1996–97 Sacramento Kings season

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Kings' 48th season in the National Basketball Association, and 12th season in Sacramento.[1] During the off-season, the Kings acquired Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf from the Denver Nuggets.[2] Coming off their first playoff appearance in ten years, expectations in Sacramento were high. However, the Kings struggled with an 8–17 start to the season, as Brian Grant played just 24 games due to a shoulder injury, averaging 10.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.[3] The Kings would rebound to get back into playoff contention 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 with assistant Eddie Jordan for the remainder of the season.[4] The Kings finished sixth in the Pacific Division with a 34–48 record, missing the playoffs by just two games.[5]

1996–97 Sacramento Kings season
Head coach
General managerGeoff Petrie
PresidentGeoff Petrie
Owner(s)Jim Thomas
ArenaARCO Arena
Results
Record34–48 (.415)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Pacific)
Conference: 9th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioKHTK

Mitch Richmond averaged 25.9 points and 1.5 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game,[6] while Abdul-Rauf finished second on the team in scoring with 13.7 points per game, and Olden Polynice provided the team with 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. In addition, second-year forward Corliss Williamson showed improvement averaging 11.6 points per game, while Billy Owens provided with 11.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, and Michael Smith contributed 9.5 rebounds per game.[7]

Following the season, Grant signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers,[8] while second-year guard Tyus Edney signed with the Boston Celtics,[9] Duane Causwell was traded to the Miami Heat, and Lionel Simmons and Kevin Gamble both retired.

Draft picks
Main article: 1996 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
114Peja StojakovićSF Serbia
241Jason SasserSF United StatesTexas Tech

Roster
1996–97 Sacramento Kings roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
G 3 Abdul-Rauf, Mahmoud 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 162 lb (73 kg) 1969–03–09 LSU
C 31 Causwell, Duane  7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1968–05–31 Temple
G 5 Edney, Tyus 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 152 lb (69 kg) 1973–02–14 UCLA
G/F 40 Gamble, Kevin  6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1965–11–13 Iowa
F 33 Grant, Brian 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 254 lb (115 kg) 1972–03–05 Xavier
G 20 Grayer, Jeff 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1965–12–17 Iowa State
G 7 Hurley, Bobby 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1971–06–28 Duke
F 30 Owens, Billy 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1969–05–01 Syracuse
C 0 Polynice, Olden 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1964–11–21 Virginia
G 2 Richmond, Mitch (C) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1965–06–30 Kansas State
C 32 Salvadori, Kevin 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 231 lb (105 kg) 1970–12–30 North Carolina
F 22 Simmons, Lionel 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1968–11–14 La Salle
F 34 Smith, Michael 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1972–03–28 Providence
F 4 Williamson, Corliss 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1973–12–04 Arkansas
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster
Last transaction: March 21, 1997

Regular season

Season standings
Pacific Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Seattle SuperSonics 5725.695–31–1026–1516–8
x-Los Angeles Lakers 5626.683131–1025–1618–6
x-Portland Trail Blazers 4933.598829–1220–2115–9
x-Phoenix Suns 4042.4881725–1615–2613–11
x-Los Angeles Clippers 3646.4392121–2015–2610–14
Sacramento Kings 3448.4152322–1912–298–16
Golden State Warriors 3052.3662718–2312–294–20
1996–97 NBA West standings
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Utah Jazz6418.780–
2 y-Seattle SuperSonics5725.6957
3 x-Houston Rockets5725.6957
4 x-Los Angeles Lakers5626.6838
5 x-Portland Trail Blazers4933.59815
6 x-Minnesota Timberwolves4042.48824
7 x-Phoenix Suns4042.48824
8 x-Los Angeles Clippers3646.43928
9 Sacramento Kings3448.41530
10 Golden State Warriors3052.36634
11 Dallas Mavericks2458.29340
12 Denver Nuggets2161.25643
13 San Antonio Spurs2062.24444
14 Vancouver Grizzlies1468.17150
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1996-97 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta –3–11–31–33–12–01–11–32–01–13–12–01–11–24–02–03–11–33–14–01–12–02–02–01–14–01–12–02–1
Boston 1–3–0–40–41–21–11–10–41–10–21–20–21–10–41–30–20–40–40–41–31–11–10–21–10–23–10–20–20–4
Charlotte 3–14–0–0–43–11–12–02–22–02–02–21–11–11–22–22–04–03–11–24–01–10–22–02–02–02–20–22–03–1
Chicago 3–14–04–0–3–12–02–03–12–01–14–02–01–12–24–02–03–12–23–04–02–02–02–02–02–03–11–12–02–1
Cleveland 1–32–11–31–3–2–01–12–21–10–23–12–01–10–42–22–04–01–32–23–01–11–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–3
Dallas 0–21–11–10–20–2–3–10–20–40–41–12–20–40–20–21–31–11–11–12–01–31–32–21–31–30–21–33–10–2
Denver 1–11–10–20–21–11–3–0–21–31–30–21–30–40–21–10–41–10–20–21–12–20–42–22–20–41–10–43–11–1
Detroit 3–14–02–21–32–22–02–0–2–01–13–12–01–10–43–12–04–01–22–22–10–21–11–12–01–13–11–12–04–0
Golden State 0–21–10–20–21–14–03–10–2–0–41–11–30–40–21–11–32–00–21–12–00–42–21–34–00–42–00–43–10–2
Houston 1–12–00–21–12–04–03–11–14–0–1–13–13–10–21–14–02–01–10–22–02–22–24–03–13–11–12–23–12–0
Indiana 1–32–12–20–41–31–12–01–31–11–1–2–01–11–32–22–02–21–31–33–01–11–11–11–11–14–00–22–01–3
L.A. Clippers 0–22–01–10–20–22–23–10–23–11–30–2–2–20–22–01–31–10–21–11–12–20–42–24–01–32–01–34–00–2
L.A. Lakers 1–11–11–11–11–14–04–01–14–01–31–12–2–1–12–03–12–01–11–12–04–01–34–02–23–11–11–34–02–0
Miami 2–14–02–12–24–02–02–04–02–02–03–12–01–1–4–01–13–11–32–23–12–01–12–02–00–23–10–22–03–1
Milwaukee 0–43–12–20–42–22–01–11–31–11–12–20–20–20–4–0–22–11–22–23–11–10–20–21–11–13–11–12–01–3
Minnesota 0–22–00–20–20–23–14–00–23–10–40–23–11–31–12–0–2–01–11–11–13–12–20–44–00–41–11–34–01–1
New Jersey 1–34–00–41–30–41–11–10–40–20–22–21–10–21–31–20–2–2–21–32–21–10–21–12–01–10–30–22–01–3
New York 3–14–01–32–23–11–12–02–12–01–13–12–01–13–12–11–12–2–3–13–21–11–12–02–00–23–01–12–04–0
Orlando 1–34–02–10–32–21–12–02–21–12–03–11–11–12–22–21–13–11–3–2–21–12–01–11–11–14–00–21–11–3
Philadelphia 0–43–10–40–40–30–21–11–20–20–20–31–10–21–31–31–12–22–32–2–1–11–10–21–10–21–30–22–01–3
Phoenix 1–11–11–10–21–13–12–22–04–02–21–12–20–40–21–11–31–11–11–11–1–1–34–03–12–20–21–32–21–1
Portland 0–21–12–00–21–13–14–01–12–22–21–14–03–11–12–02–22–01–10–21–13–1–2–24–01–30–22–24–00–2
Sacramento 0–22–00–20–20–22–22–21–13–10–41–12–20–40–22–04–01–10–21–12–00–42–2–3–11–31–10–44–00–2
San Antonio 0–21–10–20–22–03–12–20–20–41–31–10–42–20–21–10–40–20–21–11–11–30–41–3–0–41–11–31–30–2
Seattle 1–12–00–20–22–03–14–01–14–01–31–13–11–32–01–14–01–12–01–12–02–23–13–14–0–2–01–34–02–0
Toronto 0–41–32–21–31–32–01–11–30–21–10–40–21–11–31–31–13–00–30–43–12–02–01–11–10–2–1–11–12–2
Utah 1–12–02–01–11–13–14–01–14–02–22–03–13–12–01–13–12–01–12–02–03–12–24–03–13–11–1–4–02–0
Vancouver 0–22–00–20–20–21–31–30–21–31–30–20–40–40–20–20–40–20–21–10–22–20–40–43–10–41–10–4–1–1
Washington 1–24–01–31–23–12–01–10–42–00–23–12–00–21–33–11–13–10–43–13–11–12–02–02–00–22–20–21–1—

Player statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

NOTE: Please write the players statistics in alphabetical order by last name.

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Awards and records

References
  1. 1996-97 Sacramento Kings
  2. "PRO BASKETBALL; Nuggets Trade Abdul-Rauf, Acquire Pacers' Jackson". New York Times. June 14, 1996. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  3. "CLIPPERS TONIGHT". Los Angeles Times. December 14, 1996. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  4. "St. Jean Fired as Coach of Fading Kings". Los Angeles Times. March 21, 1997. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  5. "1996–97 Sacramento Kings Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  6. "1997 NBA All-Star Game: East 132, West 120". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  7. "1996–97 Sacramento Kings Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  8. "Trail Blazers Sign Grant to 7-Year, $63-Million Deal". Los Angeles Times. August 24, 1997. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  9. "Celtics Sign 2 Free Agents". New York Times. August 23, 1997. Retrieved January 19, 2022.

See also
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