NBA Playoff Tiers: Evaluating the Sacramento Kings' Position Among Western Conference Contenders for Next Season

NBA playoff tiers: Where Sacramento Kings stand among Western Conference contenders next season.

The Kings’ 2024-25 NBA season schedule has been released, which means the games are just around the corner and the predictions and power rankings can begin in earnest.

A lot can change in a year, as Sacramento proved the past two seasons. After ending a 17-year playoff drought in 2022-23 with a 48-34 record and the Western Conference's No. 3 seed, the Kings finished 46-36 and ninth in the conference last season. Just two fewer wins dropped them six spots and out of a playoff berth -- and it won't be any easier in the 2024-25 campaign.

The defending NBA champion Boston Celtics feel like the clear beasts of the East, but it’s not as clear in the wild, wild West.

Teams have kept busy this offseason, with some making franchise-altering moves in hopes of reaching the playoff stage next year. Sacramento acquired DeMar DeRozan, Paul George no longer is in LA, and Klay Thompson left behind a dynasty in Golden State for promise in Dallas.

So, who is the best in the West and who will struggle to escape the draft lottery positions? Here's a predicted ranking of where each team will fall in the conference, in four distinct tiers.

15. Portland Trail Blazers 
14. San Antonio Spurs
13. Utah Jazz
12. Houston Rockets

There isn’t much to say about the Trail Blazers, who finished dead last in the West last season at 21-61. Anfernee Simons is coming off a career year and will look to replicate that in his seventh season with the Blazers, and Jerami Grant has proven there’s still plenty of gas left in his tank as he enters his 11th NBA season. They also have young players who are on the rise and exciting to watch, such as Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, but their time isn't now. Honestly, it probably isn’t any time soon, either.

The Spurs, led by reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, undoubtedly are on the rise. They finished 14th in the West last season but made a handful of key offseason additions, including signing probable Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul and trading for forward Harrison Barnes from the Kings, in addition to drafting exciting UConn guard Stephon Castle No. 4 overall. Like most things in life, however, great things take time. It won’t be long until Wemby becomes the face of the league, but that time just isn’t now.

The only exciting thing about the Jazz is 7-foot Finnish player Lauri Markkanen, who was tied to trade rumors throughout the offseason. After months of conflicting reports and trade efforts made by interested teams, Markkanen signed a five-year, $238 million contract to remain in Utah, which means until the Jazz make other massive additions to their roster, Markkanen will continue to be the only thing to watch the next few years in Salt Lake City.

The Rockets (41-41) finished 11th in the West last season, but they made an inspiring push, with a 10-game win streak that put them only one game behind the Warriors for the final play-in tournament spot. That prompted Rockets forward Tari Eason to strangely taunt the Warriors before their final meeting. But Houston’s comeback was all too late, and until it can walk the walk the way Eason, Dillon Brooks and other Rockets players all so often talk the talk, the team will continue to only flash its potential in waves.

11. Golden State Warriors
10. Los Angeles Clippers
9. New Orleans Pelicans

This one was tough. The only reason the Pelicans are here and not in “the sleepers” tier is for one reason and one reason only: LeBron James. The Pelicans are a better team on paper compared to the Lakers, but it’s hard to completely count out any team led by James.

And like the Lakers, it’s difficult for the Pelicans to rely on their star(s). Zion Williamson, the former No. 1 overall pick, missed just 12 games last season but previously played just a combined 114 contests over a four-season span. Plus, Brandon Ingram’s future with the franchise is uncertain, as he was tied to trade rumors all offseason. New Orleans added Dejounte Murray, which on paper feels dangerous and provides the team with a reliable ball-handler. But the reality is there’s only one ball for Murray, Zion, Ingram and C.J. McCollum to share. Just not an ideal situation in The Big Easy.

The Clippers won’t be able to escape the “little bro” label in LA until they win an NBA title. Heck, they haven’t even been able to make the NBA Finals -- to date, they’re the oldest franchise in North American professional sports to never have played in a championship game. After the loss of Paul George, who joined Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers in the East, their championship fate now lies with aging stars Kawhi Leonard (33) and James Harden (34). Enough said.

As with James and the Lakers, it’s hard to count out a team with Steph Curry on it, but the Warriors have yet to find a reliable second option to back him. They missed on their two biggest offseason targets in George and Markkanen and lost franchise icon Thompson. Golden State did make a few notable additions -- signing De’Anthony Melton and acquiring Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield -- but it's unsure if they made the team better or worse. The youth – Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis – will run the franchise in post-Curry years. But until the Warriors find a true No. 2 scorer, the West is too loaded for even Curry’s heroics.

8. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Sacramento Kings
6. Memphis Grizzlies
5. Phoenix Suns

If the Olympics showed us anything, it's that Father Time simply doesn't affect James. While his greatness can't be questioned, his dependability as a soon-to-be 40-year-old sometimes can. He played in 71 games last season but just 45, 56 and 55, respectively, in the previous three campaigns. His superstar teammate, Anthony Davis, was mostly reliable last season, missing just six games (his 76 games played were the most in a season in his 12-year NBA career), but like James, he wasn't as dependable in the three prior seasons, being available for just 56, 40 and 36 games, respectively.

Plus, the Lakers' most-talked-about offseason moves include hiring JJ Redick as coach and drafting Bronny James -- two people who won't be on the court with James and Davis when push comes to shove and the playoff race tightens. But they're the Lakers, and if recent history proves anything, they'll start slow and inconsistent but somehow squeeze their way into one of the West's final playoff seeds.

By adding DeRozan, the Kings want to prove that their fairy-tale 2022-23 season wasn't just a short-lived, feel-good story. They're serious about wanting to compete with the best of the best, and the DeRozan-De'Aaron Fox backcourt duo, alongside do-everything center Domantas Sabonis, should be dangerous. Add in Keegan Murray, who's primed for a pivotal Year 3, along with Malik Monk, who saw just enough potential in Sacramento's future to take a pay cut this offseason to remain a King. Maybe one day, the rest of the NBA world will see that potential, too.

Two seasons ago, the Grizzlies were the West's No. 2 seed and as fun to watch on the court as their viral tunnel entrance dances. But their biggest flex also was their biggest flaw: Being young. Mistakes were made, and lessons (hopefully) have been learned. But Memphis now has some veteran leadership, with Derrick Rose and Marcus Smart, and after a year of the absolute worst injury luck, signs point to Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Brandon Clarke and Jaren Jackson Jr. being as hungry as ever in a return to relevance.

No one person can fix the Suns franchise, but if one coach can at least lead it in the right direction, it's Mike Budenholzer. Phoenix's new coach has plenty of talent to work with in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Co., who finished as the West's No. 6 playoff seed last season but were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. As embarrassing as the Suns' organization has been over the years, I actually think last season will fuel them for the new campaign.

4. Denver Nuggets
3. Minnesota Timberwolves
2. Dallas Mavericks
1. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Nuggets aren't the same team they were when they won their first NBA championship two seasons ago. While Denver still revolves around three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić and guard Jamal Murray, losing trusty veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic in free agency singlehandedly drops them from the clear No. 1 to ... well, not. However, Jokić still is Jokić, and the Nuggets won't fully go away anytime soon.

As with OKC, it's hard to root against the Timberwolves. Well, maybe not if you're Draymond Green, aka the president of the anti-Rudy Gobert fan club. But Anthony Edwards has stolen many basketball fans' hearts, with his charismatic character, jaw-dropping athleticism and undeniable talent. Oh, and his confidence is next level. While playing with the NBA's best on Team USA in the Paris Olympics, Edwards confidently proclaimed he was the "No. 1 option." And for most of the tournament, he was, leading the Americans in points. It's only up from here for Edwards and the Timberwolves.

Yes, the reigning conference champion Mavs disappointed in the Finals, but we're talking about the West here. A lot was made about how well Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving would mesh, and while it took some time, once they figured it out, it was like magic. Add four-time NBA champion Thompson into the mix, and a dominant duo has become a transcendent trio that could be difficult to dethrone.

If the Thunder aren't your favorites to win the West, what are you doing? They were the No. 1 seed last season after winning 57 games, and even though they crumbled in the second playoff round against the Mavericks, they're young and fun, and their chemistry is admirable, as they play good team basketball. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished second in 2023-24 NBA MVP voting, averaged 30.1 points per game last season, and a double-double season (or close to it) could be in store for center Chet Holmgren. OKC also added everyone's favorite guard, Alex Caruso, and signed 7-foot big man Isaiah Hartenstein. Their viral postgame interviews captivated the NBA world last season, and that could be the case again as they represent the West in the Finals.

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