2007 Sacramento Kings Season Preview

2007 Sacramento Kings basketball preview from Maddux Sports handicappers. At our website you can also find our Expert NBA picks and live NBA odds each and every single day.

For the Sacramento Kings, it’s been a steady decline with 59 wins in 2002- 2003, 55 in 2003- 2004, 50 in 2004- 2005 and 44 in 2005- 2006. The good news was that in each of those seasons the Kings made the post-season. Last year, they won a mere 33 games and watched the playoffs on television. Enter new coach and former NBA player Reggie Theus. Theus is dedicated to improving the club. So how will he do that?

In front, there’s Ron Artest (.440 FG%, .358 3P%, .740 FT%, 6.5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 18.8 PPG). In the 2005- 2006 season, his first in Sacramento, Artest was about positive energy. Then last season he found himself involved in all sorts of off-court dilemmas, including animal cruelty accusations and upsetting family problems. Of course the on-court dilemma for Artest has to do with his stalling the offense by sitting under hoop. Artest can be a major positive or negative influence on this club. The other guys upfront that are on the edge are forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim (.474 FG%, .150 3P%, .726 FT%, 5.0 RPG, 1.4 APG, 9.9 PPG), who had diminished output last season, and center Brad Miller (.453 FG%, .152 3P%, .772 FT%, 6.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 9.0 PPG), who needs to meet expectations after his output dropped last season.

Point guard Mike Bibby (.404 FG%, .360 3P%, .830 FT%, 3.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 17.1 PPG), in his 9th year, had an off-season too. The best thing about the Kings is four-year man Kevin Martin (.473 FG%, .381 3P%, .844 FT%, 4.3 RPG, 2.2 APG, 20.2 PPG) who really came into his own last year. He’s an amazing athlete with the potential to become a team leader.

The Kings plummeted in 2006- 2007. With Theus at the helm, they look forward to creating a positive energy and image for the club. In taking over for coach Rick Musselman, who started off as coach with a DUI arrest, Theus has his work cut out for him. In the upcoming 2007- 2008 season, expect Theus to get this club back on track and looking towards the future. Without some sort of progress, the Kings will probably deal Artest and Miller next year and start all over.

To see how the Sacramento Kings stack up against the rest of the Pacific division read our previews on the Suns, Warriors, Clippers and Lakers.