The Sacramento Kings faced yet another stinging loss on Monday night, and one of their biggest stars isn't feeling great about it.
Following Sacramento's defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics, Zach LaVine spoke with the press and gave a frank and concerning statement.
“The vibe is not good,” LaVine said to NBC Sports, before adding that the team isn't happy with how they have been playing, collectively and individually. Throughout his press conference, LaVine appeared frustrated and disappointed.
A bad mood in Sacramento can spell certain doom
Clearly, this is not what fans want to see, especially since the end of the season is going to be very tight and Sacramento's playoff chances are completely up in the air right now. Seeing LaVine seem so dejected about how his team is doing is concerning, but it's even more uncomfortable for fans because they have seen this before.
Again and again throughout NBA history, players have grown unhappy with their teams. It's an understandable feeling, of course, but it can sometimes be a sign of very serious problems in the front office and locker room. When a player then makes a public statement sharing their feelings, it only makes the situation more perilous. If LaVine is this unhappy in public, imagine how he is in private.
Many times, when someone has talked like this to the press, they have been on the verge of demanding a trade. That likely isn't the case here, but it is a startling snapshot into the mindset of the team, or at least one of its players.
The good news is that other Kings stars pushed back on LaVine's opinion. Keon Ellis downplayed the comments and said that the team is aware of problems, but players aren't too upset with how things are.
Fans are worried that the situation could fall apart even more in the days ahead because the Kings have to face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, and Orlando Magic next. The Thunder are obviously the biggest threat, but no one should count out any of these teams, especially the Blazers, who are battling to reach the play-in tournament too.
Then, as the season comes to a close, they have to battle teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, and surging Phoenix Suns. Losses to these teams could dampen the mood even more, but imagine what some wins could do.
The Kings need to play with urgency, but they also have to perform with a belief in what they can achieve. No one blames LaVine for being angry at recent losses, but it's important that the vibe in the locker room doesn't get too dour. History suggests that there is a point when it's hard for teams to come back from such negative feelings.