The Sacramento Kings have been one messy franchise in recent years. Several problems, some of which occurred on the court and some that have occurred off of it, have helped derail this organization into a pit of disaster.
It’s been 11 years since the Kings finished a season with a positive record. Allow that to sink in for a moment. Fans blame the players. Fans blame the coaches, who blame the players. Players blame the players, who blame management — the same management that is blaming the coaches.
Absolutely none of that made sense, and absolutely none of what the Kings have done has made much sense since drafting DeMarcus Cousins in 2010. Sacramento is open to dealing almost half of its roster, something that is starting to turn into a yearly pattern.
Frustration is boiling behind-the-scenes, and Kings star DeMarcus Cousins made that much known following a 112-98 home loss to the Grizzlies on Saturday night:
DeMarcus Cousins rips his team's defense after loss to Memphis. "I'm sick of these fuc*ing excuses"
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) January 1, 2017
“I’m sick of these f*cking excuses”. Imagine how many times a Kings fan has muttered this to themselves after watching this club.
The Kings are certainly a talented team, but they are a club consisting of talented individuals. The cohesiveness necessary to succeed in this league isn’t present within Sacramento, a dysfunctional organization with no clear-cut direction.
The Kings are one of the worst defensive teams in the league this season. They are ranked 24th in defensive rating, and matters don’t seem to be getting any better. Pure offensive talent has willed them to a mediocre 14-19 record, but make no mistake about it: These Kings are in need for a major overhaul.
With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, and the Kings’ defensive and chemistry issues not getting any better, it would be wise to keep a watchful eye on general manager Vlade Divac and owner Vivek Ranadive.
