Jay Williams believes the Kings are the second best team in the West to win it all

Oct 27, 2023, 10:15 AM

Monte Morris #11 of the Denver Nuggets moves the ball against Harrison Barnes #40 of the Sacramento...

DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 26: Monte Morris #11 of the Denver Nuggets moves the ball against Harrison Barnes #40 of the Sacramento Kings at Ball Arena on February 26, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images)

(Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images)

After last year’s Cinderella season, many believe the Sacramento Kings have what it takes to make another leap this year.

The Kings finished the 2022-23 season as the third seed in the Western Conference, claimed the Pacific Division title for the first time in years, and took the, at the time, defending champion Golden State Warriors to seven games in the first round of the playoff. In the offseason, instead of landing a big free agent, the organization decided to run it back with its core group.

Because of all that, ESPN’s Jay Williams is the latest national pundit to claim the Beam Team is ready to make a big leap. And that leap is contending for a championship.

“Denver is the favorite, we all know that. Sacramento got the best odds, in my opinion, to contend for a championship, more than any other team in the Western Conference other than Denver,” Williams said on Thursday’s edition of First Take.

After Williams’ prediction, host Stephen A. Smith started asking if the Kings have a better chance over both Los Angeles teams and Phoenix. Jay Will didn’t waiver, saying yes every time.

Earlier in the show, Williams also made two hot takes about the Golden State Warriors. First, he said they’ll be a Play-In Tournament team. He believes the Warriors’ age and size is going to be a detriment. Even though the average age for the Warriors is 29 years old, their stars — Steph Curry (35), Klay Thompson (33), Draymond Green (33), and Chris Paul (38) — are all over 30 with injury history.

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