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Dec 6, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) and forward DeMar DeRozan (10) embrace before a game the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Could This Mindset Switch Be Key to Kings' Success?

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Will Zimmerle | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 11:21 PM ET

After a dream 2022-23 season, which saw the Beam Team break the long 16-year playoff drought, expectations skyrocketed for the Sacramento Kings. They had gotten back to the playoffs, taken the Golden State Warriors to seven games, and won a multitude of postseason awards across the board.

But now, after two disappointing seasons that ended in play-in tournament losses, expectations have nearly bottomed out for the Kings as they went from NBA darlings to a middling team in the eyes of many in what feels like the blink of an eye. And now they turn over the keys to Scott Perry and Doug Christie to reshape the roster for the future.

Heading into the 2025-26 season, all expectations seem to be gone. Yes, the Kings are talented, with Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine all still on the team, but they lack balance and a roster makeup to truly compete in the daunting Western Conference.

That's a stark comparison to last season, when the talk of training camp centered around competing and making a deep playoff run, especially after the addition of six-time All-Star DeRozan. Expectations were arguably at an all-time high, even more so than following the playoff loss to the Warriors.

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There was so much talk of taking the next step and rumored deals throughout Monte McNair's tenure that led fans and players to think more was on the horizon, which ultimately led to one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory. Not the worst, as the playoff drought implies, but disappointing to say the least.

The 2025-26 season already feels like a gap year for Sacramento as Perry takes his time retooling the roster. The big contracts in LaVine and DeRozan are both on the books for two more seasons, making it feel like everyone from the front office to the fans is in a hurry for the season to end.

Erik Williams-Imagn Images

That all leads to the question: could rock bottom expectations actually help the Kings? The players likely have goals and aspirations of making a playoff run, but no one on the outside looking in has talked about the team being better than a near .500 squad for the season.

After a year that saw Mike Brown fired, De'Aaron Fox traded, and injuries to key players down the home stretch of the season, it's hard to picture anything more drastic happening this upcoming season.

Maybe the players all band together and put aside the outside noise to focus on just going out and playing basketball. Perry and Christie seem set on building a culture this year, and if we know anything from Christie's time as interim head coach, we know he's going to get his players to fight every night. And if they don't, all indications are that he'll go to players who put in the effort and intensity on the court

So while there may be no expectations for the Kings to compete with the best of the best, they could be free of that burden and surprise us all. Is it likely? Probably not, as talent and roster construction generally reign supreme in the NBA. But at least we won't go into the year expecting the best and getting the worst like last season.

This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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