2023-24 Kia Season Preview

Kings: What’s new, season prediction & 2024 free agents

Breaking down the expectations for Sacramento before the 2023-24 season tips off.

Steve Aschburner

Steve Aschburner

Archive
deaaron fox domantas sabonis

Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox led the Sacramento Kings to a drought-snapping playoff appearance, including a No. 3 seed out West.

Running it back seems a smart way to approach the new season, considering the Kings’ surprising success in finishing 48-34 and claiming the West’s No. 3 seed after 16 years of missing the playoffs. There will be no sneaking up on anyone this time around, with unanimous Coach of the Year winner Mike Brown leading a group that mostly needs extra cohesion and experience together.

What’s new?

  • Re-upping essential pieces such as Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes was as effective to the Kings’ arc as going big and flashy with a trade or free-agent signing.
  • Becoming 7-footer JaVale McGee’s ninth NBA stop makes sense when you look at his per-36 numbers (18.9 points, 10.9 rebounds last season with Dallas) and the versatility it gives Brown in flexing from Sabonis as the primary big.
  • Sasha Vezenkov comes aboard, the Euroleague MVP from Olympiacos, as a proven, in-his-prime shooter.

How far can the Kings go?

Sacramento was an NBA League Pass darling last season, a happy story with a solid starting five that didn’t lose more than two in a row from December through March. They played offense at a historic level, topping the NBA at 118.6 points per 100 possessions and 120.7 points per game. Defensively, however, they ranked No. 24 (116.0 per 100), which caught up to them in their Game 7 loss to Golden State. The Kings must tighten up at that end to advance.

1 player who must take a leap

Keegan Murray. The No. 4 overall pick in 2022, Murray slipped comfortably into Sacramento’s starting lineup and earned All-Rookie first team status, never having his responsibilities dialed up higher than he could meet. Brown did goad the 41.1% 3-point shooter to be more aggressive overall, and that’s the trait Murray most will have to demonstrate to move up in the Kings’ pecking order. Surrounded by more experienced players, he should be able to dial up his production across the board.

In-Season Tournament

The Kings are in West Group C. Here’s a refresher on how the In-Season Tournament works.

Upcoming free agents

The Kings have 11 players who will be free agents in 2024.

  • Kessler Edwards
  • JaVale McGee
  • Malik Monk
  • Alex Len
  • Keon Ellis (two-way player)
  • Jalen Slawson (two-way player)
  • Jordan Ford
  • Deonte Burton
  • Chance Comanche
  • Jaylen Nowell
  • Jeremy Lamb

The core of Sacramento’s team is signed at least through 2024-25, with reserves Monk, Len and McGee set to hit the market next summer. Two years from now, what’s needed from a complementary cast probably will change anyway: Murray, Davion Mitchell and Chris Duarte will be looking at team options from their rookie contracts.

The Kings’ full roster can be found here.

New uniforms

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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery.

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