Kings Land 5th Spot on Grantland's Annual League Pass Rankings

Grantland’s annual preseason League Pass Ranking is a must-read every year, and for the first time since the columns inception (I think) the Kings have landed a spot in the top-5.

As you probably could have guessed before you read Zach Lowe’s take on the Kings this season, they are this high on his list for all of the wrong reasons, but hey, you can’t tell me the rest of the NBA isn’t paying attention to Sacramento anymore. A lot of eyeballs will be on Sleep Train Arena this season.

I want to personally apologize in advance to Lowe's Twitter mentions.

Zach Lowe, Via Grantland -

Not to state the obvious, but: George freaking Karl is coaching a team with Cousins and Rajon Rondo; the Kings are owned by a guy who suggested playing 4-on-5; and Vlade Divac and associated cronies are making basketball decisions. I almost moved to Sacramento just to document this. Even if things implode, rubber-necking will be irresistible.

The only teams ranked higher than the Kings are the Cavaliers, Pelicans, Clippers, and Warriors. Three no-doubt-about-it playoff teams, one likely playoff team, and the Kings. Not the worst company.

Lowe is just one of many national basketball writers to reference the Kings as a must-watch team this season, and while that sentiment is usually shared in a negative light, the Kings have thirteen (yes, thirteen) nationally televised games on their schedule. It's not just the writers, everyone wants to know what this team is going be. The Kings have spent nearly a decade in NBA obscurity. That won't be the case this season.

There is a buzz surrounding this team, and I couldn't care less about what kind of buzz that is, to be honest. Negative, positive, whatever. It doesn't matter. The perception is what it is for a reason, and while I can and will quibble with some of the things that have been said about the Kings this summer, people are paying attention to this team and this city. It's up to the players to run with it. That perception will turn if this team starts winning, and you cannot convince me that the Kings don't have the talent to do it.