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The Sacramento Kings are one of the struggling franchises in the NBA and have not qualified for the playoffs in the past 14 years. The franchise last won an NBA championship in 1951 as the Rochester Royals and haven't even advanced to the Finals since then. However, that never deters a team from making moves to improve their chances every year. Sacramento Kings acquired big man Hassan Whiteside in the offseason, and it didn't come as a surprise to anyone as they were in desperate need of a center.
Most of the attention this year is going to fall on young point guard De'Aaron Fox as he signed a max contract extension earlier in the offseason. He needs to prove to the league that he deserves that kind of money and can increase it by getting accolades.
Sacramento Kings 2020-21 NBA Season Preview: Tough chance at a playoff spot but certainly not out of the question
The Sacramento Kings are emerging as a new team to look out for in the future. Their fast-paced and high-shooting backcourt of De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield has the potential to take this team to a deep playoff run soon. We are just starting to see the capabilities of the Kings; the roster is extremely young and is still developing.
The Kings ranked 21st in rebounds and 27th in blocks last season. The lack of a bonafide big man always hurt the team despite their above-average offense. The recent acquisition of Hassan Whiteside helps the Kings immensely as the 7-foot center averaged double-digit rebounds in each of the past six years and led the league in blocks twice.
Sacramento Kings 2019-20 NBA Season Record
Regular Season: 31-41 (.431)
Conference: 12th seed (Western)
Division: 4th position (Pacific)
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Key Acquisitions
C Hassan Whiteside, F Glenn Robinson III, G Tyrese Haliburton
Hassan Whiteside is making his return to his rookie team, the Sacramento Kings. He has grown in bounds since his rookie year, and he has a knack for getting triple-doubles that feature double-digit blocks instead of assists.
As already mentioned, the addition of Hassan Whiteside is going to improve the Kings' chances at a playoff spot. The team was in sore need of a big man and now they don't have to worry about rebounds and blocks.
The 30-year-old center isn't the only player the team acquired as they drafted point guard Tyrese Haliburton with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Nobody expected Haliburton to drop till the 12th selection and the Kings were more than happy when they got the opportunity to draft him.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
G De'Aaron Fox, G Buddy Hield, F Harrison Barnes, F Marvin Bagley III, C Hassan Whiteside
Complete Roster
F Nemanja Bjelica, G Tyrese Haliburton, F Richaun Holmes, F James Justin, G Cory Joseph, F Frank Kaminsky, F Chimezie Metu, F Jabari Parker, G Jahmi'us Ramsey, F Glenn Robinson III, F Robert Woodard
Overview
The Sacramento Kings are the up-and-coming squad in the Western Conference. Although they aren't quite a playoff team, they are certainly improving. The Kings have shown promise in their ability to win games with their point guard, De'Aaron Fox, improving drastically each year and putting up big numbers.
De'Aaron Fox just signed a 5-year, $163 million max extension with the Sacramento Kings and he is going to be the key to their success. Fox will have to prove he is worth the kind of money he is being paid and many expect him to make the leap to All-Star this year.
All eyes will be on De'Aaron Fox and his growth in the Kings. The team hopes to build around Fox, Hield and Bagley, as mentioned by the coaching staff.
Prediction for the Sacramento Kings' 2020-21 NBA season
The roster is young, doesn't feature any All-Stars, and they have missed the playoffs routinely since the mid-2000s. However, the acquisition of Hassan Whiteside can still give them a chance to win games and the opportunity to make a playoff spot.
Last offseason, teams like the Nets and Clippers showed promise, and All-Stars were attracted to join a potentially winning team. The Kings can follow a similar fashion and start to show their capabilities so that All-Star free agents will want to come there. The spotlight will be on Fox, Hield, and Bagley and how they grow.
Also Read: How to watch NBA preseason games today: 12th December 2020
