After securing their first road victory, the Kings wasted no time, heading straight to Denver to face the Nuggets. Unlike their previous opponents, the Nuggets underestimated them. The most notable player on the Nuggets was still the half-orc powerhouse, Faried, but their future cornerstone, Jokic, had already been snatched up by Jake in an earlier draft move. Unless something changed, it seemed the Nuggets were destined to continue their downward spiral.
Coach Malone didn't treat this matchup as a challenge. To him, it was more of a training ground. After Cousins and Gay dominated the inside, establishing a solid lead, Malone confidently rotated in the rookies. Soon, the court was filled with first- and second-year players: CJ, LaVine, Ben, and of course, Jokic.
Watching the young and inexperienced lineup, the Nuggets burned with frustration. It was clear the Kings didn't respect them, but there wasn't much they could do. Their team was simply too weak. Rookie Noah Vonleh was determined to prove his worth, but Jokic overwhelmed him at every turn. Vonleh's hard-earned muscles were no match for Jokic's seemingly unfit, yet deceptively strong physique. By the end of the game, Vonleh himself began to question who was the real second-round pick.
Meanwhile, Jake had gotten so caught up chatting with a female fan that he'd lost track of the game, only snapping out of it as garbage time approached. Embarrassed, he quietly slipped over to Coach Malone.
"Mike, what do you think of the team lineup right now?" Jake asked, his voice low.
Malone looked surprised, caught off guard by the question. "Pretty good. We're about to win this game, and with the Nuggets up next at home, a five-game winning streak looks inevitable."
"That's not what I meant," Jake waved a hand dismissively. "I'm talking long-term, beyond these next five games. Do you think we need to make a trade?"
Malone's eyes lit up. "A trade? Who are we stealing this time?"
Jake was momentarily speechless, realizing he might have led Malone down the wrong path. How had this seasoned coach become so fixated on "stealing" talent?
"I'm serious," Jake insisted. "If we make a move, where do you think we should strengthen?"
Malone grew serious too. "The forward line. It needs an upgrade. We've maxed out our guards and inside talent. We just need to wait for them to mature, but the forwards? That's where we're weak."
Jake knew he was right. With Gay now playing the four, the Kings had a glut of forwards: Landry, Jason Thompson, Derrick Williams. Yet, the starting small forward, Casspi, often went unnoticed, even by their own fans. The forward rotation wasn't just lacking; it was uninspiring.
"The forward group, huh?" Jake mused, rubbing his chin. "Alright, I'll look into it."
As he sat back down, his mind was racing. Sure, this era belonged to forwards—guys like LeBron, Durant, Paul George, and Leonard, who had just won Finals MVP. But none of them were up for grabs. Wiggins was still Minnesota's golden boy, and Tatum was still in high school. Any forced trade could upset the delicate balance the Kings had just begun to build. Jake knew that introducing another ball-dominant player could backfire, plunging them into mediocrity again.
He sighed, deciding to shelve the issue for now. The season was young; he had time to figure it out.
Meanwhile, the game continued. LaVine soared high for a thunderous alley-oop from Jokic, dunking over Faried with authority. "Great pass!" LaVine shouted, giving Jokic a high-five as they sprinted back on defense. Jokic's passing had opened up the floor, pulling opposing defenders away from the paint and creating easy scoring opportunities.
The Denver crowd fell silent, watching in disbelief as the Kings ran circles around their team. Just last season, the Kings had been as dismal as the Nuggets, if not worse. How had they become so formidable in such a short time? Wasn't rebuilding supposed to be a grueling process, one that teams like the 76ers were still preaching patience for?
In the end, the Kings triumphed with a 110-92 victory. Coach Malone's gamble to give the rookies significant minutes paid off in a big way. Ben McLemore dropped 16 points, Jokic nearly had a triple-double with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists, and CJ McCollum added 22 points with 4 assists. But the star of the night was LaVine, with a breakout performance of 28 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds.
As the final buzzer sounded, Jake leaned back in his seat, a small smile playing on his lips. The season was just beginning, and the Kings had plenty of surprises left in store.
At this point in the season, the Kings sat proudly at the top of the Western Conference with a flawless 4-0 record, catching the attention of the entire league. On Barkley's talk show, NBA legend Reggie Miller expressed his admiration. "The Kings' success is undeniable," Miller said, unable to hide his excitement. "They're like a war machine, steamrolling through the league. Every coach in the West needs to start thinking about how to handle the Kings' execution."
Miller, whose Pacers once embodied this kind of relentless team basketball in the '80s, saw echoes of those glory days in the Kings' current run. His Pacers had even pushed Michael Jordan to a Game 7. For Miller, the rise of academic, team-first basketball brought a wave of nostalgia, and he didn't hesitate to root for the Kings.
"I agree, Reggie," Barkley chimed in, adjusting his mic. "Cousins and Gay have made sacrifices, giving up some of their touches, and the Kings' young guys are stepping up under pressure."
"LaVine and Jokic have been monsters," Miller added. "If they keep this up, the Kings could see both players in this year's All-Rookie First Team."
"But," Barkley interrupted, shifting the conversation, "the Kings don't have a superstar. Cousins is talented, no doubt, but he doesn't have that 'carry the team on his back' mentality. Gay's a great second option, but he's not a number one guy. And these rookies, as good as they are, still need time to mature."
Barkley leaned forward, posing a question. "So, what happens when the Kings face the league's elite? Guys like LeBron, Durant, or Harden—can the Kings keep up this magical run?"
Miller shrugged, throwing his hands up. "Who knows? Team basketball is smart basketball, but when you face top-tier talent, it can only take you so far. My Pacers were unstoppable in the East, but when we went up against Jordan at his peak, we couldn't get over the hump. He was just... a god."
While Barkley and Miller debated the Kings' future, the team wasn't interested in the chatter. After crushing the Nuggets on the road, they returned to Sacramento, ready to face them again at home.
The Kings' young star, CJ, dribbled past Lawson with ease, slicing through the defense before laying the ball in despite Faried's attempt to contest him. As he turned to jog back on defense, CJ glanced up at the scoreboard, grinning at the massive lead they'd built.
In their fifth game, back on home court, the Nuggets seemed disheartened from the start. Coach Malone capitalized on this, pushing his team to keep up the pressure. By halftime, the Kings had a 18-point lead. Cousins dominated the paint, calling out Nuggets defenders one by one, while the Kings' shooters were relentless from beyond the arc, draining threes that chipped away at the Nuggets' willpower.
When the final buzzer echoed through the arena, the Kings secured yet another easy win. The crowd erupted into deafening cheers, the fans letting loose all their pent-up excitement. It had been far too long since Sacramento had experienced such an overwhelming victory, and they savored every moment. The Kings had been silent for too long, but now they were back—loud and proud.
Thanks to their meteoric rise, the Kings were reaping the rewards financially as well. Fans flocked to buy season tickets, eager to be part of the team's resurgence. Jake, now handling the team's financial matters, presented the latest report to owner Vivek Ranadivé, whose face lit up as he reviewed the numbers.
"I knew I made the right choice," Ranadivé beamed, pouring Jake a glass of water and inviting him to sit. "Not only do you keep the team running smoothly, but you're making us money. Every boss dreams of an employee like that."
Jake smiled modestly. "Just doing my job."
"This is more than just doing your job," Ranadivé said, flipping through the financial statement and marveling at the team's net profit. "This is a real surprise."
Sensing the timing was right, Jake seized the moment. "Vivek, there's something I wanted to discuss with you."
"Oh?" Ranadivé's expression shifted slightly, curiosity flickering in his eyes before he quickly masked it. "You've done so much for this team, you can ask for anything."
Jake didn't miss the brief hesitation but pressed on. "I think we need to invest more in the team. We're having a great season so far, but there are still areas that need improvement. I'm hoping for your support to continue making trades."
Ranadivé raised an eyebrow but listened intently. The Kings had already exceeded expectations, but Jake's vision wasn't just about this season—it was about building something sustainable.