13. Sacramento Kings
I feel so bad for the Kings. They rebuilt their team the right way, they work incredibly hard and they have a lot of fun on the basketball court. They’re an absolute joy to watch. And right when it feels like they’re ready to make a leap, the Western Conference finds a way to get even better.
Last season, the Kings were one of the biggest surprises in the league. They were expected by many to be a bottom-5 team, but they ended up finishing the season with the ninth-best record in the Western Conference.
The Kings now have De’Aaron Fox coming off an incredible season where he cemented himself as a legitimate starting point guard, Buddy Hield coming off a career year, Marvin Bagley III coming off a promising rookie season (they should’ve drafted Luka Doncic, though) and Harrison Barnes starting a new long-term contract.
It’ll be tough for Sacramento to make the playoffs in the West, but it’s definitely possible. If they build upon what they did last year, they’ll continue to be one of the NBA’s best young teams.
Oh, and they also added the future G.O.A.T., Kyle Guy. That’s important, too.