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The 4 biggest losers in the NBA’s bubble so far

By Luke Duffy

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 01: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts after coming down against the LA Clippers at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 01, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 01: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts after coming down against the LA Clippers at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 01, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Sacramento Kings
NBA (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) /

4. Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings find themselves in a familiar position here, unsure what their long-term future holds. This didn’t seem like it would be the case last season when they took a step forward with point guard De’Aaron Fox and challenged for the eighth spot in the Western Conference for a period of time.

They fell off in the end, but the hope was that they could build on that this season. Not only did that not quite happen (and injuries to Fox did not help), but many were left wondering why they ended up going to the bubble at all.

With the race for the final playoff spot in the West, and indeed the play-in spot that the ninth seed brings, extremely close, the Kings have looked on from the outside essentially the entire time. While in theory this was somewhat expected, it unfortunately raises more questions about where the franchise is headed.

The Kings have now missed out on the postseason for 14 straight years, an NBA record. Think about what you were doing all that time ago, it really makes you realize how long ago that was. You need to go back to 2004 to find the last time they won a playoff series, a team that had Mike Bibby, Chris Webber and Vlad Divac. Basketball was literally a different game then.

So what the bubble has exposed is just how far away the Kings are from being relevant again, despite some progress made last season. The San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns, who looked like they were on the way down (Spurs) or stuck (Suns), have found their groove in the bubble, putting them above the Kings once more.

With a core of Fox, Buddy Hield (an interesting guy in trade scenarios) and Marvin Bagley III, who has had a couple of moments in his young career, the Kings aren’t completely lost. But we have seen since the return of the league just how far away from being competitive again they truly are.