By Mark Haynes | Special to The OBSERVER
SAN FRANCISCO – NBA All-Star Weekend 2025 in the Bay Area has seen its last dunk, and the Sacramento Kings are poised to restart their season at home against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors today, Feb. 21.
Both teams have undergone significant roster changes for the stretch run.
During the NBA All-Star break, The OBSERVER sat down with former Kings power forward Zach Randolph and 2008 NBA champion Tony Allen on the set of the Out the Mud podcast to discuss the Kings’ current state and what’s needed for success after the team traded star guard De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio in a multiteam deal that returned 6-foot-5 guard Zack LaVine from Chicago and draft picks, then traded for 6-11 center Jonas Valančiūnas and 6-7 forward Jake LaRavia before picking up 6-4 point guard Markelle Fultz.
Now we will see how these moves have impacted the Kings’ future.
“The Kings have to find their identity,” Randolph, who played the last of his 17 NBA seasons with Sacramento, told The OBSERVER. “They have to re-create the culture that Chris Webber, Bobby Jackson, and all those guys created back when they were having fun selling out games in Arco Arena. They promoted Doug Christie, which is good, and they got some pieces. I think it’s an identity thing, and they have to start with building that culture.”
The Kings’ are 4-3 since the Fox trade and 28-27 overall, ninth in the competitive Western Conference. New acquisitions LaVine, Valančiūnas, and LaRavia are finding some rhythm with the team, but many questions still need to be answered if the Kings want to be considered a good team.
“I think it starts with understanding the non-negotiables and what their principles are night in and night out,” said Allen, who won a title with the Boston Celtics in 2008 during his 14 seasons. “Whenever I see the Kings play, I see Domantas Sabonis playing with heart and a grit-and-grind mentality. The rest of the team has to match his energy. The one thing I remember back when Webber and Vlade Divac and that group played was that they played hard and together. If the Kings can match Sabonis’ energy, I think it will help them get over the hump.”
The Kings have established themselves as one of the NBA’s top offensive teams over the past two seasons, with three-point shooting a crucial factor. In 2022-23, Keegan Murray set a rookie record for three-pointers made with 206 and the team collectively ranked in the top 10.
The Kings recorded the league’s highest offensive rating that year, scoring 118.6 points per 100 possessions. Mike Brown, the coach at the time, won Coach of the Year for leading the Kings to their first postseason in nearly two decades.
The 2023-24 season was similar, but injuries hindered the team, which lost in the play-in tournament. The Kings ranked in the top five in three-pointers made and the top 10 in scoring. The team has struggled mightily from deep this year, but adding LaVine – who was shooting 44.6% from distance before the trade – to the equation may help get them on track.
Defense, however, remains a persistent issue. That trend seems common every season, and it’s a league-wide issue.
“It’s a copycat league,” Allen told The OBSERVER. “Everyone tries to make their team play like whoever is winning. You have to work with what you have. For us, we knew we had to hang our hats on the defensive end. Once Sacramento realizes they have to work with what they got, they might see more success.”
Christie, promoted in an interim capacity upon Brown’s dismissal, seemingly reflects Allen’s suggestion regarding working with what you have. Under Brown, Keon Ellis struggled to remain in the rotation despite performing well in his opportunities. Since Christie took over, Ellis has started several games and become a key contributor nightly. The rest of the second-unit guys also got a slight uptick in playing time.
A coaching change sometimes can damage team chemistry, but that doesn’t seem to be the case so far for the Kings, who have responded well. Randolph believes one person could be the primary reason.
“I think Doug was a perfect replacement for Mike,” Randolph said. “He’s a guy the players respect, and he’s played the game at a level they want to reach again. As a former player, he knows what is required to be great, which will benefit this team.”
Fans may feel uneasy about the team’s current status, but the Kings might be in a position for an excellent finish to the season, one that matches many fans’ expectations at the start of the season. Former Sacramento center Jason Thompson is confident that the team is on a promising path.
On an episode of the Bleav in Kings podcast, Thompson talked about what fans need to do during this transition.
“You still have all-star caliber players in Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis,” Thompson said on an episode of the Bleav in Kings podcast. “I think it will take some time. As long as they’re in the running … I think that’s a team designed more for the playoffs.”It won’t be easy for the Kings to make Thompson sound prophetic. According to tankathon.com, the Kings face the second most challenging schedule after the All-Star break.