What were the best moments from the Sacramento Kings season?

Apr 24, 2024, 7:30 AM

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 16: Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Kings is congratulated by De'Aaron Fox #5 and Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings during their game against the Golden State Warriors in the second half during the Play-In Tournament at Golden 1 Center on April 16, 2024 in Sacramento, California. 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

BY JOSEPH JAROSZ

Former Editor

We’ve all had a few days to digest the end of the Sacramento Kings season.

The Kings finished the season with a 46-36 record. Sacramento fell from winning the division and being the third seed in the playoffs to fighting for a play-in spot and missing the playoffs.

Despite the lows, there were plenty of highs throughout the season. We’ve asked Sactown Sports hosts and staff their favorite moments from the past year and what the Sacramento Kings need to accomplish this offseason.

Carmichael Dave

Favorite moment from this past season: Easy, knocking out the Warriors. It’s not enough, and I’m not satisfied, but seeing the crowd so happy that night was amazing.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Sacramento Kings just knocked the Golden State Warriors out of the play-in. And they win in emphatic fashion…118-94 the final. Next up, the New Orleans Pelicans. pic.twitter.com/wuJlRpD6kM

— Kevin John (@heykevinjohn) April 17, 2024

Biggest needs this offseason: Figure out Malik Monk then solidify the two and three.

Jason Ross

Favorite moment from this past season: I am one of the few who seem to enjoy the entire journey. If you do enjoy the whole thing then those disappointing losses or big blown leads make those wins that may seem mundane much more enjoyable. As far as the best moment, it would have to be the 24-point comeback win over the Warriors in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament and the win over the Warriors in the play-in.

MALIK MONK WITH A CIRCUS SHOT GAME-WINNER! Sacramento came back from down 24 to beat Golden State, 124-123! 😳🟪

Kings advance to the quarterfinals of the in-season tournament against New Orleans!

Warriors choked & turned the ball over TWICE in the final minute!

WHAT A GAME!… pic.twitter.com/AEcKP0kZO4

— Courtside Buzz (@OfficialNBABuzz) November 29, 2023

Biggest needs this offseason: The Sacramento Kings need more length on the perimeter. The Kings aren’t that long in comparison to other teams and it showed drastically when they played the Pelicans in the regular season and the play-in game where they got eliminated. New Orleans has about five or six of the type of guys the Kings could use.

Chris Watkins

Favorite moment from this past season: Keegan Murray’s 47-point game against the Utah Jazz. It was an incredible atmosphere in the arena, and seeing Keegan at full power from beyond the arc was eye-opening. This was the one game I attended this season as a spectator, and I don’t think I could’ve gotten a better show.

Watch all 12 of Keegan Murray's 3-pointers from his 47-point career night! pic.twitter.com/gedyM7nlal

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2023

Biggest needs this offseason: Besides bringing back Malik Monk, the biggest need would be to get another person on the floor who is comfortable creating their shot and shots for others. The biggest glaring weakness of this team, once Monk went down, was the lack of another option besides De’Aaron Fox. Too many times it became De’Aaron going into superhero mode.

Allen Stiles

Favorite moment from this past season: Selfishly, when Malik Monk had an insane dunk against the Suns and I ended up on the arena screen looking shocked.

MALIK MONK OH MY GOODNESS 😱

Kings-Suns | Live on the NBA App
📲 https://t.co/wqLb9gbzTT pic.twitter.com/vPNWmq89Rm

— NBA (@NBA) December 23, 2023

Also, the comeback against the Warriors to get into the knockout round of the in-season tournament.

Biggest needs this offseason: They need to keep Malik and add a true three-and-D wing.

Kevin “Whitey” Gleason

My favorite moment this past season was the Fox-less OT win at Minnesota on March 1st. Malik saved the day with 39 points, even after missing some huge free throws that set up the overtime. Four other players were in double figures, which is always a sign that the Sacramento offense is functioning at a high level. Add some postgame bellyaching from Rudy Gobert, and you’ve got, for me, the Kings’ most memorable win of the year.

Malik Monk got BUCKETS tonight in the Kings OT win 😤🪣

39 PTS (season high)
16-29 FGM
5 3PM
4 AST pic.twitter.com/QrD0G1yvrl

— NBA (@NBA) March 2, 2024

Biggest needs this offseason: With 46 wins, the Kings posted the most regular season victories for a team that missed the playoffs since the 2017-18 Denver Nuggets. Fun fact, Trey Lyles was on both teams.

So, what do they need the most this offseason? Shooting! The Kings were third in three-point attempts this season but only 16th in percentage. Also, they were dead last in free throw percentage. Shooting in basketball is like pitching in baseball in that every team could use more of it, and the Kings need a lot more of it next season.

Kyle Draper

Favorite moment from this past season: The 24-point comeback win against the Warriors in November.

Biggest needs this offseason: More on-the-ball playmakers, guys who can get their own shots and also create for others.

Frankie Cartoscelli

Favorite moment from this past season: My favorite moment this season was Malik Monk’s game-winner against the Warriors. It was such a chaotic sequence and finish, one that the Kings have historically been on the wrong side of, but not this time. That was probably my favorite game of the season as well.

Biggest needs this offseason: After keeping the roster largely intact for two seasons, Sacramento should look to upgrade one or two of its starting spots. That will certainly be a lot easier said than done, but general manager Monte McNair and the front office will have to find the right formula it will take to bring in a starting-level talent that can play alongside the team’s core of De’Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis