NBA: Shaquille O'Neal Seriously Thinks Sacramento Can Still Make Playoffs

KEY POINTS

Kings likely out of the playoffs
O'Neal keeps the faith, believes Kings can still catch postseason bus
Kings have lost five-straight games

The Sacramento Kings are not looking that well this 2019-20 NBA season with most practically writing them off. Paired with a five-game losing streak, pundits feel that it will take much for the Kings to catch the last bus to the postseason dance.

However, at least one person is staying positive: Shaquille O'Neal. On the set of TNT's "Inside the NBA" last Monday night (via Heavy.com), The Diesel mentioned how he thinks the King will nab the last playoff spot in the Western Conference in a discussion that also involved Charles Barkley.

“Listen, they are going to make that eighth spot. It’s up there on the board,” said the four-time NBA champion to the Round Mound.

That was a pretty bold prediction made by O'Neal who turned out to be a minority owner of the franchise. According to USA Today, the 7-foot-1 retired center became a minority owner back in September 2013.

"What interested me in this deal is the new vision, the new Kings, the new everything," said O'Neal. "I've always wanted to be part of something like this. ... It's going to be great."

Unfortunately, being great is something the Kings have not been this season. The past weeks have seen trade rants involving disgruntled center DeWayne Dedmon. In a previous post, it was mentioned that the 30-year-old center wanted out due to trust issues with current head coach Luke Walton. As of this writing, no deal has been struck for the cager who carries a hefty $13 million paycheck this season.

However, one upside to the Kings this season is Bogdan Bogdanovic. With the NBA trade deadline fast approaching, the 27-year-old Croatian guard was previously linked to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that involved Kyle Kuzma. But in another previous post, Sacramento revealed how it would take a ridiculously hard-to-resist offer for the deal to go down. Bogdanovic is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.

Despite Shaq's belief, it appears the NBA season is good as lost for the Kings. They lost another one recently, dropping a 113-118 decision to the Miami Heat. They are scheduled to face the Detroit Pistons next, hoping to halt their five-game losing slide.