The Sacramento Kings endured an up and down 2024-25 NBA season. They finished the year with a 40-42 record, ultimately clinching a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference. Sacramento was defeated in the first play-in game by the No. 10 seed Dallas Mavericks, however, bringing an end to their season. With players such as Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine set to lead the way, will the Kings perform at a more consistent level in 2025-26?
According to ESPN, the answer to that question is no.
ESPN recently published its NBA Summer Forecast as experts predicted win-loss totals for every team in the NBA. So, where did the Kings land? According to ESPN, Sacramento is predicted to finish the 2025-26 campaign with a 37-45 record -- the fourth worst mark in the Western Conference. Instead of potentially taking a step forward and making a playoff push, ESPN believes the Kings will fall out of postseason contention entirely.
Are the Kings destined for a difficult season?
Anything can happen during the upcoming campaign, of course. Perhaps LaVine will play at an All-Star level and help Sabonis lead Sacramento back to the playoffs. In all reality, though, it is not difficult to see where ESPN is coming from.
The Western Conference features no shortage of talented teams. Rosters with higher potential and better overall players may even struggle to compete in the conference given the amount of talent. The Kings feature a number of question marks on their roster.
Even if Sacramento proves ESPN wrong and earns an NBA Play-In Tournament position or playoff spot, the chances of the Kings making a deep postseason run are fairly slim. Barring an impactful trade or two at the deadline, the Kings will not have enough depth and star-power to compete with the best teams in the West.
There is some reason for hope when it comes to the aforementioned prediction, though. If the Kings' best players can stay healthy and Sacramento plays up to its full potential, a postseason appearance will not be out of the question. With that being said, there is a realistic chance of the Kings finishing 12th in the West as ESPN predicted.
The Kings will do everything they can to silence their doubters during the upcoming campaign. Accomplishing the feat will prove to be a challenge as Sacramento attempts to navigate the deep Western Conference, however.