienced depth chart behind and them and you have your number one seed in the Western Conference.
Next: The Second Seed
Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
2) San Antonio Spurs
It honestly would not surprise me that if you ask me on any other day that I would probably project the Spurs to be the number one seed over the Clippers, but as you can see I have them at number two.
The Spurs arguably had the best offseason over any other, with the signing of forward LaMarcus Aldridge and the contract extension with future all-star Kawhi Leonard. The team also was able to keep its core of reliable veterans including the father of time himself, Tim Duncan.
It’s making it even harder for me to not have them as the number one-seeded team just writing this right now, but this is also their feel out year, and let us not forget about what coach Gregg Popovich tends to do with his star player; he “Pops” them (Meaning he will sit them out of games).
The team has depth, talent, and an amazing coach, these are all the combinations of a title contender–the entire NBA should be afraid. Not to mention they have themselves two of the best young studs in the game on their roster for the next few years.
Next: The Third Seed
Jun 19, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors hold the trophy during the Golden State Warriors 2015 championship celebration at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
3) Golden State Warriors
The reigning NBA champions, last years Western Conference leaders, will be the three seed at the end of the 2015-2016 season.
The team did not lose any of their key guys–Stephen Curry will continue to be the league MVP, the Splash Bros are in the backcourt, Draymond Green stays, and well you still have you glue guy in Andrew Bogut. The only reason why I have this team dropping two spots is not because I am a Warriors hater, but the two teams above them got significantly better.
With their main core now locked into have multiple seasons together, it will be fun to see if they can repeat their championship run, and become two-time winners.
Next: The Fourth Seed
Feb 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard
Russell Westbrook(0) and forward
Kevin Durant(35) during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
4) Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder I feel are getting put on the back burner as being listed as title contenders. The team has a former MVP in Kevin Durant, they have a top 3 point guard in the league in Russell Westbrook, and of course they have a one-two punch combo of Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter.
During this offseason, the Thunder and head coach Scott Brooks have decided to part ways, after missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2009-2010 season. They now have 49-year-old, Billy Donovan replacing Brooks as the teams new head coach, after an amazing 19 seasons with the Gators.
The pressure and expectations will be extremely high on Donovan to succeed; his creativity on the offensive end is what has drawn him in to Oklahoma and he will be expected to make the team take that leap back into the NBA finals.
Can they do it? I really don’t know, but coach Donovan sure does have a team that wouldn’t make me want to bet against him.
Next: The Fifth Seed
Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
5) Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are an extremely good team night in and night out, but they always seem to lack one big thing: three-point shooting.
As of now their roster is shaping up to have that same problem, however the acquisition of small forward Matt Barnes makes the teams starting five a threat on both ends of the floor. The team’s leader and this past seasons dark horse runner in the MVP race is Marc Gasol, but the player I am most intrigued to see is point guard Mike Conley.
Conley is hands down the most underrated point guard in the league today and his return to the playoffs, with the mask on, and helping his team to victory, only solidifies that statement even more. The Grizz was my pick this past season to win it all, and I feel they had an excellent showing in the playoffs, but when you are matched up with the NBA’s best, it’s always a steep hill to get over.
We will see what happens going into this new year, but the roster is solid and this seeding should not even be up for debate in my opinion.
Next: The Sixth Seed
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
6) Houston Rockets
Surprising right, how could I have a team that was just in the Western Conference Finals, was just the number two seed, slide four positions down?
It’s a great question to ask, but my answer has been the same since their final game of the year; this Houston Rockets team exposed their weaknesses. Now I know it’s not fair because the team was never fully healthy throughout the entire season, whether it be Dwight Howard, Patrick Beverly, Terrance Jones, and I know there are more.
Regardless, the team proved that they relied way too much on James Harden (who was my vote for MVP) to carry them through every game. The team did add Ty Lawson to the roster, but with the baggage he is carrying into that Rockets locker room, it could be a bit risky having him on their team. Additionally, who do you start now at the point guard position because Houston also retained this past season’s starter Patrick Beverly?
The depth of the team is decent, but not great and it once again looks like Harden will have to be relied heavily once again, which makes me believe teams will notice that as well. I probably should mention more about Dwight and how the team could look for more help from him, but we have seen it, the guy is not the same ever since he left Orlando. He is a great sidekick.
Next: The Seventh Seed
Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
7) New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are coming off of their first playoff berth since Chris Paul left them back in 2011 and have emerged as on of the best, young, up-and-coming teams, lead by a superstar in Anthony Davis (that’s right people I said ‘superstar’).
New Orleans is another team going under a head coaching change, and this is one that I feel is the best coaching signing this offseason, as the team now has Alvin Gentry at the helm. Gentry was most likely last seen by most people drinking champagne, as he was the assistant coach this past season to Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors.
The team has a solid young core of guys and with Davis career on the rise, the team is only looking stronger and I could honestly see this team surpassing everybody’s projections and expectations. However, they are still inexperienced and we all saw the crumble they had with a 20 point lead against the Warriors in the playoffs, so while I am high on them, having them at seven is the right call.
Next: The Eighth Seed
Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
8) Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks offseason story line between them and DeAndre Jordan, was the most entertaining story out of them all and although they missed out on obtaining the shot blocking big man they still came away with a solid NBA roster.
The biggest acquisitions for them this offseason was shooting guard Wesley Matthews and point guard Deron Williams. Looking at this teams starting five unit with Williams, Matthews, Chandler Parsons, Dirk Nowitzki, and Zaza Pachulia. Their bench is filled with a strong veteran core and can look to log solid minutes on the court to give a guy like Dirk a good break.
It seems as if the Mavericks are going to ride the back of Nowitzki one more time, as Rick Carlisle and his team will be looking to bounce back after a not so great experiment with Rajon Rondo in the playoffs. I can see how people could doubt this team, but it is led by one of the best coaches in the game today (Carlisle) and of course the former Finals MVP Dirk.
They may not have the flashiest roster or the best players, but leadership and experience give them the edge in this very early predictions piece.
Next: Why Aren't The Kings Involved?
Mar 30, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Why Did The Sacramento Kings Not Make It?
I know Kings fans, how could I be so crazy to not have this very deep roster not be in the playoffs? Well, let’s see, the team’s head coach (George Karl) and star player (DeMarcus Cousins) are still “not pretty,” the team also signed a point guard who just recently had one of his worst years of his career in Rajon Rondo, and on top of that all three of the guys involved in the two problems are all strong-minded individuals that have to find a way to all come together to make this work. That’s a lot to bank on going into year one of this basically brand new team.
The Kings are also in the harder of the two conferences since they find themselves out West. Just look at the teams that did not make this list- the Phoenix Suns, the Utah Jazz, and the Portland Trail Blazers. These are all teams that find themselves on the rise.
Like I said earlier, I understand that the team has depth at every position and that has been bringing in a ton of excitement for this team. Trust me, I love it, it’s the best team we have seen as fans since the Ron Artest era, but to have expectations of finishing over .500 (which is what is gonna be needed to make the playoffs in the West) is crazy talk.
The Sacramento Kings were a 28 win team this past season and has not sniffed the playoffs in nearly a decade, a change has to be coming, but you can’t honestly say that the change that is coming is automatically a playoff berth can you?
Let me ask it this way, if you had a chance to win $100,000 and all you have to do is choose whether the Kings make the playoffs or miss it, which side would you bet on? I am riding on the pessimistic side of the spectrum and saying that playoffs in year one is just too big of a statement to believe in at this time.
More from A Royal Pain
- 3 Ways Chris Duarte improves the Kings chances in 2023-24
- 5 Players the Sacramento Kings never should have signed
- Bleacher Report crazily lists Kings’ All-Star as “most overrated NBA player”
- Kings and Heat fans clash on Twitter to debate All-Star players
- Sacramento Kings’ Chris Duarte playing in 2023 FIBA World Cup