Why a Spurs-Knicks NBA Finals can be a frustrating reminder for Kings basketball
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- The 2026 NBA Finals features a unique storyline with former Sacramento Kings personnel playing key roles for both the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, highlighting the Kings' history of mismanagement and missed opportunities.
- De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes, once Kings players, now star for the Spurs, while Mike Brown, the last Kings coach to lead the team to the playoffs, coaches the Knicks, underscoring the franchise’s pattern of losing talent that flourishes elsewhere.
- The Kings’ chaotic recent history includes firing Brown after a promising 2023 season, trading key players like Fox and Barnes, and struggling with draft and salary cap issues, leaving them in a difficult rebuilding position.
- Former Kings associates, including assistant coaches now with the Spurs and Knicks, exemplify the franchise’s revolving door of personnel who find success after leaving Sacramento.
- Despite the Kings’ ongoing challenges and a disappointing draft lottery outcome, their former players and staff are on the cusp of NBA Finals glory, reinforcing the franchise’s reputation for bad luck and instability.