2013-14 Finish: 60-22

Season Highlight



The Sacramento Kings had an outstanding 2013-14 season, and their play throughout the regular season and playoffs was all highlight worthy. Arguably the Kings best player, Chris Paul, missed a third of the season due to a slew of injuries. In spite of this fact, the Kings still finished first in the west with 60-22. To top it all off, the experience fantastic success in the playoffs, making it to the NLL Finals and only losing four games on the way. Unfortunately for Kings fans they couldn’t get over the Cleveland juggernaut. An amazing season, any way you slice it!





Season Lowlight



The Paul George injury. Even though the season had technically finished, Sacramento was rocked with the news that their young star PG would miss the entire upcoming season due to a sickeningly gruesome double break in his leg. This was well publicised as it occurred during his duties for Team USA. I don’t like any player getting hurt, but this was something else. Could change him as a player forever, but let’s hope not.





Best Trade



The Kings didn’t need to do a whole lot of trading as they have a ridiculous core of 4-5 who just get it done every night. Most trade were done with financial incentives in mind (cut costs). However, if I had to pick one:



The Philadelphia 76ers send Udonis Haslem to the Phoenix Suns. The Phoenix Suns send Tony Allen to the Sacramento Kings. The Sacramento Kings send Kirk Hinrich to the Philadelphia 76ers.


The Philadelphia 76ers receive 2 GM points. The Sacramento Kings trade -2 GM points

The Kings get a defensive juggernaut in Allen for their third string point guard.





Worst Trade



The Denver Nuggets send Kirk Hinrich and Travis Outlaw to the Sacramento Kings. The Sacramento Kings send Gary Neal and Alex Len to the Denver Nuggets. 



Sacramento was desperate for a point guard, but this was a trade that drew ire from the vast majority of the NLL. Alex Len had just been a lottery pick and Hinrich and Outlaw are way on the wrong side of 30.





Other Notable Trades



The Phoenix Suns send Kosta Koufos and Darren Collison to the Sacramento Kings. The Sacramento Kings send Larry Sanders and Glen Rice Jr. to the Phoenix Suns.
The Sacramento Kings send a 2nd-Rounder (Orl) and 2nd-Rounder (Sac) to the Phoenix Suns.



The Kings send out Sanders (due to his contract) and Rice Jr. (who has had a big pre season). Having said that, both Koufus and Collison are serviceable.





The Orlando Magic send Boris Diaw and Gerald Henderson to the Sacramento Kings. The Sacramento Kings send Tyreke Evans to the Orlando Magic.
The Orlando Magic send a 2nd-Rounder (Orl) to the Sacramento Kings.



Another deal where it seems like the Kings give up the best player. It appears to matter little, however, as their roster is still staaaaacked. Gave the Kings some fantastic depth to help them get all the way to June.






Best FA Signing




Star

 â€¨â€¨JR Smith - When you play on a team full of stars, but can still manage to score 26 points a game, you know you’ve put in work. Or you just love to shoot. Smith averaged 26 points per game on a fantastic 46% shooting while also throwing in five rebounds and 2 assists per game. Could have been any number of people, with Love, George and Paul all worthy. A true NLL gunslinger who never met a shot he didn’t like.





Surprise



Kosta Koufos - The back up big man averaged a cool 6 points and 7 rebounds off the bench in just 20 minutes. That’s some great per minute production, particularly on a team that has no need for him to score at all. Provided the Kings with some great center minutes throughout the season.





GOAT



Hard to single out a GOAT when a team is a dominant and well-rounded as the Kings are. Travis Outlaw comes to mind, just because he hasn’t done anything of worth in years but he still keeps getting paaaiiiiid. Yeah, okay, I’m okay with that. Outlaw is the GOAT.





Draft Report Card



The Kings had a good draft in 2014 and came away with Jordan Adams late in the first, and Tavares and Bairstow late in the second. Adams is from UCLA and has some great basketball instincts and a knack for scoring and ball-thievery. However, it is well documented that he was pretty much the least athletically gifted player at the entire combine. 

The Kings did well to nab two big guys in a second round that didn’t feature too many. Tavares is a massive dude, and Bairstow is the Aussie product who has showed some positive signs already in his pre-season action. Handy for the Kings financially if they can keep these rookies and their low salaries to help balance the books.





Looking To The Future



The future is extremely, blindingly bright. They have some financial constraints they need to navigate, and I’m certain this will come in the way of trades. Sac-town have been advertising players like Collison, Hill and Diaw for trade, as they’d need a cap of 120 million to contain their current player contracts. Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Paul George, JR Smith have amazing chemistry and thoroughly dominated last season. They are all still Kings in 14-15. Expect another big season, despite not having George.





Upcoming Free Agents



Hill and Diaw are technically free agents but will re-sign. George is an RFA but will be held onto. No free agents of note to speak about. Also has to worry about signing the rookies, so I can’t see Sacramento being much of a player in FA this season.