The NBA Finals are barely over and ESPN has already dropped their power rankings for 2026-2027. Surprisingly, the Thunder are at the top of the list with the Knicks in third. Less surprisingly, the Sacramento Kings are in dead last and that's likely not far off from where they'll finish next season.
In a lot of ways, it seems odd to publish power rankings for the NBA right now. The 2026 draft doesn't happen for another week. While a lot of mock drafts have similar projections, there are no guarantees on how things will play out . This will have a huge impact on how next season looks for most teams.
There's also the issue of free agency, which isn't going to get rolling in earnest until July. Players with options in their contracts like Zach LaVine have until June 30th to let their respective teams know what their plans are going to be. There's a lot that could change between now and then.
Making an educated guess based on the available information is something sports analysts and pundits do all the time. Still, there are some major pieces of information missing. All of that being said, ESPN is likely right that the Kings are going to have a rough season as part of the rebuild process.
Sacramento is going to need a minute or two to get in shape
Rebuilds take a lot of time. The Knicks began this process in earnest once signing Jalen Brunson in 2022, and it was four years later before they really saw the benefits. The same is true for the Kings, who are in much worse shape than New York was when they began the Brunson experiment.
The biggest issue the Kings have to deal with are LaVine and Sabonis. Assuming LaVine takes his option, and he likely will, that means Sacramento could end up with both massive contracts on their books through 2026-2027. All of that money tied up in those players is a huge problem.
It could prevent the Kings from keeping highly desired free agents like Russell Westbrook and Precious Achiuwa. Their presence would also cause problems with the continuing development of sophomore players as well as new rookies picked up in the draft.
Sure, the Kings will eventually get out from under Sabonis and LaVine's contracts, possibly even sooner than expected if trades can be engineered this summer. Even if that happens, it's going to take a lot of time and effort to see any real improvement. Frankly, avoiding 30th place will be a miracle.
