The Sacramento Kings haven’t finished a season with a winning record since 2006. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2004. And now, after the blockbuster trades of Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns and Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, the Western Conference’s current No. 3 seed’s path to continued success just got more difficult.
While it’s easy to sit here and point fingers at what went wrong with the Brooklyn Nets, the Kings might actually be the biggest losers of Durant and Irving finding new teams.
This isn’t to say the Kings, thanks to De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, won’t continue their winning ways. It’s just that Durant and Irving on other West contenders — two teams just behind Sacramento in the standings — complicates those matters.
After the Durant and Irving deals, NBA fans felt terrible for the poor Kings.
The West just got brutal.
If the Kings have any designs on hosting a playoff series this year, they’re going to need to make a move…..
— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) February 9, 2023
All of a sudden the kings are good and everyone in our division decides to trade for superstars …. Shessh ! Your turn kings! #SacramentoProud
— RuDy (@Mr_Okicks1) February 9, 2023
kings: [are good for the first time since the GWB administration]
western conference rivals: pic.twitter.com/ooxHxnfrWX
— Tom Ziller (@teamziller) February 9, 2023
Gut feeling is a lot of Kings fans are going to be disappointed today by the correct decision to mainly stay put.
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) February 9, 2023
bruh i just woke up to the KD trade…it’s always the kings vs. the association
— Jose Orozco (@RichandAsado) February 9, 2023
The Kings trying to go to the playoffs while everyone in the west upgrading pic.twitter.com/JX7yLsIBpZ
— Nate (@NateH714) February 9, 2023
I really think the Kings need to make a move ASAP! Solidify the team and defense fast because those West teams that got trades going … they're creeping up!
— Alan Diep (@ayediep) February 9, 2023
The #West is absolutely stacked! They have legit 7 teams that could possibly represent the west in the #NBAFinals.. sorry #Kings #Wolves and #Portland you are the 3 that can not in the top 10.
— Jared Reinitz (@JaredReinitz) February 9, 2023
Went from kings don’t need to make a big trade move , but we definitely do now to stay top 6 in the west
— Arturo Santana (@King_churn0) February 9, 2023
These trades shake up everything in the West. The Kings and the Nuggets are good teams having great seasons but they won’t be able to hang now 😭
— Luka/Kyrie Szn (@Hoopsketballer) February 9, 2023
