Last season was a banner year for De’Aaron Fox and the Sacramento Kings.
He had a career year, averaging 25.0 points on 51.2 percent field-goal shooting and 6.1 assists a game, which earned him his first All-Star game appearance and the NBA’s inaugural Clutch Player of the Year Award.
As a result, the Kings finished with a 48-34 record while leading the league in scoring, earning them the third seed in the Western Conference and giving them their first playoff berth in over 15 years.
It has given them elevated expectations for this season, and Fox says that players shouldn’t take it personally when head coach Mike Brown gives them feedback that isn’t positive.
"Not taking it personal is a big thing."
De'Aaron Fox on what’s needed from all the Kings players this season
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The Kings have a deep roster centered around Fox and fellow All-Star Domantas Sabonis, and supporting players such as Harrison Barnes and Malik Monk make them very potent and dangerous.
But doing even better this season will be a difficult task, given the fact that several other playoff teams are expected to have better records.
The Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers are all expected to win at least 50 games, a mark none of them reached last season.
In addition, the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks, none of whom made the playoffs in 2023, are also expected to improve significantly.
Still, the Kings will be a handful for anyone to deal with, especially come playoff time, as they can put points on the scoreboard as well as any other team in the NBA.
NEXT: De'Aaron Fox Has High Praise For 1 New Kings Player