The Sacramento Kings have officially committed to a future without De'Aaron Fox. After weeks of speculation and rumors, Fox was sent to the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team deal that brought former Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine to Sacramento.
LaVine will now reunite with former teammate DeMar DeRozan, thus creating a roster that's eerily similar to the group that had Chicago stuck in basketball purgatory.
DeRozan and LaVine spent three seasons as teammates with the Bulls, playing together between 2021-22 and 2023-24. During that time, they made just one postseason appearance, losing 4-1 to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round in 2022.
That statement is underwhelming in its own right, but the more concerning element of their time as teammates is the fact that Chicago never won fewer than 39 games during that time.
There isn't a direct comparison to be made between the Bulls and Kings, but the roster similarities go beyond DeRozan and LaVine's presence. Both teams had All-Star centers, a high-level perimeter defender, an impressive scoring guard, and productive young players with potential.
If the Kings are going to avoid falling into the depths of basketball purgatory in the same way the Bulls did, then they'll need Keon Ellis and Keegan Murray to turn the corner.
Kings have rebuilt Bulls, but Keon Ellis and Keegan Murray offer a way out
Ellis and Murray represent a future that the Bulls, quite frankly, didn't have in two key areas of the game. Chicago certainly wasn't devoid of talent, but the shortcomings of Patrick Williams and the injuries sustained by Lonzo Ball proved to be their ultimate undoing.
If the Kings are going to avoid a similar fate, then they'll need Ellis and Murray to live up to their potential on both ends of the floor.
Ellis has been one of the Kings' breakout players in 2024-25, primarily on the defensive end of the floor. His instincts and tenacity have made him an invaluable member of the rotation, as Sacramento can comfortably match him up against an opposing team's primary perimeter scoring threat.
Ellis is now coming into his own as an all-around player, posting averages of 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 2.2 three-point field goals made in 24.8 minutes per game since Dec. 28—shooting the lights out at a clip of .492/.462/.895.
Murray, selected by the Kings at No. 4 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, sadly hasn't been as encouraging in 2024-25. He's averaging 3.2 fewer points in 1.5 more minutes per game and has seen sharp decreases in his field goal, three-point field goal, and free throw percentages.
Thankfully, there have been signs of improvement, as he's averaged 12.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.2 offensive boards, 1.3 assists, 1.0 block, 1.0 steal, and 2.3 three-point field goals made on .493/.405/.600 shooting since Jan. 6.
If Ellis and Murray can continue to provide efficient two-way contributions, the strengths that DeRozan, LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis bring to the table will be accentuated. The margin for error is virtually nonexistent, however, as the Kings are playing with fire as they look to improve upon the Bulls' formula.
In a deep and talented Western Conference, Sacramento will rely on its up-and-comers to give it a realistic chance at making the playoffs and avoiding purgatory in future seasons.