Sacramento Kings: 5 biggest disappointments from 2017-18 NBA season
It was another lost season for the Sacramento Kings in 2017-18, as they finished with a 27-55 record, good for 12th in the Western Conference.
The Sacramento Kings had yet another disappointing regular season in 2017-18, failing to qualify for the playoffs for what is now the longest postseason drought in the NBA at 12 seasons.
Heading into their first season without franchise centerpiece DeMarcus Cousins since 2009, the Kings had an interesting mix of veterans and youngsters, with guys like Zach Randolph and Vince Carter brought in to mentor rookies De’Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson.
A deadline trade saw them ship away free agent acquisition George Hill in exchange for Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Iman Shumpert, who was unable to suit up for the team due to injury.
While nobody was discussing him in the Rookie of the Year conversation, Fox had a quality first year in the NBA, averaging 11.6 points and 4.4 assists in just under 28 minutes a night.
The most surprising aspect of Sacramento’s season was 2014 first round pick Bogdan Bogdanovic finally making his way to the states, performing admirably with 11.8 points and 3.3 assists per game.
For years the Kings have been trying to get back to NBA relevance, building through the draft and establishing a winning culture. The front office hasn’t done such a great job though, as the organization continues to whiff on talent every year.
Sacramento is a city that loves its team. It was one of the loudest arenas in the early 2000s, where some coaches had to wear earplugs to drown out the noise.
The future looks bright. With De’Aaron Fox flashing greatness during his rookie campaign and the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft in tow, the Kings should hopefully progress up the Western Conference standings in the coming years.
This shouldn’t take away, however, from what was ultimately a disappointing 2017-18 season — one that had little excitement and even fewer wins. Here are the five biggest disappointments from the Kings’ most recent campaign.