Arena ARCO Arena Playoff finish DNQ | Record 34–48 (.415) | |
Head coach Garry St. Jean
Eddie Jordan Place Division: 6th (Pacific)
Conference: 9th (Western) | ||
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Kings' 48th season in the National Basketball Association, and 12th season in Sacramento. During the offseason, the Kings acquired Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf from the Denver Nuggets. Coming off their first playoff appearance in ten years expectation in Sacramento were high. However, injuries and a tough early season schedule would clobber the Kings, who were on an 8–17 start in their first 25 games. The Kings would rebound to get back in playoff connection with a 28–32 record. However, they went on a 7-game losing streak in March as head coach Garry St. Jean was fired and replaced by his assistant Eddie Jordan. The Kings finished sixth in the Pacific Division with a 34–48 record, missing the playoffs by just two games. Mitch Richmond finished fourth in the league in scoring averaging 25.9 points per game, while being selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game.
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Following the season, Brian Grant signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers, second-year guard Tyus Edney signed with the Boston Celtics, Duane Causwell was traded to the Miami Heat, and Lionel Simmons and Kevin Gamble both retired.