What NBA experts are projecting for Kings' 2022-23 season

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The Kings have made several changes heading into the 2022-23 NBA season, one of them being the hiring of Mike Brown as the coach. 

Additionally, Sacramento traded for Kevin Huerter, signed Malik Monk to a two-year, $19 million contract and drafted Keegan Murray No. 4 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Sacramento is pairing those three offseason moves to go alongside De’Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell, Domantas Sabonis, who they acquired before the 2022 NBA trade deadline, as part of their core. 

Those moves have players like Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George stating the Kings will be a challenging opponent this season.

Here’s what the experts predict the Kings will finish after their season tips off Wednesday. 

Shane Young, Forbes 

Kings: Projected 36-46 record (10th in Western Conference)

Young has the Kings finishing 10th in the Western Conference with a record of 36-46, but more importantly, this prediction would see Sacramento as the last team in the play-in tournament. 

Securing a 10th-place finish would allow Sacramento to have a chance to end their 16-year playoff drought.

John Hollinger, The Athletic

Kings: Projected 37-45 record (10th in Western Conference)

"... This team will win with offense, to the extent it wins at all," Hollinger wrote. "The key to that is the Fox-Sabonis pairing, especially since Fox likely won’t struggle the way he did the first half of last season. (If you’re a Kings fan, just nod and agree and don’t ponder this too deeply.)

"Even if they suck on defense, the Kings could linger around .500 because of a hellacious offense."

Stephen Noh, Sporting News

Kings projected to finish 10th in Western Conference

Noh agrees with Young and Hollinger regarding the Kings sneaking in as the last team to qualify for the play-in tournament.

In Noh's projection, the Kings would join the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Dallas Mavericks as the four teams vying for the last two playoff spots.

Jared Dubin, FiveThirtyEight

Kings: Projected 33-49 record (12th in Western Conference)

FiveThirtyEight has the Kings on the outside looking in for the play-in tournament. The model gives the Kings an 11 percent chance of ending their 16-year playoff drought, but with a predicted record of 33-49, it’s unlikely they’ll see postseason basketball.

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