Can Sacramento Kings still make the 2025 NBA Playoffs?
The Sacramento Kings hosted the Dallas Mavericks at the Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night as part of the 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament. The winner of the game faces the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum on Friday to determine the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
After a close first quarter, the Mavericks took control of the game in the next period to blow out the Kings and earn an easy 120-106 win. That means Sacramento is not going to make the 2025 NBA playoffs and will have an early offseason. They have no shot of qualifying since Wednesday's game was a knockout contest.
Domantas Sabonis had a poor game for the Kings, finishing with just 11 points. He did grab 13 rebounds and dished out five assists, but those weren't enough. DeMar DeRozan was the lone bright spot with 33 points and seven rebounds, while Zach LaVine contributed 20 points and nine dimes.
Sacramento Kings' up-and-down season ends in disappointment
The Sacramento Kings had high hopes of making the playoffs this season, especially after DeMar DeRozan joined the team last summer. DeRozan joined De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis to form a new Big 3 under coach Mike Brown.
However, the Kings were inconsistent to start the season with a 9-11 record at the end of November. They had a lousy December at 5-8, firing Mike Brown before the end of the year. They named Doug Christie as the interim coach and slightly revitalized the team, leading them to a 10-4 record in January.
Despite regaining some momentum, Fox demanded a trade and was granted. Zach LaVine arrived in Sacramento, reuniting him with DeRozan. They struggled in March to barely make it to the NBA Play-In Tournament. They finished at 40-42, failing to advance to the postseason after getting humiliated by the Dallas Mavericks.
What's next for the Sacramento Kings?
The Sacramento Kings could be heading for a rebuild after another disappointing season. The Kings have several veterans who could bring in a few assets to restart the franchise. Domantas Sabonis is arguably their best player, who still has three years left in his contract at the age of 28.
DeMar DeRozan will have two years left on his deal, but at age 35, there might not be a lot of suitors. He's still a great scorer and clutch player, but his lack of 3-point shooting has always affected his value.
As for Zach LaVine, he has a massive contract and murky injury history that will hinder his potential trade. He does have a player option for the 2026-27 season, but he'll likely opt in rather than risk not getting a huge contract in free agency.
Other possible trade candidates include Keegan Murray, Malik Monk and Keon Ellis. Murray is just 22 years old and is eligible to sign his rookie extension after the 2025-26 NBA season.