What Scott Perry and the Kings Can Learn From Upcoming NBA Playoffs

The Sacramento Kings have long been out of the playoff race and will be watching from the sidelines as 16 teams battle to take home the coveted Larry O'Brien trophy, but that doesn't mean they can't learn a thing or two during the long playoff run while they await a pivotal offseason.

The NBA is a copycat league, with teams taking quick note of what is working around the association and making adjustments to match what good teams are doing. For years, 'Big 3's' ruled the NBA, with the biggest example being the pairing of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh in Miami. But over the last handful of years, we've seen a shift in roster management and team-building.

Shift In Philosophy

The era of 'Big 3's' feels like it's in the past as teams are rounding out their rosters with depth to compete over the long postseason run. A prime example is last year's finals matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers.

There were stars on both teams in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton, and even more All-Star caliber players on both teams, but the true calling card of both teams was their depth and ability to mix and match lineups as needed depending on the opponent.

The Pacers are in the lottery discussion along with the Kings, but the Thunder are primed for a repeat performance with a roster that's been carried by it's depth all season as they've faced injuries to their stars. It feels like for the first time in years that having depth may be more important than pure star power. Only time will tell, but there's not better time to see what is working in the NBA than during the postseason.

The good news for the Kings is that while they don't have a true young star on their team, they appear to have found three rotational rookies to help lead the charge with the new look roster. Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell have all shown that they belong in the NBA, which is a steal for where they were selected.

It's not often you'll find three rotational players in the late first-round, second-round, and undrafted rookies, but Scott Perry seems to have done that in his first year heading the Kings' front office. We'll see what ends up being more important, star power or depth, this postseason, but Sacramento appears to be on the right track to building a roster that works in the present NBA landscape.

Playstyle

Nov 20, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (23) shoots for three as Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) defends during the fourth quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

That doesn't mean the Kings don't have a ton of work to do though. No matter how much depth they have, they'll still need a star to run the show. Hopefully they get lucky and that happens with the NBA draft, but there's no guarantees even if they get the number one overall pick. What is a guarantee though is that they need to adjust their playstyle and shot selection.

The Kings are not only the worst three-point shooting team in the league, making a league-worst 10.2 per game, but they also allow opponents to shoot 37.7% from deep, the second-highest mark in the NBA. It's unfortunately not a new trend for Sacramento, but that simply can't go on another season.

It's not rocket science, but the upcoming playoffs will likely once again show the importance of the three-point shot in today's NBA. Along with the three, the Kings should be watching closely for what is working for other teams. Whether it be double big lineups, small guard heavy lineups, or a switchable wing-centric team, the postseason will show what works best, and the Kings should hop on board that train.

All of this is easier said than done, and may seem obvious, but the Kings have to start somewhere. We've seen them buck NBA trends for too long as they attempt to fast track their way back to NBA relevency, but now is the time for Perry to take note of what's working, and do his best to emulate it this offseason.