Kings Given Harsh Report Card Grade at NBA Midseason Mark

The Sacramento Kings are catching some flak at the NBA's midseason mark.

Nov 15, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) shakes hands with forward Keegan Murray (13) during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden 1 Center. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

At the NBA’s midseason mark, ESPN's Kevin Pelton handed out grades for all 30 teams based on performance relative to preseason expectations, and the Sacramento Kings received one of the harsher evaluations. Pelton handed the Kings a "D" grade, being just one of four teams with that grade, while the Milwaukee Bucks landed behind everyone else with a "D-."

The Kings entered the season with a projected 34.5 wins, but their current projection has dropped sharply to just 26, a clear sign that things have gone off the rails. That gap between expectation and reality captures the frustration surrounding a roster built to remain competitive, but that has instead sunk to the bottom of the Western Conference.

Rather than hovering around the playoff or play-in picture, Sacramento has found itself struggling nightly just to stay afloat. The midseason grade serves as a blunt assessment of a team that misread where it truly stood in its competitive cycle.

Where have the Kings gone wrong?

Much of the criticism centers on the Kings’ recent attempts to delay an inevitable rebuild. Trading De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio and bringing in Zach LaVine was viewed internally as a way to preserve offensive star power. At the same time, the addition of Dennis Schroder was meant to stabilize the backcourt. Instead, those moves now look short-sighted, particularly with Domantas Sabonis missing time due to injury.

"The Kings' desperate attempts to remain competitive -- adding Zach LaVine as part of last year's trade that sent De'Aaron Fox to San Antonio and acquiring Dennis Schroder last summer -- look foolish as they've sunk to the bottom of the standings without injured center Domantas Sabonis," Pelton wrote.

Jan 16, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) talks with guard Dennis Schroder (17) during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Golden 1 Center. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Without Sabonis anchoring the offense and controlling the glass, Sacramento has lacked structure, consistency, and leadership on both ends of the floor. What was supposed to be a roster capable of staying competitive has been exposed as fragile and overly dependent on health and individual shot-making.

For the remainder of the season, ESPN’s evaluation essentially confirms what the standings already suggest: the Kings are no longer in a realistic position to chase meaningful success. Continuing to push for wins risks locking the team into the middle ground of the lottery without offering real upside.

While a late-season surge is always possible if Sabonis returns healthy, the ceiling appears limited, and the cost of clinging to false hope could be high. Instead, the second half of the season may be better used to evaluate younger players, experiment with lineups, and accept losses that improve draft positioning. In that sense, the rest of the season is less about winning games and more about gaining clarity.

"The good news? Sacramento can no longer ignore the need to rebuild its roster, which atrophied after the Kings won 48 games and returned to the playoffs three seasons ago. The bad news is Sacramento won't likely get lucrative packages in return for its veterans," Pelton finished.

What the Kings need to hear

Looking ahead, this harsh midseason grade will benefit the franchise if it forces a philosophical shift. The Kings have not fully committed to rebuilding since their 48-win playoff breakthrough three seasons ago, instead trying to thread the needle between competing and resetting.

ESPN’s critique highlights that the roster has atrophied since that peak, lacking both upside and flexibility. The problem is that Sacramento’s veterans are unlikely to command significant returns in trade, limiting how quickly the team can reshape itself. That reality makes patience, player development, and clever drafting even more critical moving forward.

In the end, ESPN’s midseason grade is less about embarrassment and more about accountability. It reflects a season that has gone sideways and a front office that can no longer ignore the direction the franchise is heading.

The Kings now face a defining stretch, one where short-term pride must be weighed against long-term progress. Whether they fully embrace a rebuild or cautiously pivot toward the future, the decisions made from here on out will shape the next era of basketball in Sacramento. This season may be disappointing, but it could also be the moment that finally pushes the Kings toward a more straightforward, more sustainable path forward.