The Sacramento Kings have come a long way since being one of the worst teams in the league for over a decade. They have All-Stars, made the playoffs last season, and are in the first stage of building a contender in the West.
This season has unfortunately not gone according to play, derailed by late injuries to Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk. With just one game left in the regular season, the Kings are currently in ninth place in the West, tied with the Warriors and only one game behind the Lakers.
If the standings do not change, the Kings will have to beat the Warriors and then the loser of the Suns-Lakers game just to make the playoffs. While it is not impossible, we might just have to come to terms with the fact that this Kings’ squad is not a playoff team.
So, let’s look at some of the possible bad ripple effects of missing the playoffs.
3. Malik Monk might leave in free agency
Malik Monk has a tough decision coming up this summer—stay in Sacramento or chase the money somewhere else. Everyone knows exactly how much the Kings can offer Monk, and the Sixth Man of the Year candidate has earned the pay raise. If they really wanted to, it would be easy for other teams to outbid the Kings, however.
Some of them, like the Orlando Magic, for example, are even playoff teams. Being able to play at the highest level matters to Monk. He has said before, in an interview with The Athletic, that he loves Sacramento but that what they do in the postseason will impact his decision.
Ironically, it might be his injury that is keeping the team from fulfilling its potential in the postseason. So, if the Kings are lucky, Monk will feel like he has unfinished business in Sacramento due to the injury and returns for a few more seasons.
Monk might also decide that he has a better chance to make money and win somewhere else, though, and that would be bad for the Kings. Replacing him would be incredibly difficult and take away from the front office’s option to add size and defense at the forward spots.