Kings Drop in ESPN's Latest NBA Power Rankings

The Sacramento Kings dropped two spots in ESPN's first NBA power rankings of the 2024-25 regular season.

Oct 28, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) dribbles the ball during the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings have not had an ideal start to their 2024-25 campaign, but the fanbase has remained optimistic of what is to come from this talented squad.

The Kings lost their first two games of the season but picked it up by beating the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz in a back-to-back series, reaching .500 four games into the year.

ESPN released their first NBA power rankings since preseason, labeling the Kings as the 19th-best team in the league, down from their previous spot of 17.

"DeMar DeRozan had the honor of lighting the Kings' first beam of the season Monday, and rightfully so. He averaged 24 points in his first three games with Sacramento, and his 9.3 free throw attempts per game has him in the top 10 so far. More than that, he's brought an irreplaceable sense of veteran presence and leadership to a locker room the team feels it has lacked the two seasons under coach Mike Brown." -- Kendra Andrews, ESPN

Early into the season, it is challenging to rank teams amongst each other with such a small sample size, but the Kings have certainly shown enough to suggest they are in the top half of NBA teams.

Sacramento took two close losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN's fifth and sixth-place teams, respectively. After dominating the Trail Blazers and Jazz, many would think the Kings would have earned a bit more respect.

Andrews is correct about the difference that DeMar DeRozan makes in Sacramento, as it is clear how much his presence has elevated the Kings' offense. Not only has DeRozan scored 23 points per game, he has made it much easier for everyone else to get open looks.

The Kings next five games: at ATL, at TOR, at MIA, vs. TOR, vs. LAC

If the Kings win at least four of these next five outings, as expected, they should skyrocket up the next power rankings. Regardless, power rankings rarely matter, especially early into the season. The Kings have shown they have the tools to compete in the tough Western Conference.

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