In 2022, the NBA introduced Rivals Week to showcase all the pre-existing as well as growing rivalries between teams and players.
Some of the key matchups are, for example, LeBron James and Stephen Curry meeting after years of championship battles, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid fighting over the MVP award, Luka Doncic and Devin Booker going at it, and Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama trying to separate themselves in the Rookie of the Year race.
This year, the Kings are a part of Rivals Week as well. On January 25, they will take on the Golden State Warriors, as part of a growing rivalry that first surfaced in last season’s playoff series between the two teams.
Over time, they might face some other opponents, however. So, let’s look at three teams the Kings might face during NBA Rivals Week someday.
3. Indiana Pacers
The Kings and Pacers will always be connected because of the trade that sent Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana and Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento. Trades are not always win-win deals, but this one was.
The Kings got an All-NBA center to pair with De’Aaron Fox and be the hub of their offense. With him on board, they snapped the longest playoff drought in league history. They went from being terrible for years to playing meaningful basketball. That alone is a big deal, and now the Kings have a chance to build a real contender.
Meanwhile, the Pacers got an incredibly talented young point guard to build around. Both squads are primed for a bright future, and their trade history will make them rivals for as long as these players are around.
Fans always want a reason to say that their team won the trade, and people will always question whether the Kings traded the right point guard.