Outlook
The Kings have an impressive young nucleus with Evans and Cousins, so if Sacramento can keep them on the straight and narrow, they could make rapid progress in future seasons. That said, I'm dubious of their ability to do so, and even if they do, I'm not sure they can put the finishing pieces on the squad.
...there doesn't seem to be any real overarching plan in Sacramento; they just throw stuff at the wall and enthusiastically pat themselves on the back when it works (at least, when they're not taking a nap). This year they'll likely applaud the impact of Cousins and Dalembert in the frontcourt and the continuing development of Evans and Casspi. Unfortunately, the Kings will be mediocre at best on the defensive end, and the lack of long-range shooting and backcourt depth will likely consign them to another below-par offensive year as well.
At least now there's hope. I don't expect it to translate into many more wins this season, but the Evans-Cousins combo is a genuinely exciting development. While a playoff berth seems out of reach, a more realistic goal would be to put some fans back in the seats and set Sacramento on course toward a new arena that can keep the team in town long-term. Acquiring two special talents in the past two drafts has made that achievement much more likely.
Prediction: 28-54, 4th in Pacific Division, 13th in Western Conference
John Hollinger's 2008-2009 NBA Forecast: Sacramento Kings
John Hollinger's 2007-2008 NBA Forecast: Sacramento Kings
John Hollinger's 2006-2007 NBA Forecast: Sacramento Kings
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