Sacramento Kings wrap season with a victory and a long way to go

SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 11: Nene Hilario
SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 11: Nene Hilario /
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The Sacramento Kings won their final game of the season, but with only 27 wins there is a long way to go to return to the playoffs.

The Sacramento Kings concluded their season with a victory on Wednesday over the Houston Rockets.  The Rockets rested their starters and were only concerned with the upcoming playoffs.  The Kings took advantage winning 96-83 in front of their home crowd.  We saw progress from the young Sacramento team this season, but how far do they have to go to reach the playoffs?

I talked extensively about the Kings playoff drought here if you care to read more about it.  A dozen seasons is way too long, but in reality, the team is still far away.  They finished 12th in the Western Conference this season.  The Kings were a full 20 games behind the eighth and final playoff team and had to jump three others teams to get there.  It was not a near miss this season.

Signs of hope

  • Buddy Hield played fantastic basketball down the stretch, and he could be the 20 point per game scorer that every playoff team needs.
  • De’Aaron Fox showed signs of growth this season and is one of my top breakthrough picks for next season.  His elite speed makes him dangerous, but some small tweaks will take his game to the next level.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein had his second straight post All-Star Break bust out.  WCS has proven he can be a force down low for the Kings, but he needs nightly consistency to help the team.
  • The Kings found a wing with a ton of talent in Bogdan Bogdanovic.  That young man is a joy to watch and is a piece for the organization to build around.

That talented core four plus another (likely) top ten selection in this year’s draft gives Sacramento some intriguing upside.  I do not expect the Kings to make the playoffs next season, but hopefully, we see growth.  35 to 40 wins and improvements from their core players would go a long way in restoring my faith that they are close to ending their playoff drought.

Final thoughts

Another NBA regular season is in the books, and the Sacramento Kings struggled once again.  There are plenty of signs of hope for the future, but only time will tell if they can lead the Kings back to the playoffs.  Stay tuned for plenty more season wrap up content before we transition to covering everything you need to know about the team this offseason.  Thanks for following along with us this season.

Next: 10 greatest individual seasons in Kings history

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