Warriors Worry of Kings' Playoff Legitimacy?

Draymond Green's inexcusable playoff incident made a rival of the Sacramento Kings in 2023. Although the two were bound to clash in the NBA playoffs, Green accelerated the disdain between the two California franchises. The 2023 playoffs ended for the Kings courtesy of Stephen Curry's legendary Game 7 performance.

However, the 2024 Play-In Tournament is like poetic justice for Domantas Sabonis, as a proverbial stomp to Green's chest.

While beating the Warriors in a Play-In Tournament match is one thing, possibly winning 2024 free agency marks the beginning of a new frontier for a legitimate rival of the self-proclaimed "Light Years" franchise.

The Warriors dealt with emotional loss when Klay Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks in free agency. This left the Stephen Curry-led team to pick up the pieces from a brutal breakup. Meanwhile, the Kings acquired All-Star DeMar DeRozan in a blockbuster sign-and-trade deal.

However, to the Warriors' credit, Mike Dunleavy Jr. bounced back from the Thompson loss with an array of significant role-player signings. Buddy Hield, on the surface, is a Thompson replacement, and going by the numbers, he is currently a better 3-point shooter.

Moreover, the Warriors' signing of Kyle Anderson adds basketball IQ and formidable defense to a team seeking legitimacy on that side of the ball since finishing with a mediocre 15th defensive rating.

Despite the positives from the 2024 offseason, the main takeaway is the Warriors failed to add a star player next to Curry. Meanwhile, the Kings re-signed Malik Monk, securing their best player in the second unit.

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Both teams missed the 2024 playoffs, but the stars of Scramento, De'Aaron Fox, and Sabonis have more time to lead the Pacific Division. Furthermore, the addition of DeRozan legitimizes the Kings as a playoff team in the harsh Western Conference.

Can Curry put the Warriors on his team one more time for a playoff run, or can Dunleavy finally acquire a star player to alleviate the significant load of their 36-year-old superstar?

Regardless of what the Warriors produce, expect the Kings to have a say in their rival's playoff seeding.