22
Oct
Team Profile
Sacramento Kings: Five things you need to know
The California franchise Sacramento Kings have more cowbell than any other
- Oldest NBA franchise with a storied history dating back to 1923
- Made the playoffs in 2023 after a 16-year drought, ending longest active postseason absence in major North American sports
- Known for exciting "Greatest Show on Court" era in early 2000s led by Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic and Mike Bibby
The Sacramento Kings are one of the NBA's oldest and most historic franchises, tracing their roots back to the Rochester Seagrams founded in 1923. In over 100 years, the franchise has had stints in Rochester, Cincinnati, Kansas City and Omaha before eventually making history as the first American sports franchise based in Sacramento. After claiming their lone championship in 1951, the Kings have endured a 74-year title drought—the longest in NBA history.
2024-25 NBA Season Summary
- Record: 40-42
- Finish: 9th seed (Lost in Play-in)
- All-Star Selections: Nil
The Sacramento Kings experienced a minor decline in the 2024/25 season, with the team marking their first sub .500 season for the first time in two years. The Kings experienced a mid-season shake up, parting ways with coach Mike Brown and franchise cornerstone De’Aaron Fox. New coach Doug Christie was able to wrestle back the Kings’ abysmal start, finishing the final stretch of the season 27-24 and winning qualification to the play-in tournament. The Kings possessed a top 10 ranked offence in the league, which is expected with the offensive talent on show, but their defence is a key area in need of improvement. Their perimeter defence in particular was poor last season, giving up the third most three-pointers in the league.
Offseason Moves
Re-signing
- Doug McDermott returns on 1-year deal
Additions
- Drew Eubanks joins via free agency
- Dario Šarić joins via trade with Nuggets
- Dennis Schröder agrees to 3-year deal
Departures
- Jake LaRavia departs in free agency to Lakers
- Jonas Valančiūnas departs via trade with Nuggets
The Sacramento Kings have had a questionable offseason. Not only do the additions of Drew Eubanks, Dario Saric, and Dennis Schröder not move the needle, they arguably leave the Kings worse equipped to tackle the 2025/26 NBA season. Dennis Schröder is a quality guard who has spent some time moving around the league, but his $44 million contract is an interesting deal to commit to. It clearly represents the Kings’ desperation to fill their starting point guard position which has been lacking since De’Aaron Fox departed.
Moving on Jonas Valančiūnas and getting no real direct replacement of the same quality was an interesting move considering it places the Kings in a worse position when it comes to depth at centre. The addition of Dario Saric, who can play a hybrid forward/centre role has no real upside, especially when the Kings are calling out for an additional bench player who can add that little bit extra to their lacklustre bench.
2025/26 Predicted Lineup
- Point Guard: Dennis Schröder
- Shooting Guard: Zach LaVine
- Small Forward: DeMar DeRozan
- Power Forward: Keegan Murray
- Centre: Domantas Sabonis
Australians who have played for the Sacramento Kings
Matthew Dellavedova: Born in Maryborough, Victoria, Dellavedova signed with the Kings in July 2022. Known for his tenacious defence and playmaking abilities, he provided veteran leadership during the 2022–2023 NBA season. Dellavedova has also been a key member of the Australian national team, contributing to their success in international competitions.
Chima Moneke: Nigerian-born and raised in Australia, Moneke signed a two-year deal with the Kings in July 2022. Prior to joining Sacramento, he played in Europe and was named MVP of the Basketball Champions League. Moneke's signing added depth to the Kings' forward rotation.
History of the Sacramento Kings
Starting out as the Rochester Seagrams in 1923, the franchise experienced a lot of success in their early years across different associations of basketball in America. The franchise wrote their name into NBA history winning a championship in 1951 as the Rochester Royals.
In the Kings 74-year championship drought, the franchise has relocated numerous times with the organisation finding their feet on the financial and business front. They eventually found their home in Sacramento and have competed as the Sacramento Kings for 40 years.
The Kings' greatest era came in the early 2000s, when the "Greatest Show on Court" featuring Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, Mike Bibby and others consistently contended in the Western Conference. While falling short of a championship, this team left an indelible mark on NBA history with their exciting style of play.
After years of struggles, the Kings returned to prominence in 2022-23 by making the playoffs and pushing the defending champion Warriors to 7 games. The Kings have hit a minor decline, missing out on playoff basketball for the past two seasons. The Californian franchise has opted to go in a different direction, bringing in new faces across the lineup and opting to move on from 2023 NBA Coach of the Year, Mike Brown.
Identity
The Kings have embraced an up-tempo, exciting brand of basketball in their most recent seasons. The Kings are used to playing an offensive system centred around the passing and versatility of centre Domantas Sabonis. Since moving on from De’Aaron Fox, the Kings up-tempo basketball has subsided under new coach Doug Christie. The Kings now field a lineup with a surplus of shot creators and isolation scorers who will change the dynamic of the Kings offence.
Culturally, the Kings have developed a passionate fanbase that rallies around the "Light the Beam" tradition - illuminating a purple victory beam from atop Golden 1 Center after wins. This has created a unique home court atmosphere and sense of community pride.
Five Fast Facts
- The Kings' 16-year playoff drought from 2007-2022 was one of the longest in NBA history
- Oscar Robertson and Nate Archibald are among the Hall of Famers who played for earlier iterations of the franchise
- The team's mascot is Slamson the Lion, who debuted in 1997
- Sacramento rallied to keep the Kings from relocating to Seattle in 2013
- The Kings have had the longest active playoff drought in the four major North American sports leagues multiple times
Club Timeline
- 1923: Rochester Seagrams founded
- 1945: Join National Basketball League as Rochester Royals
- 1951: Win NBA championship
- 1957: Relocate to Cincinnati
- 1972: Move to Kansas City-Omaha, later just Kansas City
- 1985: Relocate to Sacramento
- 2002: Reach Western Conference Finals, lose controversial series to Lakers
- 2006: Last playoff appearance before 16-year drought
- 2023: Return to playoffs, push Warriors to 7 games in first round
After a midseason shake up last year that changed the Kings on the court system and outlook, the Kings head into the 2025/26 season with major question marks hanging over their heads. Sacramento’s offseason was pretty poor, and their roster doesn't feel more equipped to book a playoff berth in the upcoming season. Despite having quality across a roster spearheaded by Sabonis, DeRozan and LaVine, key weaknesses remain for the Kings particularly their defence and bench depth.
