The Kings claim they don’t get any respect but they have done nothing to earn it

Here we go again.

Kings basketball is finally back, and it didn’t take long for expectations to be dashed. The Kings came out haphazardly in the first of eight seeding games, losing to a San Antonio Spurs team that was missing arguably its best player and several supporting members. They followed that up with an even worse performance against the Orlando Magic, a game in which they trailed by as many as 36 points. This is what we spent months waiting for? What happened to the Kings squad that “wanted all the smoke” or that derided national media outlets for discounting their chances at making the playoffs?

This isn’t anything new. The franchise has spent years feeling as if they don’t get enough respect while simultaneously doing nothing to earn it. Fans are yearning for any sliver of hope and were ecstatic when the Kings were invited to join the NBA’s bubble and fight for a chance at the playoffs. So far, the Kings are blowing it.

A common refrain among Kings fans is that the franchise is “cursed.” A once-in-a-century pandemic kills the team’s momentum and stops the season? Cursed. Another foot injury for Marvin Bagley? Cursed. It is a lot easier to blame a curse or outside forces than to face the simple truth that organization itself is responsible. Bad decision after bad decision compound yearly, with constant exhortations to be patient. If only the Kings followed their own advice.

This is a franchise that constantly acts as if it is smarter than everyone else despite doing nothing to prove it. Vlade Divac has been in charge since 2015 and the best decision he has made was taking De’Aaron Fox in the 2017 draft, which was no decision at all. One could argue (and many have) that the Kings also had another no-brainer draft decision the following year … but the Kings once again thought they knew better. The Kings have made 14 total draft picks under Vlade Divac and only have Fox and Marvin Bagley to show for it. That’s not a curse, that’s bad asset management.

The NBA is a tough business, and it’s even tougher in the Western Conference. One mistake can set a team back years, but the Kings don’t just make one mistake, they add on to it. Was firing Dave Joerger a mistake? Maybe. Maybe not. The fact is he led the team to its best record since 2006. The Kings gave Vlade Divac a four-year extension that very same day. How does a coach get fired but a GM get extended for the same result? That’s just the illogical nature of the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings came to Disney World near Orlando hoping to make some noise and establish themselves as a team to be taken seriously. Through two games, the only thing they’ve managed to prove is they are the same old Kings. Coach Luke Walton already is moving the goalposts, stating Monday the seeding games are an opportunity to “continue to build, continue to grow.” This was their chance to show that they have built, and that they have grown. Alas, they still have a long way to go.

Akis Yerocostas covers the Kings for The Kings Herald. You can follow him on Twitter at @Aykis16.