The Kings’ fatal flaw that will destroy their 2025 NBA championship chances

Once this news came out DeMar DeRozan will go to CaliforniaEveryone’s eyes suddenly focused on Sacramento Kings,

…but it only lasted for a moment.

The hype quickly died down, and the Kings once again returned to obscurity in terms of media and fan attention. It’s hard to blame people for sleeping on the team. Over the past two years, Sacramento has had trouble proving that they are more than a borderline playoff team. Even with DeRozan, this modern era of basketball where there have been many failed superteam experiments creates skepticism among the general public.

Fans and analysts alike want results. In short, for the Kings to gain more recognition, they must embark on a memorable playoff run or even take home that elusive NBA title.

So far, things are not looking very promising; The Kings go 0-5 to end their preseason schedule. While there will always be debate about the lack of importance surrounding preseason games, this sample size of outings can more or less give an idea of ​​the potential shortcomings that may carry over into the regular season.

And what is the biggest obstacle to stopping the Kings at this time? Simply, their lack of size.

Frontcourt reinforcements needed

Kings attack will be fun to watchThere is no doubt about it. DeRozan’s entry certainly turned the Big 3 of De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk into a Big 4. However, watching the preseason games, it is easy to notice how the Kings are weak on the court. With 6’8 Keegan Murray as the stretch four and a pair of starting wings who are both no taller than 6’6 (DeRozan, Keon Ellis), the height discrepancy against much taller opponents is cause for concern.

The impact of such a lineup is visible as the Kings – through all five preseason games – Ranks last among NBA teams in blocks (2.8 bpg) and 29th in defensive rebounds (30.0 DREB/g). It’s not like they barely use the starting lineup. Murray, Fox, DeRozan and Sabonis have all played less than 26 minutes per game, making this issue even more highlighted (stats via NBA.com).

For those bringing up the “preseason is just preseason” argument, here are some stats from the 2023-24 season. Sacramento ranks 28th in blocks (4.2 bpg) and 13th in opponent points in the paint (48.9 per game). While his overall comeback numbers were good, It was mostly due to Sabonis.Who averaged 13.7 boards per game. Behind him, Murray was the team’s second-highest rebounder at 5.5 per game. And more worryingly, 6-foot-3 De’Aaron Fox was the third-best board man with 4.6 rebounds per game.

Overreliance on Sabonis in the paint won’t work out too well in the long run. For one, he’s not really a rim protector. Secondly, in any situation where he is not available to play, the Kings will be in real trouble at the bottom. Behind Sabonis, Trey Lyles is the main big man off the bench. While he has the ability to stretch the floor, Lyles only stands at 6’9. Alex Len is a true center, but his offensive limitations raise questions about whether he should be given more minutes.

At the moment, the most optimal solution is a trade that does not involve transferring their main offensive weapons. At a minimum, it would be best for the Kings to add a defensive-minded forward with length to help Sabonis – such as Jonathan Isaac, Matisse Thybulle or Dorian Finney-Smith. Of course, a more ideal scenario is to get an installed paint protector, but that would cost the team a lot.

Sacramento’s lack of size is what is keeping them from reaching the second level (and proving the doubters wrong). No matter how much scoring ability a team has, it’s essential to fix other armor holes in a league where the smallest of advantages separate contenders from run-of-the-mill teams. And for the Kings, getting a much-needed boost to the frontcourt is a good start.