Predicting the Kings’ Best Lineups Next Season

The Sacramento Kings will have a few different effective lineup options next season.

Jan 29, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) reacts with guard De'Aaron Fox (5) during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

In the quiet parts of the offseason, basketball fans are left to wonder and daydream about what might be with the upcoming season. So let’s have some fun and predict what the Sacramento Kings’ best offensive, defensive, and overall lineups will be for the 2024-25 season.

To start, a quick look back at Sacramento’s best lineups from last season (minimum 30 minutes played together).

• Best Offensive Lineup: D. Mitchell, M. Monk, K. Huerter, T. Lyles, D. Sabonis | 150.7 Off Rating
• Best Defensive Lineup: D. Mitchell, M. Monk, K. Murray, T. Lyles, D. Sabonis | 93.1 Def Rating
• Best Overall Lineup: D. Mitchell, M. Monk, K. Huerter, T. Lyles, D. Sabonis | +35.6 Net Rating

What stands out is Davion Mitchell’s impact on both ends of the court. I think Jordan McLaughlin can match Davion’s production, but he has big shoes to fill.

The other standout is that the Kings' best defensive lineup included Malik Monk and Domantas Sabonis, two players not known for their defense. Sabonis gets a bad rep for his defense, but he’s a better defender than he’s given credit.

Now let’s get to the predictions for next season, starting with offense.

Best Offensive Lineup Prediction: D. Fox, K. Huerter, D. DeRozan, K. Murray, Domantas Sabonis

The hard part about this prediction is choosing between Monk and Kevin Huerter. Ultimately, the shooting of Huerter is what put this lineup over the top for me. Monk brings offensive firepower but has a similar style to Fox and DeRozan. Huerter on the other hand brings versatility that pairs well with the other four.

Having two shot creators, two knockdown shooters, and Sabonis to run the offense creates ample opportunities to score the ball. Good luck to defenses trying to slow down this high-powered lineup.

Best Defensive Lineup Prediction: J. McLaughlin, M. Monk, K. Murray, T. Lyles, A. Len

While the offense was pretty straightforward, predicting the defensive lineup has multiple viable options. The first thing you may notice is the exclusion of Keon Ellis. Keon will be one of, if not the most, impactful individual defenders on the team, but I think he’ll be paired with offensive players to round out lineups rather than the Kings throwing out an all-defensive lineup.

Throwing McLaughlin and Len in the mix is a no-brainer. They were THE two best defenders in the entire NBA last season by defensive rating. From there, it was filling it out with a reasonable lineup that will likely reach the minute threshold.

Keegan became a plus defender last season and Trey always seems to be in the right spot. For the fifth spot, Monk gets the nod from a need to round out the lineup to be playable on both ends of the court.

Best Overall Lineup Prediction: D. Fox, K. Ellis, D. DeRozan, K. Murray, D. Sabonis

It’s a good sign that there are so many potential options for the best overall lineup. Ultimately, I went with what I think is the most balanced lineup that the Kings can throw out. Fox, Keon, and Keegan all provide above-average defense, while Fox, DeRozan, Keegan, and Sabonis are all highly potent on the offensive side of the ball.

This is a lineup that can do it all; turn defense into offense, score in isolation, and knock down open shots. The odds of them being the best lineup by the numbers are slim due to the five players likely to play high minutes together and even out over time, but I couldn’t help but keep it simple and go with the straightforward answer.

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