Expectations to make the play-in are not high, but there are signs that betters feel Sacramento’s youth are ready to make the jump.
Are the odds in Sacramento’s favor this season? Las Vegas betters might be pointing to the Kings having a successful 2021-22 season, at least by their means.
According to DraftKings, Sacramento is slated with a regular season win total over/under of 36.5 games.
In a 72-game shortened season, the Kings finished 2020-21 with 31 wins and 41 losses. Now, with the regular 82 contests reinstated, that Vegas odds predict Sacramento to go for 36-ish wins and 46-ish losses, which would be their highest winning percentage (43.9%) since the 2018-19 season, when Dave Joerger was still the coach.
Unfortunately, it would still give them the fifth worst record in the Western Conference, with only the Oklahoma City Thunder (22.5), Houston Rockets (26.5), San Antonio Spurs (28.5), and Minnesota Timberwolves (33.5) behind them — yes, that does mean they’d finish with the 11th seed for the unteenth time in the last 15 years.
Though it would technically be an improvement from when they finished 12th last year, being in between tanking and the play-in tournament is no longer where Sacramento wants to be with the young talent they currently have.
The discrepancy between 11th and 10th comes in the form of the New Orleans Pelicans, as they sit just one seed ahead of the Kings in 10th place, with a win over/under of 39.5. Both teams have play-in potential, and with Zion Williamson’s rumored displeasure with the organization in this few years there thus far, there definitely does feel like there more of a sense of urgency for New Orleans to achieve.
However, Sacramento has high expectations as well, as fans would universally agree that finding their way to the play-in tournament would be a successful season for Sacramento. Obviously not reading too far into what the “all-knowing” Vegas betters presume, I think the Kings can absolutely go for 10.
Vegas also has notable Kings listed as strong (and even further down the line, audacious) candidates to win the Most Improved Player award with De’Aaron Fox (+1800), Tyrese Haliburton (+2500), Marvin Bagley (+9000) and Richaun Holmes (+15000).
So what can we gather from the Las Vegas numbers? Individuals are sure to have breakout years, the potential is there for Sacramento to potentially make a play-in, and if you’ve got the spare change, those 2021 title odds are only +25000.