Sacramento Kings: 2017-18 NBA season preview

Predictions

While so much lies in the unknown for the Kings, there are well known external factors that they will have to deal with for the entire regular season. The Western Conference stands as the strongest it has ever been in recent memory, with arguably 11 teams who could conceivably compete for a playoff spot heading into the year.

To cut to the chase, the Kings will very likely not be one of those teams that vie for a playoff spot, even under an ideal set of circumstances breaking their way.

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Although this season will probably extend their playoff-less streak to 12 consecutive seasons (and possibly counting), the Kings frankly don’t need a playoff berth to validate any progress that is hopefully made over the course of the coming year.

This is year one of a long-term project they are undertaking and with that, building for the future will require a lot of patience. No step can go unfinished.

Fast tracking this process will only be to their detriment and will repeat a vicious cycle for a franchise that has repeatedly been unable to get out of its own way for as long as many can remember.

While the ups and downs the Kings will experience over the next couple of seasons will be done in order to shape a better future, they have finally brought some much-needed clarity with their overall direction after unsuccessfully aiming for middling mediocrity for some time.

Next: Complete 2017 NBA offseason grades for all 30 teams

To finally put a number on it, let’s go with the Kings winning around 26 games for the upcoming year, ensuring another high lottery pick (in terms of record), but hopefully showing some bright spots along the way.