In 2023, the Sacramento Kings got the proverbial monkey off their back, ending the league's longest playoff slump (16 years). However, the Kings have an even crazier drought that it seems like no one else is talking about.
It's Been A Long Time Since We've Had A Good Defense
During the 2002-03 season, had the second-best net rating in the association, thanks to their sixth-ranked offense and, more importantly, their second-ranked defense. That's right, in 2002-03, the Kings finished with the second-best defense (based on defensive rating) in the league.
That year is the last time the Kings have been in the top 10 in defensive rating. They have gone 21 years without sporting a top-10 defense. In fact, before finishing 14th in defensive rating this year, the Kings went 20 years without a top-20 defense. That's two decades of being a bottom-ten defense. When you think about it like that, it makes sense why we missed the playoffs all those years!
They Not Like Us
What makes our drought crazier is that no team even comes close to us. None of the other 29 teams have even gone a decade without fielding a top-10 defense.
The team with the longest drought is the Washington Wizards, who have gone nine seasons (since 2014-15, when they finished 5th in defensive rating) without fielding a top-ten defense. The Kings' drought is 12 years longer than them.
Can We End The Drought Next Season?
Last year, the Kings finished with the ninth-best defense after the All-Star break. That's also factoring in the fact that they had the worst shooting luck in the league.
The bottom line is that the Kings were really close to being a good defense last year, and they are returning most of the players (with the exception of Davion Mitchell) that made them successful last year.
Keon Ellis (93rd percentile Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per Dunks & Threes), Keegan Murray (90th percentile), De'Aaron Fox (87th), and Alex Len (75th) are all back this year, and they're all ready to make an impact on that end of the floor.
If the Kings can play the way they did after the All-Star break (and get some better shooting luck), I think they have a legitimate chance at being a top-10 defense. And I really hope they figure it out because, man, is that an embarrassing record to have.