1988–89 Sacramento Kings season

The 1988–89 Sacramento Kings season was the 40th season for the Sacramento Kings in the National Basketball Association, and their fourth season in Sacramento, California.^[1] It was also the team's first season playing at their new arena, the new ARCO Arena, known as "ARCO Arena II", after playing the previous three seasons at the original ARCO Arena. In addition, after previously playing in the Midwest Division of the NBA's Western Conference, the Kings moved into the Pacific Division this season.

Head coachJerry Reynolds

General managerBill Russell

OwnersJoseph Benvenuti
Gregg Lukenbill

ArenaARCO Arena

Quick facts Sacramento Kings season, Head coach ...

1988–89 Sacramento Kings season
Head coach	Jerry Reynolds
General manager	Bill Russell
Owners	Joseph Benvenuti Gregg Lukenbill
Arena	ARCO Arena
Results
Record	27–55 (.329)
Place	Division: 6th (Pacific) Conference: 10th (Western)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	KRBK-TV (Grant Napear, Derrek Dickey)
Radio	KFBK (Gary Gerould)
< 1987–88 1989–90 >

Close

The Kings received the 18th overall pick in the 1988 NBA draft from the Atlanta Hawks via trade, and selected small forward Ricky Berry out of San Jose State University, and also selected shooting guard Vinny Del Negro out of North Carolina State University with the 29th overall pick.^[2][3][4] During the off-season, the team acquired Rodney McCray and Jim Petersen from the Houston Rockets,^[5][6][7] and also acquired Randy Wittman from the Hawks.^[3][8][9]

With the addition of McCray, Peterson and Berry, the Kings struggled losing their first seven games of the regular season. The team got off to a 3–14 start to the season, posted a six-game losing streak between January and February, and held a 14–32 record at the All-Star break.^[10] At mid-season, the team traded Ed Pinckney, and Joe Kleine to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Danny Ainge, and second-year forward Brad Lohaus,^[11][12][13] and traded Wittman, and LaSalle Thompson to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Wayman Tisdale.^[14][15][16] The Kings posted another six-game losing streak in February, but managed to win five of their final eight games of the season, finishing in sixth place in the Pacific Division with a 27–55 record.^[17]

Ainge averaged 20.3 points, 6.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game in 28 games after the trade, while Tisdale averaged 19.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in 31 games, and second-year guard Kenny Smith provided the team with 17.3 points, 7.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game. In addition, McCray provided with 12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, while Harold Pressley contributed 12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, and led the Kings with 119 three-point field goals, and Berry contributed 11.0 points per game. Meanwhile, Petersen averaged 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, Lohaus provided with 8.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 29 games, and Del Negro contributed 7.1 points and 2.6 assists per game.^[18]

The Kings finished tenth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 677,197 at the ARCO Arena II during the regular season.^[18][19] Following the season, Petersen was traded to the Golden State Warriors,^[20][21] and Lohaus was left unprotected in the 1989 NBA expansion draft, where he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves expansion team.^[22][23][24]