The Sacramento Kings have struggled mightily out of the gate. We’d love to remain positive, but there are not a lot of nice things to say after the first three games of the season.
Early season struggles are typically something that NBA teams can break through — there should never be any panic or overreaction in the month of October. The start of the 2019-’20 Sacramento Kings season is a unique case. We have not yet hit Halloween and the panic button has already been pressed.
It is not just that the Kings are struggling. It is not just the fact that they are off to an 0-3 start in a season with expectations. Their issue begins with the fact that they have lost those games by an average of 23 points.
The Kings look unrecognizable. A team that was fresh and exciting just nine months ago is now stale and stagnant. They have lacked passion and intensity, and have struggled to find any kind of identity through the first three games of the season.
So what does hitting the panic button do, exactly? It is apparent that the Sacramento Kings need a change. Are the free agents that were signed over the summer weighing them down? They can’t be traded until December 15th. Is the coach the issue? Probably, but he just signed a 4-year deal in the offseason and is unlikely to be moved any time soon.
Should the Kings trade one of their core pieces in order to shake things up? Bogdan Bogdanovic and Harry Giles have both been named as possible moving pieces, though there are no official rumors of an impending trade.
Sacramento’s next game is on Monday against the Denver Nuggets, a game that will likely feature a 10+ point betting spread despite the Kings being the home team. Their game Wednesday will be against the Charlotte Hornets, who many believed would be the worst team in the NBA this coming season. A loss in that game would send the entirety of the Kings fanbase in to hysteria and dismay.
So how do the Kings fix this mess? They have a lot of digging to do to get out of the hole that they created for themselves, and it likely isn’t just one thing that needs repair. But one thing is for certain: the Kings can’t just sit back and let this happen. We deserve better.