The Sacramento Kings have been the laughingstock of the NBA for a while, but especially since the firing of former head coach Mike Brown.
As of Feb. 26, they have the worst record in the NBA (13-47) and have gradually regressed since the 2022-23 season, when they made the playoffs. They even suffered a 16-game losing streak from mid January to late February.
Responsibility for said regression can be spread across several areas. Sacramento has dealt with coaching instability, underwhelming star production from Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, and poor front office decisions.
It will take a lot of moving parts, money, and time to do, but the Kings can be relevant again to compete in the Western Conference, and here’s how.
The Need for a Coaching Change
The first step for the Kings to achieve success in a timely manner is to part ways with Christie. They need to hire someone with a proven track record of winning with a successful franchise.
The first two head coaches who should be at the top of Sacramento’s wishlist are current free agents Tom Thibodeau and Michael Malone. They could also look to make headlines in the sports world by hiring a successful WNBA head coach, Becky Hammon. Each of the candidates has a proven track record in big-time situations, with Malone even winning an NBA championship in 2023 with the Denver Nuggets.
If the Detroit Pistons can go from the most consecutive losses in a season to a playoff team within one year, then the Kings are capable of doing it too. But it must start with the person leading that team, and that person cannot be Christie.
Drafting Young Talent for the Future
Sacramento is in dire need of youthful building blocks on its roster. In the past year, the front office traded young, bright players such as De’Aaron Fox and Keon Ellis for older and much more expensive talent.
With the Kings’ current place in the standings, they should be receiving a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA draft. There are five college prospects they should have at the clear top of their draft board. Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Houston’s Kingston Flemings, and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler.
Each of these prospects are capable of leading NBA franchises. If Sacramento can build a stable environment for them to grow, the future can be brighter than The Beam.
Having a Very Busy Offseason
In order for the Kings to turn their operation around, they need to have a productive offseason this summer. A new coach and franchise centerpiece would be a good start, but it won’t be enough. They should be active in trade negotiations.
Sacramento’s first move should be trading their expensive and older veteran players. Veterans like LaVine, Sabonis, and DeMar DeRozan are all expendable as the franchise looks towards the future of its core. They’re all on expensive contracts. Moving off them would free up much-needed cap space.
Why not dream big, right? Giannis Antetokounmpo has been in trade rumors for years. Kevin Durant‘s relationship with the Houston Rockets doesn’t seem to be great, nor is LeBron James‘ with the Los Angeles Lakers.
There should also be more manageable free agents to add in an effort to round out the roster. Collin Sexton, Mark Williams, John Collins, and Jonathan Kuminga are all names to keep an eye on.
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Plenty of Room for Growth
Ultimately, the Sacramento Kings have avenues to improve their situation. Especially with the cap room they can create, they can set up the next iteration of their team with tools to work with.
It ultimately comes down to how effectively the front office evaluates its position — and whether it commits to building sustainably for the future.
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