It's safe to say that no one in the national sports media scene has any faith in the Sacramento Kings this season. That includes the Bleacher Report, which recently put the Kings at number 30 in its power rankings for the next three seasons. It's another presumptive nail in the Kings' coffin.
Since the departure of Rick Adelman 20 years ago, the Kings have rarely even flirted with relevancy. They have made it to the postseason in one season out of 20, a tough record to be sure. Last season was one of the worst, finishing with a record of 22 wins and 60 losses. It wasn't great to watch.
The Kings have had absolutely zero stability as an endless stream of coaches, front office leadership, and players have flowed through the franchise. For a team to find success, consistency is important at all levels. Without that, a winning mentality will continue to elude the Kings.
At the core of this is the only consistent factor, Vivek Ranadive. The managing owner of the franchise has spent 13 years meddling in all its aspects. There are no signs that Ranadive has any intention of selling the team anytime soon, meaning that he will continue to be a major factor in Sacramento.
Bleacher Report is both right and wrong
History and Ranadive's management are at the core of the reasons why the Bleacher Report says the Kings are at number 30 in their power rankings over the next three years. It's hard to argue with that, as the Kings' track record over the last two decades has been borderline horrifying at times.
While there have been some positive changes recently, it's not really enough to declare this franchise rehabilitated. The Kings need to prove themselves to the league, the media, and their fans. But Sacramento may also be closer to doing that than the Bleacher Report is giving them credit for.
GM Scott Perry has already shown some success in his rebuild. The last two drafts have gone very well for Sacramento, which has already proven to be a difference-maker. Beyond that, the Kings have made other smart moves under Perry that will start bearing fruit in the next couple of seasons.
Does that mean the Kings will climb out of the NBA's basement any time soon? Probably not. Perry himself has made it clear that this is a long-term process. It's hard to blame the Bleacher Report for their opinions, but the next three seasons will show more Kings' progress than they think.
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