5 Western Conference teams the Sacramento Kings need to worry most about next season
By Mat Issa
After putting together one of the best offseasons in the league, the Sacramento Kings have a real chance of making a run in the Western Conference this season.
Unfortunately, the conference is as talent-laden as ever, and in order to win multiple playoff series, the Kings are going to have to go through the gauntlet. No team that makes the play-in/playoffs will be a cakewalk, but there are five teams that will really keep the Kings on their toes.
In no specific order, here are the five Western Conference teams the Kings need to worry the most about next season.
Denver Nuggets
Listen, I will be the first person to tell you that the loss of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope greatly diminishes the Denver Nuggets' chances of competing for a conference title.
However, you can never count out a team that touts the best player in the world (Nikola Jokic) and arguably the best duo in the world (Jokic and Jamal Murray). Yes, that tandem is now without their perimeter defensive ace, but there is a chance that their young trio fills the void left by his departure.
Plus, given the two team's stylistic similarities and the Nuggets' championship pedigree, the Nuggets are kind of like a big brother to our Kings, and we all know how hard it is to vanquish your older sibling.