With a 16-14 record, the Sacramento Kings are in the mix for a playoff spot, playing their best basketball since the days of Mike Bibby, Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, and Peja Stojakovic. For the last couple of years, we've been sensing a possible turnaround for this team, but now we can officially say that the Kings are on the rise and back to being a relevant team.
The reason for this turnaround is their combination of youth and depth. De'Aaron Fox (17.9 points & 7.3 assists), Buddy Hield (19.3 points & 5.0 rebounds), Willie Cauley-Stein (13.8 points & 8.2 rebounds), Marvin Bagley III (12.7 points & 6.1 rebounds), and Bogdan Bogdanovic (14.7 points) all form a very balanced scoring attack that can be difficult to guard. On top of that, they're all very young with Bogdanovic being the oldest of the bunch (2014 NBA Draft).
After years of ineptitude under the Maloof brothers, owner Vivek Ranadive and general manager Vlade Divac are making smart decisions. They have a vision for this team and a strong sense of where they are heading. Head coach Dave Joerger is also doing a good job coaching this team, helping them grow and develop. This change in culture is exciting to see and the Sacramento faithful definitely deserve it.
They key for this young Kings team is to keep grinding and maintain a strong belief in what they can accomplish. De'Aaron Fox is blossoming into one of the best point guards in the NBA and he has the pieces around him to be successful. It's just a matter of them going through the maturation process that all up and coming teams have to go through.
I don't know if I see this team winning a playoff series this season or next, but it is definitely fun to have the Sacramento Kings relevant again. Those teams in the late 1990s and early 2000s proved that high level basketball can be played in California's capital. With some seasoning and growth, I don't doubt that the Kings will very soon return to that same level.
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