The Lakers have won their fifth consecutive game, but their record has dropped to 3-2, they’re currently in fourth place in the Western Conference with a game in hand, as well as they’re five points above the Sacramento Kings for the number six seed in the Western Conference.
The Kings and Lakers are both currently 4-2 in their first season meeting, but the Kings are only winning by double digits, while the Lakers are winning games by 5 or 6 points. So how does this all translate? Well, both teams are in their late teens and early twenties, and the Kings’ first-round draft picks have all been drafted in the last 10 years.
So if the Lakers are coming off an epic road loss to the Warriors, and the Kings are coming off an epic road loss to the Nuggets, where does this all go? Well, first off, the Lakers have been great at knocking off the top teams in the West, and the Lakers have been great at playing close games. The Kings, on the other hand, have been great at playing teams from the West’s two worst leagues, the East and the West.
The Kings’ draft pick next year could be interesting, depending on their trades. Kings forward Drew Gooden has been a solid contributor for the Kings in the last few years, but he’s not expected to play next year. That’s a little worrisome, although not surprising, since Gooden has struggled mightily in his first few years in the league, and he appears to be a bit of a project for the Kings.
The Kings have not had a lot of success in the last few years drafting outside of their big three, and they are currently one of the worst teams in the league. They have just finished the trade deadline and have already traded away their two best players: center DeMarcus Cousins and point guard Chris Kaman. But they have also traded away their two worst players: center Chris Wilcox and forward Shawn Marion. Their best player, Justin Jackson, is also gone.
As for the Kings, they are still sitting pretty with two max contracts on the books for this season and a very low cap hit next year. They are still a very young team with a very young roster.
As one of their best players, DeMarcus Cousins is expected to be back next year, but he isn’t going back to LA. Instead, the Kings will be looking to re-sign center Matt Barnes next season to a four year deal that is still going to be their most expensive ever. They haven’t exactly been shy about it either as they are apparently willing to spend $22 million a year on the center.
At the same time, the Lakers are looking for free agents to try and sign after the expiring contract of point guard Steve Nash. But after a long and successful run, they can only offer them a 4 year deal at $15 million a year. While that might sound low to fans, the Lakers are looking for young players who can help the team for three or four years, and the Kings are looking for a young player who can help them for seven or eight years.
The Kings’ situation is a little more complicated. They haven’t signed any free agents this summer, so it’s hard to say who they will or won’t sign. But if they want a player who will start next season, it’s probably the Lakers’ job to sign him. But the Kings can only offer a 4 year deal for 15 million a year, so if they don’t decide to make a deal, they might have to give up an expiring contract.
The Kings have had a lot of success in the past few years. They have a young, talented player in Kobe Bryant, and a young, talented player in Kevin Martin. With both of these players looking for max deals, the Kings are likely to be looking for someone who can help them for the next few years. As with any trade, the Kings have to be able to move their expiring contract and still get a good return from the Lakers.