Season Recap

Alex Kramers

There’s nothing quite like watching De’Aaron Fox with the basketball in his hands, weaving, spinning and slicing through defenses, accelerating with such a quick burst that his opposition can only guess which way he’ll go.

It’s been long established that few players, if any, can keep pace when No. 5 lowers his head and races the length of the court, and even fewer can stay in front of him when he unleashes an inside-out dribble or hesitation crossover and glides in for a lefty layup or zips a pass to a cutting teammate.

With no shortage of moves in his bag, the 6-foot-3 guard was one of only nine qualified players in the league to rank in the top 20 in both points (23.2 per game) and assists (5.6); the other eight were all named All-Stars. Sacramento’s primary scoring option and best distributor, Fox finished with at least 30 points and five assists 11 times in 59 appearances, the 14th-most in the league.

For most players, averages north of 23 points and five assists would constitute a career year; even among the game’s best, typically only All-NBA mainstays reach those thresholds with regularity. But while he was still near the top of the leaderboards, Fox’s season-long numbers dipped in comparison to the high precedents he established the year prior, when he set career-bests with 25.2 points, 7.2 assists and a 20.7 PER.

After a slower than usual start, however, the speedy guard, fully recovered from a lingering ankle injury that sidelined him for eight games, found his rhythm alongside a new pick-and-roll partner.&nbsp;

Since Feb. 9, the first night Domantas Sabonis put on a Kings jersey, Fox averaged 28.9 points – an eight-point uptick from his first 44 outings – on 58.4 percent true shooting (.503/.360/.767 splits), and dished out 6.8 assists in 15 games. His streak of 10 consecutive outings with at least 20 points on 50-percent or better from the field tied Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo for the longest by any player this season.

In their 13-game run together, the Fox-to-Sabonis connection resulted in 23 made baskets, which put the two-man combo on pace for 145 assists over the course of a full season. That would’ve been the fifth-most prolific partnership among all duos in the league, per PBPstats.com, and stands to only improve with more familiarity and repetition.

A closer look at Fox’s monthly splits demonstrates an almost perfect upward trend in effectiveness and efficiency as the year progressed.

A closer look at his shot distribution shows the strides he made as a scorer and shooter that helped bump up that efficiency.

An elite, savvy finisher around the basket, Fox converted 65 percent of his shots at the rim, a slight regression from his prior season (69 percent), but a rate that still placed him in the 84th percentile at his position, per Cleaning the Glass. Among all point guards with at least 200 attempts within four feet, only two – Luka Doncic and Ja Morant – were more accurate.

Fox continued to draw fouls at a staggering degree, too, finishing in the 90th percentile in attempts, and knocked down a career-best 75 percent of his six trips to the foul line per game.

But as defenses schemed to contain his speed in the half court and deny him avenues to the cup, Fox incorporated a larger volume of mid-range shots to keep opponents on their heels. Hunting for his sweet spots on the floor, he’d dribble inward toward the congestion in the paint, create separation by burying one foot into the ground and then step back to rise and release a soft fall-away jumper before his defender had a chance to contest.

More than half of Fox’s field-goal attempts came from inside the 3-point arc but outside of the restricted area, per CTG, an increase of eight percent from last year and 12 percent from two seasons ago. Fox not only took a higher share of shots from the middle of the floor than most floor generals, but he made substantially more of them, too. His 46-percent conversion rate placed in the 82nd percentile, within striking distance of Steph Curry (86th) and Trae Young (88th).

Fox’s proficiency from more areas on the floor is evident in his isolation scoring. While his frequency of one-on-one opportunities was virtually unchanged from last season (11 percent), his points per possession climbed from 0.87 (52nd percentile) to 1.06 (86th); of the 61 players with at least 100 possessions, only six ranked ahead of him in PPP, according to NBA.com.

The Kings were 1.9 points better per 100 possessions when Fox was on the floor, a net differential that ranked in the 64th percentile among all players, per CTG. That’s a development that deserves attention, as Sacramento was roughly two points&nbsp;worse&nbsp;with Fox on the court in each of the previous two seasons.

That positive rating was driven by how much he contributed offensively, as the Kings scored 6.6 more points per 100 with Fox in the lineup (91st percentile), plus shot better from the field, drew more whistles and committed fewer turnovers.

But despite his terrific block and steal rates, Sacramento simultaneously gave up 4.8 more points per 100 when he was in the game compared to when he sat. Fox has repeatedly committed to becoming a better, more locked-in and more well-rounded defender, and more minutes alongside Davion Mitchell, already an elite, versatile stopper, may also have a positive effect.&nbsp;

A consistent 3-pointer remains the only other major blemish in Fox’s repertoire. While he’s had extended stretches of excellent outside shooting, he’s hovered toward the bottom in accuracy relative to his position in each of the last three seasons. In his last 16 games of the 2021-22 season, however, he fired 3.8 pull-up triples per night and made 40 percent of them.

What’s clear is that the 24-year-old star is far from a finished product, and neither makes excuses nor runs from acknowledging his shortcomings.

“I wouldn’t say I had a good season,” Fox said. “I think I had a good stretch before I got hurt, but that’s pretty much all it is. Before those, I guess last [16] games, I don't feel like I played even close to my ability.”

As he builds chemistry with Sabonis – an exceptional screener, crafty passer and elite finisher at the rim – Fox will benefit from even better scoring opportunities in pick-and-roll settings and through off-ball movement. With Sacramento expected to prioritize adding more outside shooting in the offseason, he may also find more open space to penetrate the paint.

After taking another step forward in his production – and if his strong second half was a preview of what’s to come – a leap into both the All-Star and playoffs conversations could arrive in his sixth season.

“I want to be a winner at the end of the day,” Fox said. “That's how I go into every game, into every season, trying to win every single game that I step my foot on the court [...] It's definitely hard to do in the NBA and it's hard to try to turn a team and a franchise around, but it's something that I'm willing to put the work in to change.”

deaaron-fox-seeks-to-build-on-strong-finish

De’Aaron Fox Seeks to Build on Strong Finish

Home tip-off was in a new place at a new time, and he had only a few hours to cram basic sets from a new playbook, but in his Kings debut, Domantas Sabonis picked up right where he left off as a two-time All-Star with the Pacers.

He set immovable, trucking screens to free up teammates on the perimeter; he initiated dribble hand-offs; he tossed precise bounce passes to backdoor cutters when he commanded double-teams; he muscled his way around the basket with a flurry of post spins and jump hooks; and he rolled to the rim when he found cracks within the defense.

Sabonis finished that night with 22 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and a steal in 32 minutes in a win over the streaking Timberwolves, displaying all the skills that make him a triple-double threat each time he steps on the floor. He’d go on to grab double-digit boards in 11 of his next 14 appearances in a Kings uniform and dish six or more assists nine times.

The 6-foot-11 center’s averages with his new team were strikingly similar to his prior two seasons with his old one: 18.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists. The only other players who’ve matched that statline since 2019-20 are the last two MVP winners, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Despite only a handful of practices with his Kings teammates, Sabonis seemed to know exactly where they’d be on the floor and how to find them in scoring position, often slinging passes before the defense could rotate. His 27.1 assist rate ranked in the 98th percentile among NBA bigs, according to Cleaning the Glass. Only Jokic made more passes (57.6 per game) and registered more potential assists (10.9) than Sabonis since he came to Sacramento, per NBA.com.

No. 10’s ability to stay set on screens and relentlessly, creatively re-screen was just as paramount for an offense that ran the fifth-most pick-and-roll possessions in the league. Sabonis led all players in screen assists (5.8 per game) since the midseason trade and finished behind only Utah’s Rudy Gobert in points created with those picks (13.7).

That was music to the ears of De’Aaron Fox, one of the game’s best at getting to the rim and popping from mid-range, as well as Harrison Barnes and Sacramento’s other outside shooters, who had more time and space to knock down threes.

Because of how he positions his body, quickly pivots and roams to the basket, Sabonis has evolved into one of the most productive bigs in the league as the finisher in pick-and-rolls. He scored 1.33 points per possession as the roller with the Pacers in 2021-22, a mark that placed in the 83rd percentile, per Synergy Sports. The early returns on his pairing with Fox, an excellent orchestrator out of the pick-and-roll, were positive, as Sabonis scored at a similar clip in those sets (1.24 PPP; 71st percentile) and was also exceptional in transition (1.39 PPP; 91st) since the trade.

An elite finisher at the cup, with tremendous strength, creativity and footwork, Sabonis converted on 68 percent of his shots at the rim in purple and black. The Gonzaga product was a near-automatic bucket from short mid-range, too, drilling 53 percent from within four to 14 feet (88th percentile, per CTG).

As proficient as he was in the paint, Sabonis wasn't as effective behind the arc. Threes accounted for only 16 percent of his offense last season, and in 15 games with the Kings, he attempted only 17 triples and made four of them. Sabonis did connect on a promising 32 percent on roughly 2.5 tries from long distance over his last year-plus in Indiana, and an uptick in volume could further elevate his scoring efficiency and space the floor for the entire offense.

Even without the threat of the long ball, when Sabonis fired or facilitated, Sacramento was more than likely putting points on the board, one way or another. On all of his usage possessions, the Kings tallied 1.35 PPP, which ranked in the 84th percentile according to Second Spectrum.

In his 504 minutes on the floor, the Kings scored 3.9 more points per 100 possessions, a swing that ranked in the 81st percentile, and shot better from just about every area on the floor (plus-two overall; 82nd). The offense was even more potent in the 360 minutes when Fox and Sabonis played together, pouring in 115.2 points per 100; only the Suns and Hawks had higher ratings this season.

Although he isn’t a natural rim protector, the 25-year-old possesses the size and court awareness to be an impactful defender. He was exceptional on the glass, grabbing a ridiculous 28.6 percent of available rebounds (96th percentile).

That helped Sacramento maintain a slim defensive edge when he was in the lineup, as the team allowed 0.7 fewer points per 100 with its new big man. It’s noteworthy that the Kings posted a minus-1.9 net rating in the Sabonis-Fox minutes, but the offseason and a full training camp will offer ample opportunity to acclimate to each other’s games and build more chemistry on both ends.

With a foundation built around its two young stars – a lightning-quick guard who gets to the rim with ease and a physical screen-setter who excels as an offensive hub in the post – plus incumbent role players and incoming free agents who fit the offensive identity, there are plenty of new, intriguing possibilities in Sacramento.

“We didn't have much time to practice and get together and know all the sets, defensive schemes and everything,” Sabonis said. “That’s why I’m excited for the summer. We’re going to get together as a group and try to build on things early before training camp even starts. I think that’s going to help us a lot. The more we play with one another, the more we get a feel for each other … The more we kind of work together, it’s going to be better. We have big goals for next season.”

domantas-sabonis-made-big-impact-has-bigger-goals

Domantas Sabonis Made Big Impact, Has Bigger Goals

To understand why he’s known as “Off Night,” just ask any of the typically prolific scorers at his position who couldn't find an inch of room to maneuver after Davion Mitchell practically climbed inside their jerseys and into their heads.

Or forwards towering over his head who soon discovered the 6-foot-2 menace, arguably the league’s toughest pound-for-pound player, has the strength to bump them away from their sweet spots and quick reflexes to slap the ball away from them.

He arrived on the NBA scene with a reputation as a suffocating, hyperactive stopper — the incessant type who applies pressure from the moment the opposing ballhandler crosses halfcourt, drains seconds off the shot clock and refuses to relent until the possession ends — and lived up to his billing as a future All-Defensive Teamer.

“That’s always been who I am, 100 percent,” Mitchell said. “I’m a competitive dude. Being a competitor, you always want to guard the best player and see what his skills are like.”

He’s too modest to say it in so many words, but Mitchell may as well have issued a formal warning from the moment he snapped into a defensive stance. To the league’s commanders of the crossovers, the maestros of the midrange, the czars of the step-back: beware.

But with more experience, more minutes and more opportunity with De’Aaron Fox sidelined, Mitchell took over the offensive spotlight, too, averaging 18 points and 7.4 assists in 37.1 minutes across 19 total starts, nearly a quarter of the season.

“You have to kind of step your game up,” Mitchell said. “You have to be more aggressive because you’re basically the leading scorer and you’re the guy who gets the most assists out. You have to make the plays that [Fox] made and make the shots that he made.”

Mitchell was even better during a 10-game stretch to close his first season, accumulating five straight outings with at least 20 points and seven assists; only six players, all All-Stars, had longer such streaks this season. He dropped a Sacramento-era rookie-record 17 dimes on April 5, and then dished 15 helpers with only a single turnover in the season finale. 

“I’m learning to lead a little bit more, getting comfortable, knowing my role and knowing the things I have to work on,” he said. “A lot of guys get the league more easily, but there are also a lot of guys who need a couple of games or even a whole season to learn how to get adjusted to the league; I think that was kind of me. I feel like I’ve always been a good player, I can make plays and make shots. But I just had to get used to the different speeds, the [size] and the spacing, and I think that I did.”

Mitchell, a compact player with a sweet handle and launchpad hops, ranked third in assists (4.2 per game) and eighth in points (11.5) among qualified rookies overall. As a starter, he led his entire Draft class in both categories, doing so with better efficiency than the majority of his first-year peers.

And yet, as he was tasked with shouldering a larger offensive workload, there was no dropoff in his energy level and frenetic pace defensively. If it seems like Mitchell was everywhere at once, it’s because he was; no player covered more distance, according to NBA.com’s tracking data, on both offense and defense over the final 10 games.

There’s a short list of players who make life miserable for opponents on both ends of the floor – the rare, do-it-all, two-way terrors – and Mitchell, because of how he’s built physically and wired mentally, is on track to join it.

“As I’m working in the gym, I try to prepare for these moments,” he said. “I love to play defense, but when you know that you have [to run] the offense, you train for those moments.”

On March 26, in the same game he nearly triple-doubled with 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, Mitchell, a master at swiping the ball off an opponent's change-of-direction dribble, stripped Orlando’s Cole Anthony in the backcourt and glided for a game-tying layup in the closing seconds. 

Four nights later, Mitchell finished with 24 points and eight assists in Houston, and sealed a Kings win by putting Kevin Porter Jr. in a straightjacket, mirroring his every step and not permitting a sliver of daylight for the Rockets wing to get a shot off before the final buzzer. 

As the year progressed, the Georgia native, armed with a filthy first step and hesitation dribble combo, learned to slow down his moves, take what the defense gave him and play to his strengths.

Over his last 10 appearances, 36 percent of his shots came at the rim, a share that placed him in the 86th percentile at his position, according to Cleaning the Glass. When his defender retreated in fear of his drives, Mitchell changed speeds and rose into a pull-up, mid-range jumper that found the bottom of the net 49 percent of the time (81st percentile).

Mitchell also made the right reads more consistently and found a balance between hunting for his own shot and leveraging the attention he commands in the paint to create scoring opportunities for his teammates; in that season-ending stretch, his assist rate (39.7) climbed into the 98th percentile.&nbsp;

“As fast as I am, I can get by a lot of people and I can definitely create a shot for me every single time,” he said. “But you also don’t win like that. Your teammates don’t get any touches so it makes it a lot harder for them to keep going …&nbsp; If I can get them open and if they can get going, it helps us in the long run.”

Mitchell’s emergence into a more complete player on both ends doesn’t come as a surprise when considering his similar progression from a scrappy reserve to one of the best college players in the nation.&nbsp;

A four-star prospect out of high school, who ranked no higher than 33rd by any major recruiting network, he averaged 3.7 points and 1.9 assists in 34 games, all off the bench, as a freshman at Auburn. He transferred to Baylor, and after working tirelessly on his game during a redshirt year, became a steady role player as a sophomore (9.9 points and 3.8 assists) and an all-conference standout as a junior.

Although he averaged 14 points on 51-percent shooting (44.7 from three) and led the Big 12 in assists (5.5), Mitchell was still regarded less for his burgeoning offense than his suffocating on-ball defense heading into the Draft.

He didn’t have to wait long for his welcome-to-the NBA moment. By virtue of the schedule, the No. 9 overall pick was tasked with the type of cruel NBA initiation rarely asked of a rookie: lock up, stay in front of, slow down, do whatever it takes to extinguish three of the fiercest flamethrowers on the planet in Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell and Stephen Curry.

He wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

“It’s fun, because those guys are really good,” the Sacramento draftee said. “They make you work on the defensive end and I love defense. You kind of match up to their games a little bit. They’re all different players, they have three different games, but they’re all really good at what they do. They give you three different looks; things that you know you have to work on or things I’m going to keep seeing, so it kind of prepared me for my first year, even for next season.”

Because of his foot speed, reaction time and lateral mobility, Mitchell would’ve likely passed the test. Because of his preparation, he aced it.

“I watch film, definitely, of the guys I guard,” he said. “As far as a guy like Dame, you look at the different moves he goes to or what spots he likes. It’s also the flow of the game; like if you need a bucket, what shots or what moves he gets to.”

With Mitchell as the primary defender, the All-Star trio, off balance and out of sync on many possessions, combined to make only 6-of-18 from the field, committed two turnovers and drew a single shooting foul in 12 minutes, according to NBA.com. When Utah’s Donovan Mitchell (no relation) challenged the rookie on a drive to the basket, Davion stayed with him, held his ground and then snatched the ball out of his hands to ignite a fastbreak.

“He is as advertised,” Donovan Mitchell said after the game. “He’s physical, he’s quick, he does a lot of solid things defensively that disrupted not only myself but a lot of us. He set the tone defensively.”

Sacramento’s No. 15 stalled and wrecked many an offensive game plan throughout the year, and accumulated enough defensive highlights as a rookie to fill up an hour-long mixtape.

Like a shadow on his foe, moving in almost perfect synchronization with him – sometimes, even a fraction of a step ahead – the Baylor product made it practically impossible to create separation when isolated on Mitchell Island. In those situations, he allowed only 0.73 points per possession (79th percentile, per Synergy Sports) and forced opponents to cough up the ball nearly a quarter of the time.

Mitchell, relentlessly wedging through screens and sliding into position, was just as effective in pick-and-roll coverage, holding ballhandlers to 0.78 PPP (76th percentile). Among players who defended at least 300 possessions, only Utah’s Mike Conley was more successful.

“I try to just make the right play; stop my man from scoring, from getting in the paint or making a play,” Mitchell said. “It’s not a particular thing, like, Oh, I’m going to get this amount of steals. I don’t work like that. I try to stay solid and just stay in front of the best guy who has the ball.”

The Kings rookie spent roughly three-quarters of his time defending guards, who made only 40.6 percent of their field goal attempts against him. Overall, opponents shot two percent worse when Mitchell was the primary defender, the eighth-best variance among 105 players at his position who contested at least 500 shots.

With Mitchell on the floor, opposing teams scored 4.9 fewer points per 100 possessions; according to CTG, that differential ranked in the 85th percentile.&nbsp;

"It doesn't surprise me,” said former Kings head coach Alvin Gentry, “but for him to be a rookie and to be able to do some of the things that he can do defensively has been a real, real plus to us.”

Mitchell never takes an off night defensively, but he knows his offense, despite his strong finish, is what needs to be “on” more consistently heading into next season.

Because his effective field goal percentage (47.9) and three-point accuracy (32) placed in the 32nd and 31st percentile, respectively, teams still dared him to beat them from long distance. Overall, Mitchell scored less than one point per shot attempt, per CTG, a mark that placed him bottom quarter for combo guards.

It won’t happen overnight, but the Kings guard, addicted to the gym and dedicated to improvement, intends to rewrite scouting reports that peg him as a streaky outside threat.

“[I’m working on] being a more consistent shooter,” Mitchell said. “I’ll take what [defenses] thought my weaknesses were …&nbsp; and make them things that they have to cover now. They can’t keep going under every ball screen just because they want you to shoot the ball. Now, they’ll have to go over every ball screen because you can shoot the ball.”

Becoming more reliable on catch-and-shoot looks and coming off screens will be paramount as he and Fox learn how to play together. A more diverse perimeter game, Mitchell says, will blend well with Fox's biggest strengths: getting downhill and collapsing the defense.

The lineup data was limited, but the potential was evident in a win against Minnesota on Feb. 9. Mitchell, in his first game with both Fox and newcomer Domantas Sabonis, not only held his matchups to 3-of-9 shooting, but finished with 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

“I think as we play more together, we’ll get more comfortable,” Mitchell said. “Of course, it’s going to take some time … I just think a lot of people just expect [us] to be like CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard [immediately], but you can’t be like that. Those guys had years together and they complemented each other because they played with each other so much.

“Over time, we’re going to know what shots we can get to, our favorite spots, when to find your teammates – things like that. It’s going to eventually work out.”

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Davion Mitchell Ascending to Two-Way Star

Immediately after Sacramento’s 132-119 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox spotted then newly acquired big man Domantas Sabonis and wrapped his arms around him in a heartfelt embrace.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The emotion was palpable for everyone in the arena and watching on TV, but especially for Fox, who, in his five years in Sacramento, appeared to have the running mate he needed to help him end the franchise’s historic playoff draught.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sabonis finished that game with 22 points, 14 rebounds and five assists while Fox added 27 points and eight boards in the duo’s first outing following the blockbuster trade at the deadline.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fox gushed about his new teammate to the media afterwards, likening Sabonis’ strength to that of an Ox, immediately sparking a new nickname for the dynamic duo.&nbsp;

The Fox and the Ox followed that performance up with another 13-point win – this time over the Washington Wizards – that saw Sabonis record a near triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and Fox put up 26 points and four dimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It was just the sixth time this past season that the Kings won back-to-back games, and the team appeared to finally have the foundation to build something special in Sacramento.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Unfortunately, the duo was only able to log 11 more games together before injuries marred both their seasons, thus sinking Sacramento’s hopes of snapping its playoff drought.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But it was clear in the just 13 games total they played together, that both players benefitted from the ability to play off the other. In the 11 games following the wins over Washington and Minnesota, Fox put up some of his best numbers of the season, averaging 28.1 points on 52% shooting to go with 6.8 assists.&nbsp;

“Obviously, a guy like that, he takes a lot of pressure off of you because he’s such a dynamic roller, a guy that can post up,” Fox told the media in his end-of-season press conference. “I’ve always talked about how I’m seeing the best defenders every night. But we talked about how he screens, the way he passes. He opens up a lot more opportunity.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I think I score pretty well off the dribble, but just being able to just have him out there and guys that know how to play and move, something we obviously need to do more of, but it just opens up and gives a wider range of opportunities to make plays and to score.”&nbsp;

Sabonis was a walking double-double before he arrived in Sacramento and continued that trend in a Kings jersey. He put up 17.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and nearly six assists per game in his 13 outings with Fox.&nbsp;

And while their seasons were cut short, both players understand the magnitude of their pairing heading into next year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I love playing with him. Those [13] games were great. We didn’t get as much as we wanted to play together but we’re going to have a long offseason, see if we can get together and get some workouts in, have training camp. I’m just excited for next year. We’re going to go through the whole, normal process — not getting traded in the middle of the season. So, I’m excited for that.”

This offseason will be pivotal for the development of Fox and Sabonis as the foundation of Sacramento’s future, but even more so for a team that added six new players at the last year’s trade deadline.&nbsp;

Fox and Sabonis are the foundation, but two players can’t do it alone. They’ll need continued support from Harrison Barnes and new additions Donte DiVincenzo and Trey Lyles, who both proved to be valuable over the second half of the season, as well as ever-improving rookie Davion Mitchell and up-and-coming role players Damian Jones and Chimezie Metu.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It’s difficult to build that chemistry in-season though, so Fox has already started brainstorming ways to get the team together this summer so they can hit the ground running come October.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Probably half the NBA spends the offseason in LA. I think a guys will make their way there — just to try to get some weeks in together, working out,” Fox said. “Just being around each other, I think that’s what builds chemistry. That’s already [something] we’ve talked about from GMs down and players just trying to be around each other this summer. So those things are definitely in the works.”&nbsp;

Sabonis, who has been a member of four playoff teams during his six-year NBA career, echoed the same sentiment as Fox when it comes to putting in the work to build chemistry on the court.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It still takes time to play off one another and we had six new players out there playing with everybody. That’s why I’m excited for the summer,” Sabonis said. “We’re going to get together as a group and try and build on things early before training camp even starts, and I think that’s going to help a lot.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The more we play with one another, the more we get a feel for each other. We have a lot of time out there and everybody has that fire and passion that wants to play, so that’s half of the job done. So, we just have to make it work together.”&nbsp;

The Kings will undoubtedly be a different team when they step on the court for the 2022-23 season simply based off the fact they’ll have a full Training Camp to set offensive and defensive principles. &nbsp;

But it’s clear this team will only go as far as Fox and Sabonis take them. That starts with the team’s two best players developing chemistry and building a bond that brings out the best in one another on the court.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“He already had the role of leader on this team but he kind of stepped up and had the ball more in his hands,” Sabonis said. “I was out there to help him get open and attract more attention and he just took advantage of it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“He was great at making shots, anytime we needed a bucket he was there to do it. Pushing the pace, talking on defense — he really showed a side I didn’t know he had and that makes me really excited for next year.”&nbsp;

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Fox and Sabonis Eager to Build Chemistry in First Offseason Together

One of the NBA’s busiest and most active executives, Kings VP of Basketball Operations and GM Vlade Divac utilized the Draft, free agency and trade market to overhaul his team’s roster over the summer – retaining only six of 15 players from 2014-15 – and by the time the final regular-season buzzer sounded, Sacramento won its most games in eight years (33), housed an All-NBA First Team candidate and featured the League’s assist leader.

Overcoming a rash of early-season injuries that led to a 1-7 start, the up-tempo Kings – who ranked first in pace (102.2) and third in scoring (106.6 points per game), according to NBA.com – rode a five-game winning streak to climb into the eighth spot in the Western Conference in late January and finished the season by winning six of their final 11 contests, a testament to the club’s resilience and united commitment to reaching the postseason.

“My goal is to create a team that will have fun and play hard for the best fans in the league,” said Divac. “We want to win. Today or tomorrow, it’s about winning.”

Despite falling shy of the Playoffs in 2015-16, a multitude of positive storylines – from spectacular campaigns by DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo to the development of emerging standouts Willie Cauley-Stein and Seth Curry – have demonstrated that as the team prepares to move to the Golden 1 Center next season, the future of basketball in The City of Trees is brimming with optimism.

“We can’t do everything overnight,” added Divac. “But step by step, we’re moving in the right direction, and I’m OK with that.”

Rajon Passes Kings Icons - Whether he was airing out lobs from midcourt for breathtaking finishes or finding open teammates with passes from all kinds of impossible angles, Rondo’s incomparable creativity, court vision and penchant for breaking down defenses were on full display each night.

Although outside pundits questioned if his once-unparalleled and unorthodox game had faded, by the time his first season in purple and black came to a close, the eccentric floor general cemented his name into Sacramento-era annals, breaking a myriad long-standing records held by franchise legends Oscar Robertson, Chris Webber and Reggie Theus.

Less than two weeks into his resurgent campaign, Rondo unleashed a historic triple-double tear, racking up four during an incredible six-game span in which he averaged 13 points, 13.3 assist and 9.7 rebounds. With his sixth triple-double of 2015-16 on April 5, Rondo passed Webber (five, 1999-00) for most in the Sacramento-era – while also recording seven additional contests in which he fell either a single rebound or assist shy of hitting the celebrated statistical milestone.

No. 4, however, wasn’t the only former Kings superstar whose records would quickly end up in jeopardy, as Rondo tied the Sacramento-era single-game assist mark on Nov. 19, 2015 (18, Theus and Jason Williams) – only to claim sole possession of first place with 20 dishes four nights later.

The Kentucky product – who set the top four and six of the 10 highest assist games in team history –  established the Sacramento-era single-season assist record (839), once again shattering Theus’ accolade that stood for 30 years (788, 1985-86).

While only two other players in the League even cracked double-figure dishes per game in 2015-16, the four-time All-Star’s far-and-away League-leading average (11.7) not only topped ‘The Big O’ (11.5, 1964-65) for all-time franchise honors, but was the highest in the NBA since Hall of Famer John Stockton handed out 12.3 per contest 21 years ago.

‘Splash Cousins’ Debuts: During a 2014 Team USA practice shooting match with Golden State Warriors superstar duo Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Cousins lightheartedly dubbed himself the third ‘Splash Brother’ – a reference to the Golden State backcourt’s impeccable outside scoring.

Although Cousins – one of the game’s most intimidating and nearly-unguardable bruisers in the paint – entered his sixth-year campaign with only 11 total made three-pointers on 69 attempts, NBA defenses quickly recognized just how serious No. 15 was about expanding his range, as the once-playful moniker was closer to becoming a reality.

In the season opener, Cousins drilled four of five tries from behind the arc, and never looked back, launching 210 triples and connecting on 70 (33.3 percent), spreading the floor for himself and his teammates by forcing opposing big men to contest his jumpshot beyond 20 feet from the basket.

With a new wrinkle to his already-overstuffed, versatile offensive arsenal, Cousins continued to torment defenders with an array of polished post moves and a smooth perimeter touch, setting a new career high in scoring with 26.9 points per game – the second-highest average in the Sacramento era behind Webber (27.1, 2000-01) – while matching Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond for most 30-point games in a season (26, 2006-07).

The only player in the NBA to rank in the top-five in scoring and rebounding (11.5 per game) for the second consecutive season, Cousins set the Sacramento-era single-game record for points (56 on Jan. 25) and career mark for most contests with at least 20 points and 20 boards (10).

Continuing to serve as a two-way force with 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per outing, the underrated and improved defender continuously challenged defenders at the rim and battled opponents in the post, holding his counterparts to 6.1 percent below their cumulative season average within six feet of the basket and 4.7 percent below, inside 10 feet, according to NBA.com.

With two All-Star Game selections already under his belt and a possible All-NBA First or Second Team berth, the 25-year-old – one of the highest-scoring centers of the last four decades – aims to improve all facets of his exquisite all-around game in the offseason to help guide the franchise back to the Playoffs.

“(I’m) coming back better than ever,” said Cousins following an emotional final game at Sleep Train Arena. “Let’s get to work. Let’s keep moving forward … I want to bring this city back to where it used to be – the glory days.”

Curry Capitalizes: For years, while his older brother commanded the League’s brightest spotlight and tasted championship glory, Seth Curry bounced between the D-League and end of NBA benches on short-lived 10-day contracts, waiting for the opportunity to prove he belongs on the big stage.

Finally out of his MVP sibling’s shadow and carving his own path, the Duke product earned a spot in Sacramento’s regular rotation in late March after playing sparingly over the first half of the season, and responded with 16.4 points on a sizzling 48.9 percent from long range to go along with 5.3 assists per outing over his final seven appearances.

Curry – who entered 2015-16 with three career points in 21 minutes of action with three organizations – scored in double-digits in eight of his nine starts, twice matching his career high with 21 points, and notching 20 points and a career-best 15 assists against the Suns on April 11.

On the season, No. 30 ranked sixth in the League in three-point accuracy (45 percent) among all players with at least 100 attempts from behind the arc – drilling 18 of 30 attempts (60 percent) from the corners, according to NBA.com.

“When he got his opportunity, he took advantage of it … the guy can play,” said Cousins. “I’m just happy he’s being able to put his abilities on display. He’s a super talented guy.”

In addition to his offensive contributions, the energetic, 6-foot-2 guard provided consistency at both guard positions on the defensive end, utilizing his keen instincts to come up with deflections and holding his own against bigger opponents.

Demonstrating he’s comfortable playing off the ball, as well as running the offense at the point, the sharpshooting scorer and skillful playmaker has proven he's not only a worthy NBA player, but a budding franchise building block.

‘Trill’ Gets Offensive: Praised for being able to lock down guards on the perimeter as seamlessly as he can protect the paint, the exceptionally athletic 7-footer was as good as advertised on the defensive end, using his quickness, lengthy wingspan and high basketball IQ to come up with highlight-reel chase-down blocks, clog passing lanes to create turnovers and corral offensive rebounds for put-back slams.

With Cauley-Stein on the floor this season, Sacramento outscored opponents by 5.1 points per 100 possessions – the highest mark on the team – compared to posting only a 102.2 offensive rating while he sat on the bench, according to NBA.com.

Not surprisingly, among all Kings lineups with at least 50 minutes of court-time, a five-player unit featuring No. 00 alongside Cousins, Rondo, Rudy Gay and Darren Collison outscored opponents by a team-best 18.6 points per 100 possessions and recorded the team’s second-highest net rating (21.4).

Although individual stats tell only part of the story for the Sacramento draftee – a player who frequently contributes in areas that aren’t quantified in the box score – he joined Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as the only other qualified rookie to average at least nine rebounds, one block (1.7) and one steal (1.2) per 36 minutes.

While the majority of Cauley-Stein’s offense consisted of transition opportunities and ferocious dunks – contributing to his impressive 56.3 field goal percentage – over the final month of the season, the former junior-high point guard showed flashes of his untapped potential as a reliable scorer, consistently knocking down mid-range jumpshots and operating with his back to the basket.

The 22-year-old followed a stat-stuffing 26-point, six-rebound, three-steal and two-block performance against the Suns on March 25 with 21 points and seven boards in the subsequent contest, becoming the first Kings rookie with back-to-back 20-point outings off the bench since Walt Williams in 1992-93.

As he continues to hone his overall skill set – developing into a potential All-Defensive Team selection, while gaining confidence in his promising offensive game – the active big man will serve as a perfect complement to Cousins in the Kings frontcourt for years to come.

Season Recap

De’Aaron Fox Seeks to Build on Strong Finish

Domantas Sabonis Made Big Impact, Has Bigger Goals

Davion Mitchell Ascending to Two-Way Star

Fox and Sabonis Eager to Build Chemistry in First Offseason Together

2015-16 Kings Season Review