In 2023, the Sacramento Kings managed to get rid of the proverbial monkey that was waiting for them, ending the league’s longest streak. slump in the playoffs (16 years). However, the Kings are having an even crazier drought that no one seems to be talking about.
During the 2002–03 season, the Kings had the second-best net rating in the conference, thanks to their sixth-ranked offense and, more importantly, their second-ranked defense. In fact, in 2002–03, the Kings finished with the second-best defense (based on defensive rating) in the league.
That year was the last time the Kings were in the top 10 in defensive rating. It had been 21 years since they had a top 10 defense. In fact, before finishing 14th in defensive rating this year, the Kings went 20 years without a defense in the top 20. That’s two decades since they’ve been in the top 10. When you think about it like that, you can see why we missed the playoffs all those years!
What makes our drought even crazier is that no team comes close. None of the other 29 teams have gone a decade without a top-10 defense.
The team with the longest drought is the Washington Wizards, who haven’t had a top-10 defense since 2014-15, when they finished fifth in defensive rating. The Kings’ drought is 12 years longer than theirs.
Last year, the Kings finished with the ninth-best defense after the All-Star break. That also factors in the fact that they had worst shooting chance in the league.
Ultimately, the Kings were really close to being a good defense last year, and they get back most of the players (except Davion Mitchell) who made them successful last year.
Keon Ellis (93rd percentile Defensive Plus-Minus Rating, based on Dunks & Threes), Keegan Murray (90th percentile), De’Aaron Fox (87th) and Alex Len (75th) are all back this year, and they’re all ready to make an impact on that end of the floor.
If the Kings can play like they did after the All-Star break (and get better shooting luck), I think they have a legitimate chance to be a top-10 defense. And I really hope they do because, man, that’s an embarrassing record to have.
4 Kings players primed for a breakout 2024-25 season. dark. Next. Emerging players
