This season has not been kind to the Sacramento Kings. At 7-23 this season, there hasn’t been a lot of bright spots for the team over the last few months. Against the Detroit Pistons, the contrast between the surging Detroit squad and the struggling Sacramento team couldn’t have been any more obvious.
Despite losing to the Pistons, Kings head coach Doug Christie wants his team to have one takeaway. Christie says that Detroit’s hard-nosed style of play, particularly on the defensive end, is something that he want his Sacramento team to emulate this season.
“Doug Christie said that the way the Pistons play is exactly what he’s looking for from his squad in the future,” James Ham reported on X. “Tough, physical, defensive-minded group that plays 100% every night.”
At one point, the Kings and the Pistons were on the same boat. Both teams were down in the dumps and struggled against virtually everyone. They were both bad teams. The main difference, though, is that the Pistons made moves that aligned with their long-term vision of building a team with an identity. Now, they’ve become one of the best teams in the NBA.
On the other hand, the Kings had the makings of a potential contender a few years back. However, Sacramento was not able to keep the core of that team together. Instead of dialing back, the Kings decided to spin their wheels and tried to stay competitive, to no avail. Now, they’re reaping the results of their decisions.
It doesn’t help that the Kings are dealing with multiple injuries to their roster. Despite their struggles this season, Sacramento are not looking to move any big pieces at the deadline.