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1996–97 Sacramento Kings season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

  • Garry St. Jean (fired)
  • Eddie Jordan
  • KPWB-TV
  • SportsChannel Pacific

The 1996–97 Sacramento Kings season was the 48th season for the Sacramento Kings in the National Basketball Association, and their 12th season in Sacramento, California. The Kings had the 14th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected Serbian small forward Peja Stojaković; however, Stojaković had a five-year contract with his team, PAOK BC in the Greek Basketball League, and would not play for the Kings until the 1998–99 season. During the off-season, the team acquired Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf from the Denver Nuggets, and later on signed free agent Jeff Grayer in January.

Coming off of their first NBA playoff appearance in ten years, the Kings struggled with an 8–17 start to the regular season, as Brian Grant only played just 24 games due to a shoulder injury, and Billy Owens missed 16 games early into the season with a groin injury. The Kings would rebound to get back into playoff contention, holding a 21–28 record at the All-Star break. However, after holding a 28–32 record as of March 5, 1997, the team went on a 7-game losing streak as head coach Garry St. Jean was fired, and replaced with assistant Eddie Jordan for the remainder of the season. The Kings finished in sixth place in the Pacific Division with a 34–48 record, missing the NBA playoffs by finishing just two games behind the 8th-seeded Los Angeles Clippers.

Mitch Richmond averaged 25.9 points, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game, led the Kings with 204 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. In addition, Abdul-Rauf finished second on the team in scoring with 13.7 points per game, while Olden Polynice provided the team with 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, second-year forward Corliss Williamson showed improvement averaging 11.6 points per game, Owens provided with 11.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, and Grant contributed 10.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Michael Smith was the team's starting power forward in Grant's absence, averaging 6.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, second-year guard Tyus Edney provided with 6.9 points and 3.2 assists per game, and Kevin Gamble contributed 5.0 points per game, and shot .482 in three-point field-goal percentage.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Richmond was selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; he also finished tied in 13th place in Most Valuable Player voting. The Kings finished tenth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 709,993 at the ARCO Arena II during the regular season.

Following the season, Grant signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers, while Edney signed with the Boston Celtics, Duane Causwell was traded to the Miami Heat, Grayer was released to free agency, and Lionel Simmons retired due to knee surgery, after playing seven seasons in the NBA with the Kings.

Draft picks

Main article: 1996 NBA draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege
114Peja StojakovićSF
241Jason SasserSFTexas Tech

Roster

  • Eddie Jordan
  • Mike Bratz
  • Pete Carril

Regular season

Season standings

:z - clinched division title :y - clinched division title :x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

Player statistics

Regular season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
828235.3.457.000.5629.42.2.61.012.5
818138.6.454.428.8613.94.21.5.325.9
815231.2.539.4969.52.41.0.76.6
793125.2.498.000.6894.11.6.8.611.6
755128.4.445.382.8461.62.5.7.113.7
702019.7.384.190.8231.63.2.9.06.9
665630.2.467.347.6975.92.8.9.411.0
62215.4.430.482.7001.71.2.3.35.0
491212.9.368.311.698.83.0.6.12.9
46812.6.511.667.5412.8.4.3.82.6
41012.7.331.233.8752.51.4.2.33.4
25012.6.458.364.5501.51.0.3.33.6
241525.3.440.7785.91.2.81.010.5
2306.7.364.7221.1.4.1.61.6
†505.6.125.182.8.2.2.01.2
†308.3.273.5003.0.71.0.02.7
  • † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Kings only. Player statistics citation:

Awards and records

  • Mitch Richmond, All-NBA Second Team

Transactions

References

References

  1. [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAC/1997.html 1996-97 Sacramento Kings]
  2. (June 16, 1998). "N.B.A.: SACRAMENTO; Kings Sign Top European Player". The New York Times.
  3. Pearlman, Jeff. (January 8, 2001). "Good Stock: Once Destined to Fill Shelves in a Grocery in Croatia, Predrag Stojakovic Instead Fills the Hoop for the Kings".
  4. "1996 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference.
  5. (June 13, 1996). "Nuggets Trade Abdul-Rauf to Sacramento". United Press International.
  6. (June 14, 1996). "PRO BASKETBALL; Nuggets Trade Abdul-Rauf, Acquire Pacers' Jackson". The New York Times.
  7. (June 14, 1996). "In One of Two Deals, Abdul-Rauf Is Traded". Los Angeles Times.
  8. (February 4, 1997). "Results Plus". The New York Times.
  9. (February 4, 1997). "Kings 85, Spurs 79". The Oklahoman.
  10. Massel, Craig. (November 11, 1996). "Kemp Is Too Much for Kings: Injured Grant Watches as He Goes Wild in First". Recordnet.com.
  11. (November 15, 1996). "Kings' Grant to Have Shoulder Surgery". Los Angeles Times.
  12. Baker, Chris. (December 14, 1996). "Clippers Tonight". Los Angeles Times.
  13. Massel, Craig. (October 8, 1996). "Owner Likes Having Camp in Stockton". Recordnet.com.
  14. Steele, David. (October 12, 1996). "Fresh Warriors Overthrow Kings". SFGate.
  15. "NBA Games Played on February 6, 1997". Basketball-Reference.
  16. "Denver Nuggets at Sacramento Kings Box Score, March 5, 1997". Basketball-Reference.
  17. (March 21, 1997). "Kings Fire St. Jean". The New York Times.
  18. (March 21, 1997). "St. Jean Fired as Coach of Fading Kings". Los Angeles Times.
  19. Harris, Rich. (March 21, 1997). "Kings Fire Garry St. Jean". Associated Press.
  20. "1996–97 Sacramento Kings Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
  21. "1996–97 Sacramento Kings Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
  22. Fry, Darrell. (February 8, 1997). "On to the Next Stage". Tampa Bay Times.
  23. (September 13, 2021). "1997 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com.
  24. "1997 NBA All-Star Game: East 132, West 120". Basketball-Reference.
  25. "1996–97 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
  26. "1996–97 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.
  27. (August 24, 1997). "Trail Blazers Sign Grant to 7-Year, $63-Million Deal". Los Angeles Times.
  28. (August 24, 1997). "NBA -- Blazers Sign Brian Grant; Clifford Robinson Is Out". The Seattle Times.
  29. (August 24, 1997). "Blazers Sign Brian Grant". The Spokesman-Review.
  30. (August 23, 1997). "Celtics Sign 2 Free Agents". The New York Times.
  31. (August 23, 1997). "Transactions". Hartford Courant.
  32. (August 13, 1997). "Heat Acquires Causwell". The New York Times.
  33. Russo, Michael. (August 14, 1997). "Heat Deals 2 Reserves to Kings for 7-Foot Causwell". Sun Sentinel.
  34. (October 31, 1997). "Transactions". The New York Times.
  35. (October 31, 1997). "Hill, Payton Head Team". The Spokesman-Review.
  36. (November 1, 1997). "N.B.A.: LAST NIGHT; Barkley's Back for the Rockets". The New York Times.
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