A Royal Pain
Fansided

Sacramento Kings: 3 Candidates For Most Improved Next Season

By Rafe Wong

SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Sacramento Kings mascot Slamson joins the huddle prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 10, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Sacramento Kings mascot Slamson joins the huddle prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 10, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
SACRAMENTO, CA – FEBRUARY 10: Sacramento Kings mascot Slamson joins the huddle prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 10, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – FEBRUARY 10: Sacramento Kings mascot Slamson joins the huddle prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 10, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

With the Sacramento Kings just a couple of months away from playing in their 2019-20 campaign, who are the top candidates to win the team’s most improved player award.

This upcoming season is a big one for the Sacramento Kings. The purple and white have made great strides in their rebuild so far and now the objective is to make the playoffs and give their youth some much-needed experience. Anything less than a postseason berth would be considered a bust even with the tough Western Conference getting tougher.

How the Kings performed last year is why there is so much pressure to this season. It was a surprising year, to say the least. Sacramento was projected to win around 25 games last year but ended up finishing with a record of 39-43 and was one spot shy of earning a ticket to the playoffs.

A reason why the Kings made strides in their rebuild was due to the improvement of their youth. Last season, guys like De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Marvin Bagley III performed better than expected. As a result, the Kings exceeded expectations and even had both Fox and Hield as top candidates for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award.

After having a solid season, Sacramento now faces the pressure to make the playoffs this season. For them to achieve their goal, they need to have another season where guys on their roster not only surprise the Kings community but the NBA world.

So who are prime candidates to make that leap of improvement this year? To me, there three guys that stand out amongst the Kings’ roster. Let us analyze those players.

Home/Kings News