The Kings are hoping to turn their 2022-23 cinematic masterpiece into long-term success in the NBA, and next season will be telling if they’re on the right track.
Some fans aren't convinced, though. Was it luck? A fluke? A one-hit wonder?
They say they're hungry for more, but that will be on the Kings to prove, and that mission began as soon as last season ended. Sacramento didn’t make a huge splash this offseason, but the Kings’ subtle yet sturdy moves should brace them for an even more magical 2023-24 season.
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That requires a number of factors, though, starting with a look at their new roster. Things can change before or even throughout the season, but here are four reasons why the Kings' roster for the upcoming season could be better than last season's.
Continuity
This might be the most important component.
In a league that constantly is changing and looking for the next big thing, continuity is extremely rare in today’s game. Sure, the Kings didn’t land a big-name player in free agency, but by extending Harrison Barnes and bringing back a number of familiar faces, it goes to show the amount of confidence that remains in the same squad as last season’s. That matters.
NBA
In comparison, take a team like the Phoenix Suns for instance. A star-powered team with an immense amount of undeniable talent. Devin Booker. Kevin Durant. Bradley Beal. But continuity and team camaraderie clearly lacks on the roster.
We’ve seen this with other “super teams,” such as the Dallas Mavericks led by Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, or the failed amalgamation of Russell Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles with the Lakers.
It takes more than skill – no matter how many stars you have on your team – to win games and be a true championship contender.
That doesn’t mean these super teams won’t win a lot of games, but lacking chemistry and togetherness will expose even the best teams in the end. It’s a tale as old as time.
And it’s one thing the Kings won’t have to worry about, at least not next season.
Deeper depth
While the league continues to sleep on Sacramento’s offseason moves, the Kings’ depth might come as a surprise, too.
Sacramento arguably has one of the best benches in the NBA for the upcoming season.
The starting five presumably will remain the same as last season’s: De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes, Domantas Sabonis. If that is the case, Malik Monk likely has the Sixth Man spot on lock, and the rotations and different lineups Mike Brown implements thereafter will be interesting.
Guard depth includes Davion Mitchell, Chris Duarte, Colby Jones and Keon Ellis (two-way).
Duarte and Jones are new to Sacramento, but Mitchell and Ellis have shown in glimpses what they are capable of. Mitchell, in particular, is poised for a big jump in Year 3 with the Kings. His defensive intensity was huge for the team last year, especially in the Kings’ first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, when he was tasked with the challenge of guarding Steph Curry. He practically has lived in the gym all summer working on his jumper, the one thing that’s kept him off the court at times. If his offense can back up his defense, he’ll be a lethal option for the Kings off the bench.
At forward behind Murray and Barnes, the Kings added European superstar Sasha Vezenkov, re-signed Trey Lyles, picked up Kessler Edwards’ option and drafted Jalen Slawson (two-way).
Vezenkov will face the biggest test of his career as he enters the NBA following a EuroLeague MVP campaign. He has a lot to prove in his first season in the league, but the hype around him has yet to disappoint.
Lyles captured the hearts of many Kings fans during his heartwarming postseason plea, when he told reporters after Sacramento’s Game 7 loss that he’d love to return to the 916 for the 2023-24 season. He got his wish, and he’ll be reunited with fellow Kentucky Wildcats Fox and Monk for at least another season.
Last season, Brown had trouble finding a reliable backup option at center. He experimented endlessly with Lyles, Alex Len and former Kings big men Chimezie Metu and Richaun Holmes. Len saw increased minutes toward the end of the season and during the playoffs, and Lyles was inserted during small-ball lineups that proved to work.
Len and Lyles’ impact was rewarded by the Kings bringing them back, in addition to Sacramento signing 6-foot-10 center Nerlens Noel, 7-footer Neemias Queta and also reuniting with Skal Labissiere this offseason.
Not a rookie anymore
After a season full of picking up the team’s Chick-Fil-A tabs during road games, Keegan Murray’s chicken duties are no longer.
Entering a pivotal sophomore season, Murray’s rookie expectations have become Year 2 musts.
Murray was one of the most impactful rookies last season. He started on a playoff team, broke the rookie 3-point record, was named to the All-Rookie First Team and finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting.
He averaged 12.2 points on 45.3-percent shooting from the field and 41.1 percent from 3-point range last season. In the Kings’ final four playoff games against the Warriors, Murray averaged 14.5 points on 51.1-percent shooting from the field and 45.8 percent from downtown, along with eight rebounds and one assist per contest.
And that was just the beginning.
Murray’s sophomore leap will be integral to the Kings sustaining their newfound success. General manager Monte McNair and the Kings aren’t hoping for it to happen – they’re depending on it.
“We know we need Keegan to take another step,” McNair said in an exclusive interview with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater and Sam Amick. “And one of the ways he can do that is to be more of a second or third option as opposed to a fourth or fifth option.”
Even after an impressive first NBA season, the 23-year-old opted to play in the Kings’ first two summer league games last month. Why? Brown wanted Murray to continue to work on his game, and Murray agreed.
Murray balled out in the California Classic at Golden 1 Center, dropping 41 points on 55-percent shooting from the field and 54.5 percent from deep in the second game, a 95-83 win over the Miami Heat.
McNair recently revealed that Murray was challenged by Brown this summer – and Murray didn’t disappoint.
"Coach Brown challenged Keegan and said 'I want you to grow your game this summer and what they want you to do is play a couple games in summer league, where you could be the guy and I want you to go in transition and dunk on somebody,' " McNair recalled while speaking to NBC Sports California’s Kyle Draper on the latest episode of “Kings Central: Offseason Review.”
“ 'I want you to create off the dribble, I want you to take the end of the shot clock shots.' And Keegan being Keegan, he just comes out and drops 70-plus in two games and says, 'Yeah coach, I got that.' "
From being compared to Kawhi Leonard to making Paul George’s greatest current shooter’s list, the expectations for the young forward are sky-high. And it’s only a matter of time until fans inside G1C are belching his last name once again.
All-NBA duo
The 2022-23 season was the first full season of the Fox-Sabonis duo, and boy did it unlock a powerful pairing that no one expected in the West.
The bridging of the two All-Stars brought out the best in each other. Fox had the best season of his career last season, averaging 25 points on 51.2-percent shooting, along with 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.4 minutes played.
Fox was named an All-Star for the first time in his career, and to the All-NBA Third Team alongside Sabonis. Fox’s ability to step up in the most critical moments was a joy to watch last season, and it earned him the league’s first Clutch Player of the Year Award.
Even after an incredible regular season, Fox had a lot to prove in his playoff debut. He didn’t say much before Game 1, but his game did plenty of talking.
Fox averaged 27.4 points on 42.4-percent shooting, along with 5.4 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 2.1 steals per contest in the seven-game series.
His talent has always been there, but the addition of Sabonis helped unlock his full potential.
For Sabonis, the Lithuanian big man made everyone around him better during his first full season in Sacramento. He finished the year topping the league in rebounds and double-doubles while averaging 19.1 points on 61.5-percent shooting from the field, in addition to 12.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists.
Together, the All-NBA duo led a historic offseason last season, and they're ready to take things a step further in 2023-24.