# 2015–16 Sacramento Kings season

The 2015–16 Sacramento Kings season was the 71st season of the franchise, its 67th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and its 31st in Sacramento. It was also their final season playing in the Sleep Train Arena (their home since 1988), as the Kings moved to the new Golden 1 Center in Downtown Sacramento the following season. It was also the final full–season for DeMarcus Cousins played for the Kings' before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans midway through next season.
Following seven consecutive seasons with fewer than 30 victories, an ignominy previously suffered only by the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies franchise between 1995–96 and 2002–03 and by the Kings themselves between 1986–87 and 1993–94, the Kings improved by four wins to finish 33–49. It was the first time since 2004–05 that the Kings were out of the bottom two in the Pacific Division, but the team remained eight wins short of a playoff berth. This season was also the first since 2007-08 where the Kings had won at least 40% of their games and prevented another 50 loss season. Following the season, veteran George Karl was fired as head coach, one game shy of his 2,000th NBA game as head coach, and replaced by Dave Joerger and Rajon Rondo signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 6 | Willie Cauley-Stein | C | United States | Kentucky |

## Standings

| Pacific Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | GP |
| z – Golden State Warriors | 73 | 9 | .890 | – | 39‍–‍2 | 34‍–‍7 | 15–1 | 82 |
| x – Los Angeles Clippers | 53 | 29 | .646 | 20.0 | 29‍–‍12 | 24‍–‍17 | 9–7 | 82 |
| Sacramento Kings | 33 | 49 | .402 | 40.0 | 18‍–‍23 | 15‍–‍26 | 8–8 | 82 |
| Phoenix Suns | 23 | 59 | .280 | 50.0 | 14‍–‍27 | 9‍–‍32 | 6–10 | 82 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 56.0 | 12‍–‍29 | 5‍–‍36 | 2–14 | 82 |
Western Conference :
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
| 1 | z – Golden State Warriors * | 73 | 9 | .890 | – | 82 |
| 2 | y – San Antonio Spurs * | 67 | 15 | .817 | 6.0 | 82 |
| 3 | y – Oklahoma City Thunder * | 55 | 27 | .671 | 18.0 | 82 |
| 4 | x – Los Angeles Clippers | 53 | 29 | .646 | 20.0 | 82 |
| 5 | x – Portland Trail Blazers | 44 | 38 | .537 | 29.0 | 82 |
| 6 | x – Dallas Mavericks | 42 | 40 | .512 | 31.0 | 82 |
| 7 | x – Memphis Grizzlies | 42 | 40 | .512 | 31.0 | 82 |
| 8 | x – Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 32.0 | 82 |
| 9 | Utah Jazz | 40 | 42 | .488 | 33.0 | 82 |
| 10 | Sacramento Kings | 33 | 49 | .402 | 40.0 | 82 |
| 11 | Denver Nuggets | 33 | 49 | .402 | 40.0 | 82 |
| 12 | New Orleans Pelicans | 30 | 52 | .366 | 43.0 | 82 |
| 13 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 29 | 53 | .354 | 44.0 | 82 |
| 14 | Phoenix Suns | 23 | 59 | .280 | 50.0 | 82 |
| 15 | Los Angeles Lakers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 56.0 | 82 |

## Regular season game log

2015–16 game log Total: 33–49 (Home: 18–23; Road: 15–26) :
October: 1–2 (home: 1–1; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 28
L.A. Clippers
L 104–111
DeMarcus Cousins (32)
DeMarcus Cousins (13)
Marco Belinelli (7)
Sleep Train Arena 17,458
0–1
2
October 30
L.A. Lakers
W 132–114
Cousins & Rondo (21)
DeMarcus Cousins (11)
Rajon Rondo (8)
Sleep Train Arena 17,391
1–1
3
October 31
@ L.A. Clippers
L 109–114
Rajon Rondo (21)
Gay, Cousins & Cauley-Stein (9)
Rajon Rondo (8)
Staples Center 19,060
1–2 :
November
: 6–10 (home: 4–5; road: 2–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
4
November 3
Memphis
L 89–103
Rudy Gay (19)
Willie Cauley-Stein (7)
Rajon Rondo (4)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
1–3
5
November 4
@ Phoenix
L 97–118
Kosta Koufos (16)
Rudy Gay (8)
Collison, Rondo (6)
Talking Stick Resort Arena 16,497
1–4
6
November 6
Houston
L 110–116
Casspi, Collison (22)
Willie Cauley-Stein (9)
Darren Collison (9)
Sleep Train Arena 16,983
1–5
7
November 7
Golden State
L 94–103
Rudy Gay (22)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Rajon Rondo (15)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
1–6
8
November 9
San Antonio
L 88–106
DeMarcus Cousins (21)
DeMarcus Cousins (12)
Rajon Rondo (10)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
1–7
9
November 11
Detroit
W 101–92
DeMarcus Cousins (33)
Casspi, Rondo (11)
Rajon Rondo (15)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
2–7
10
November 13
Brooklyn
W 111–109
DeMarcus Cousins (40)
DeMarcus Cousins (13)
Rajon Rondo (14)
Sleep Train Arena 17,131
3–7
11
November 15
Toronto
W 107–101
DeMarcus Cousins (36)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Rajon Rondo (14)
Sleep Train Arena 17,006
4–7
12
November 18
@ Atlanta
L 97–103
DeMarcus Cousins (24)
Cousins, Rondo (12)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Philips Arena 13,008
4–8
13
November 19
@ Miami
L 109–116
Marco Belinelli (23)
Rudy Gay (12)
Rajon Rondo (18)
American Airlines Arena 19,600
4–9
14
November 21
@ Orlando
W 97–91
DeMarcus Cousins (29)
DeMarcus Cousins (12)
Rajon Rondo (9)
Amway Center 16,104
5–9
15
November 23
@ Charlotte
L 122–127 (OT)
DeMarcus Cousins (30)
DeMarcus Cousins (11)
Rajon Rondo (20)
Time Warner Cable Arena 14,163
5–10
16
November 25
@ Milwaukee
W 129–118
Rudy Gay (36)
Koufos, Rondo (9)
Rajon Rondo (13)
BMO Harris Bradley Center 14,120
6–10
17
November 27
Minnesota
L 91–101
Marco Belinelli (17)
Kosta Koufos (13)
Rajon Rondo (16)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
6–11
18
November 28
@ Golden State
L 101–120
Rudy Gay (20)
Acy, Casspi, Gay, Koufos (7)
Rajon Rondo (7)
Oracle Arena 19,596
6–12
19
November 30
Dallas
W 112–98
DeMarcus Cousins (31)
DeMarcus Cousins (9)
DeMarcus Cousins (6)
Sleep Train Arena 16,937
7–12 :
December
: 5–8 (home: 3–3; road: 2–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
20
December 3
Boston
L 97–114
Rudy Gay (18)
Kosta Koufos (10)
Rajon Rondo (8)
Mexico City Arena (Mexico City, MX/NBA Global Games) 18,660
7–13
21
December 5
@ Houston
L 113–120
Ben McLemore (19)
Kosta Koufos (12)
Rajon Rondo (19)
Toyota Center 17,318
7–14
22
December 6
@ Oklahoma City
L 95–98
Rudy Gay (20)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Rajon Rondo (10)
Chesapeake Energy Arena 18,203
7–15
23
December 8
Utah
W 114–106
Cousins, Gay (23)
DeMarcus Cousins (12)
Rajon Rondo (13)
Sleep Train Arena 16,505
8–15
24
December 10
New York
W 99–97
DeMarcus Cousins (27)
DeMarcus Cousins (11)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
9–15
25
December 15
Houston
W 107–97
DeMarcus Cousins (26)
Rudy Gay (13)
Darren Collison (13)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
10–15
26
December 18
@ Minnesota
L 95–99
DeMarcus Cousins (24)
DeMarcus Cousins (11)
Rajon Rondo (13)
Target Center 12,770
10–16
27
December 20
@ Toronto
W 104–94
Gay, Rondo (18)
Omri Casspi (11)
Rajon Rondo (13)
Air Canada Centre 19,800
11–16
28
December 21
@ Washington
L 99–113
DeMarcus Cousins (22)
Cousins, Rondo (8)
Rajon Rondo (9)
Verizon Center 15,124
11–17
29
December 23
@ Indiana
W 108–106
DeMarcus Cousins (25)
DeMarcus Cousins (16)
Rajon Rondo (16)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse 18,165
12–17
30
December 27
Portland
L 94–98
DeMarcus Cousins (36)
Rudy Gay (14)
Rajon Rondo (15)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
12–18
31
December 28
@ Golden State
L 103–122
Omri Casspi (36)
Quincy Acy (10)
Darren Collison (11)
Oracle Arena 19,596
12–19
32
December 30
Philadelphia
L 105–110
DeMarcus Cousins (21)
Casspi, Cousins (11)
Rajon Rondo (14)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
12–20 :
January
: 8–7 (home: 4–3; road: 4–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
33
January 2
Phoenix
W 142–119
DeMarcus Cousins (32)
DeMarcus Cousins (9)
Rajon Rondo (15)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
13–20
34
January 4
@ Oklahoma City
W 116–104
DeMarcus Cousins (33)
DeMarcus Cousins (19)
Rajon Rondo (18)
Chesapeake Energy Arena 18,203
14–20
35
January 5
@ Dallas
L 116–117 (2OT)
DeMarcus Cousins (35)
DeMarcus Cousins (17)
Darren Collison (12)
American Airlines Center 20,059
14–21
36
January 7
L. A. Lakers
W 118–115
DeMarcus Cousins (29)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Sleep Train Arena 17,386
15–21
37
January 9
Golden State
L 116–128
DeMarcus Cousins (33)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
15–22
38
January 13
New Orleans
L 97–109
DeMarcus Cousins (32)
DeMarcus Cousins (12)
Rajon Rondo (10)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
15–23
39
January 14
@ Utah
W 103–101
DeMarcus Cousins (36)
DeMarcus Cousins (17)
Rajon Rondo (13)
Vivint Smart Home Arena 17,894
16–23
40
January 16
@ L. A. Clippers
W 110–103
DeMarcus Cousins (19)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Rajon Rondo (10)
Staples Center 19,191
17–23
41
January 20
@ L. A. Lakers
W 112–93
DeMarcus Cousins (36)
DeMarcus Cousins (16)
Rajon Rondo (17)
Staples Center 18,997
18–23
42
January 21
Atlanta
W 91–88
DeMarcus Cousins (24)
DeMarcus Cousins (15)
Rajon Rondo (11)
Sleep Train Arena 17,019
19–23
43
January 23
Indiana
W 108–97
DeMarcus Cousins (48)
DeMarcus Cousins (13)
Rajon Rondo (10)
Sleep Train Arena 17,419
20–23
44
January 25
Charlotte
L 128–129 (2OT)
DeMarcus Cousins (56)
DeMarcus Cousins (12)
Rajon Rondo (20)
Sleep Train Arena 16,991
20–24
45
January 26
@ Portland
L 97–112
DeMarcus Cousins (17)
Omri Casspi (8)
Rajon Rondo (11)
Moda Center 19,393
20–25
46
January 28
@ New Orleans
L 105–114
Cousins, McLemore (26)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Rajon Rondo (15)
Smoothie King Center 15,636
20–26
47
January 30
@ Memphis
L 117–121
Rudy Gay (21)
DeMarcus Cousins (14)
Rajon Rondo (8)
FedExForum 18,119
20–27 :
February
: 4–7 (home: 2–4; road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
48
February 1
Milwaukee
W 111–104
Rudy Gay (32)
Kosta Koufos (12)
Rajon Rondo (7)
Sleep Train Arena 16,827
21–27
49
February 3
Chicago
L 102–107
DeMarcus Cousins (30)
DeMarcus Cousins (11)
Rajon Rondo (9)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
21–28
50
February 5
@ Brooklyn
L 119–128
Darren Collison (25)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Rajon Rondo (15)
Barclays Center 14,432
21–29
51
February 7
@ Boston
L 119–128
DeMarcus Cousins (31)
DeMarcus Cousins (7)
Rajon Rondo (15)
TD Garden 18,624
21–30
52
February 8
@ Cleveland
L 100–120
Casspi, Gay (16)
Cousins, Rondo (8)
Rajon Rondo (16)
Quicken Loans Arena 20,562
21–31
53
February 10
@ Philadelphia
W 114–110
DeMarcus Cousins (28)
DeMarcus Cousins (12)
Rajon Rondo (15)
Wells Fargo Center 12,501
22–31
All-Star Break
54
February 19
Denver
W 116–110
DeMarcus Cousins (37)
DeMarcus Cousins (20)
Rajon Rondo (9)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
23–31
55
February 23
@ Denver
W 114–110
DeMarcus Cousins (39)
Rudy Gay (10)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Pepsi Center 15,721
24–31
56
February 24
San Antonio
L 92–108
DeMarcus Cousins (22)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Rajon Rondo (18)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
24–32
57
February 26
L. A. Clippers
L 107–117
DeMarcus Cousins (26)
DeMarcus Cousins (15)
DeMarcus Cousins (9)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
24–33
58
February 29
Oklahoma City
L 116–131
DeMarcus Cousins (35)
DeMarcus Cousins (12)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
24–34 :
March
: 6–11 (home: 3–4; road: 3–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
59
March 2
@ Memphis
L 98–104
DeMarcus Cousins (18)
DeMarcus Cousins (16)
Rajon Rondo (17)
FedExForum 15,310
24–35
60
March 3
@ Dallas
W 104–101
DeMarcus Cousins (22)
DeMarcus Cousins (13)
Rajon Rondo (12)
American Airlines Center 19,910
25–35
61
March 5
@ San Antonio
L 94–104
DeMarcus Cousins (31)
DeMarcus Cousins (9)
Rajon Rondo (8)
AT&T Center 18,418
25–36
62
March 7
@ New Orleans
L 112–115
DeMarcus Cousins (40)
DeMarcus Cousins (16)
Rajon Rondo (10)
Smoothie King Center 16,403
25–37
63
March 9
Cleveland
L 111–120
DeMarcus Cousins (29)
DeMarcus Cousins (11)
Darren Collison (8)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
25–38
64
March 11
Orlando
L 100–107
Kosta Koufos (19)
Rudy Gay (7)
Rajon Rondo (14)
Sleep Train Arena 17,081
25–39
65
March 13
Utah
L 99–108
DeMarcus Cousins (31)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Darren Collison (9)
Sleep Train Arena 17,023
25–40
66
March 15
@ L. A. Lakers
W 106–98
Collison, Cousins (22)
Cousins, Gay (8)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Staples Center 18,997
26–40
67
March 16
New Orleans
L 108–123
Darren Collison (23)
DeMarcus Cousins (12)
Cousins, Curry (5)
Sleep Train Arena 17,086
26–41
68
March 18
@ Detroit
L 108–115
DeMarcus Cousins (31)
DeMarcus Cousins (13)
Rajon Rondo (10)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 15,982
26–42
69
March 20
@ New York
W 88–80
DeMarcus Cousins (24)
DeMarcus Cousins (20)
Collison, Rondo (6)
Madison Square Garden 19,812
27–42
70
March 21
@ Chicago
L 102–109
Collison, Cousins (19)
DeMarcus Cousins (18)
Rajon Rondo (5)
United Center 21,531
27–43
71
March 23
@ Minnesota
L 104–113
Rajon Rondo (25)
Kosta Koufos (15)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Target Center 12,151
27–44
72
March 25
Phoenix
W 116–94
DeMarcus Cousins (29)
DeMarcus Cousins (11)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
28–44
73
March 27
Dallas
W 133–111
Willie Cauley-Stein (21)
DeMarcus Cousins (12)
Rajon Rondo (11)
Sleep Train Arena 17,147
29–44
74
March 28
@ Portland
L 93–105
Seth Curry (21)
Willie Cauley-Stein (14)
Darren Collison (7)
Moda Center 19,393
29–45
75
March 30
Washington
W 120–111
DeMarcus Cousins (29)
DeMarcus Cousins (10)
Rajon Rondo (11)
Sleep Train Arena 17,185
30–45 :
April
: 3–4 (home: 1–3; road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
76
April 1
Miami
L 106–112
Darren Collison (26)
Rudy Gay (13)
Rajon Rondo (10)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
30–46
77
April 2
@ Denver
W 115–106
Rudy Gay (25)
Gay, Cauley-Stein (9)
Darren Collison (8)
Pepsi Center 15,607
31–46
78
April 5
Portland
L 107–115
DeMarcus Cousins (30)
Rajon Rondo (10)
Rajon Rondo (12)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
31–47
79
April 7
Minnesota
L 97–105
Darren Collison (19)
Rudy Gay (13)
Darren Collison (6)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
31–48
80
April 9
Oklahoma City
W 114–112
Darren Collison (27)
Rudy Gay (8)
Darren Collison (8)
Sleep Train Arena 17,317
32–48
81
April 11
@ Phoenix
W 105–101
Seth Curry (20)
Kosta Koufos (8)
Seth Curry (15)
Talking Stick Resort Arena 17,288
33–48
82
April 13
@ Houston
L 81–116
Ben McLemore (24)
Kosta Koufos (11)
James Anderson (5)
Toyota Center 18,311
33–49 :
2015–16 season schedule :

## Player statistics
### Regular season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Kosta Koufos | 78 | 14 | 19.0 | .532 | | .548 | 5.4 | .4 | .5 | .9 | 6.8 |
| Darren Collison | 74 | 15 | 30.0 | .486 | .401 | .858 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 1.0 | .1 | 14.0 |
| Rajon Rondo | 72 | 72 | 35.2 | .454 | .365 | .580 | 6.0 | 11.7 | 2.0 | .1 | 11.9 |
| Rudy Gay | 70 | 70 | 34.0 | .463 | .344 | .780 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 1.4 | .7 | 17.2 |
| Omri Casspi | 69 | 21 | 27.2 | .481 | .409 | .648 | 5.9 | 1.4 | .8 | .2 | 11.8 |
| Ben McLemore | 68 | 53 | 21.2 | .429 | .362 | .718 | 2.2 | 1.2 | .8 | .1 | 7.8 |
| Marco Belinelli | 68 | 7 | 24.6 | .386 | .306 | .833 | 1.7 | 1.9 | .5 | .0 | 10.2 |
| Willie Cauley-Stein | 66 | 39 | 21.4 | .563 | .000 | .648 | 5.3 | .6 | .7 | 1.0 | 7.0 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 65 | 65 | 34.6 | .451 | .333 | .718 | 11.5 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 26.9 |
| Quincy Acy | 59 | 29 | 14.8 | .556 | .388 | .735 | 3.2 | .5 | .5 | .4 | 5.2 |
| James Anderson | 51 | 15 | 14.1 | .376 | .267 | .759 | 1.7 | .8 | .4 | .3 | 3.5 |
| Seth Curry | 44 | 9 | 15.7 | .455 | .450 | .833 | 1.4 | 1.5 | .5 | .1 | 6.8 |
| Caron Butler | 17 | 1 | 10.4 | .424 | .167 | .833 | 1.3 | .6 | .5 | .1 | 3.7 |
| Eric Moreland | 8 | 0 | 6.0 | .500 | | .500 | 1.4 | .1 | .0 | .5 | 1.0 |
| Duje Dukan | 1 | 0 | 24.0 | .200 | .400 | | 4.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 | 6.0 |

## Transactions
### Trades

| July 9, 2015 | To Sacramento Kings2016 Second Round Draft Pick | To San Antonio SpursRay McCallum, Jr. |
| July 10, 2015 | To Sacramento KingsArtūras Gudaitis Draft Rights Luka Mitrović Draft Rights | To Philadelphia 76ersNik Stauskas Carl Landry Jason Thompson Future First Round Pick |

### Re-Signed

| Player | Signed | Former Team |
| Omri Casspi | Signed 2-year contract worth $5.8 million | Sacramento Kings |

#### Additions

| Player | Signed | Former Team |
| Rajon Rondo | Signed 1-year contract worth $9.5 million | Dallas Mavericks |
| Marco Belinelli | Signed 3-year contract worth $19 million | San Antonio Spurs |
| Kosta Koufos | Signed 4-year contract worth $32 million | Memphis Grizzlies |
| James Anderson | Signed 2-year contract worth $2.1 million | Žalgiris Kaunas |
| Quincy Acy | Signed 2-year contract worth $2 million | New York Knicks |
| Seth Curry | Signed 2-year contract worth $1.9 million | Erie Bayhawks |
| Duje Dukan | Signed 2-year contract worth $1.4 million | Wisconsin Badgers |
| Caron Butler | Signed 2-year contract worth $3 million | Detroit Pistons |

#### Subtractions

| Player | Reason Left | New Team |
| Derrick Williams | Signed 2-year contract worth $8.8 million | New York Knicks |
| Eric Moreland | Waived (but later re-signed by Kings) | Sacramento Kings |
| Andre Miller | Signed 1-year contract | Minnesota Timberwolves |