2008-2009 Sacramento Kings Season Preview

2008 Sacramento Kings basketball preview from Maddux Sports handicappers. In addition to the free team preview, you can evaluate NBA odds for upcoming pro basketball games.

The Sacramento Kings (38- 44) finished out of the running once again. During press conferences, Reggie Theus, in his first season as a coach, could have edited his remarks to the media regarding players. His on-court demeanor, however, was fairly good. Although the team shot well, they posted the worst turnover rate in the NBA, which meant that they didn’t shoot very often. The club also suffered various injuries to key plays. At one point or another Ron Artest, Brad Miller and Beno Udrih all missed important minutes, while power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim suffered a career-ending knee injury.

Part way through the 2007-2008 season, the team traded Mike Biddy, sending the signal that they had decided to rebuild the franchise rather than stay the course. That was a good idea. Although the team started off poorly, going 12- 20, they went 26- 24 once Martin and Artest came back. Overall, this club passed poorly and defended terribly. They were 26th in defensive efficiency. They could force turnovers but couldn’t do much more on “D.”

The Kings made some good moves. Guard Beno Udrih was re-signed while the tumultuous Artest was let go and talented rookie wing Donte’ Greene and veteran backup point guard Bobby Jackson were signed. The club also snagged rookie guard Bobby Brown who proved to be impressive in the summer league. The Kings got the 12th draft pick and chose big man Jason Thompson, a solid upfront scorer.

Guard Kevin Martin, who hit 40% from downtown and 46% from the court, is an amazingly efficient scoring machine. He put in 23.7 PPG last year. Point man Beno Udrih has been inconsistent; sometimes he seems to drop off the map and other times, he’ll be the ultimate assist man and floor general. He averaged 12.8 PPG and 4.3 APG. Guard Bobby Jackson, new to the team, will contend for playing time with Udrih. Swingman Francisco Garcia, who averaged 12.3 PPG while playing 26.5 MPG, could certainly see some important minutes.

Last season, which marked a decade in the NBA for Brad Miller, the seven-foot center managed to score 13.4 PPG and grab 9.5 RPG. That was a good showing for a guy who the year before seemed to be at the end of his career. Rookie center Spenser Hawes had a tough time adjusting to the pros. Still, he provided some decent offense. Forward/center Mikki Moore was overpaid for his 8.5 PPG and 6.0 RPG, but he is still part of the team. Rookies Donte’ Greene and Jason Thompson could contribute. Thompson has an array of skills.

The fact is that last year Sacramento put in a decent season, considering all of their injuries. Still, they look to finish last in the Pacific Division once again. But there’s a foundation in place that should begin to pay dividends. The franchise made some smart moves with the future in mind. A 14th or 15th –place finish in the Western Conference looks certain.

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.