1988–89 Sacramento Kings season explained

The 1988-89 NBA season was the Kings' 40th season in the NBA and fourth in Sacramento.^[1] It was also the franchise's first season at the new ARCO Arena, after playing the previous three seasons at the original ARCO Arena, as well as the team's first season in the Pacific Division of the NBA's Western Conference. During the off-season, the Kings acquired Rodney McCray and Jim Petersen from the Houston Rockets,^{[2] [3] [4]} and acquired Randy Wittman from the Atlanta Hawks.^{[5] [6] [7]}

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,^{[8] [9] [10] [11]} and dealt Wittman, and LaSalle Thompson to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Wayman Tisdale.^{[12] [13] [14] [15]} The Kings held a 14–32 record at the All-Star break,^[16] and finished sixth in the Pacific Division with a 27–55 record.^[17]

Second-year guard Kenny Smith averaged 17.3 points, 7.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while McCray averaged 12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, and Harold Pressley provided the team with 12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. In addition, top draft pick Ricky Berry out of San Jose State University contributed 11.0 points per game, and Petersen provided with 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.^[18]

Following the season, Petersen was traded to the Golden State Warriors,^{[19] [20]} and Lohaus was left unprotected in the 1989 NBA Expansion Draft, where he was selected by the newly expansion Minnesota Timberwolves.^{[21] [22] [23] [24] [25]}

Draft picks

See main article: article and 1988 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	18		SG/SF		San Jose State
2	29		SG/PG		North Carolina State

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1988-89 NBA Records
width=100	Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIA	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	3–1	4–1	4–2	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–5	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	6–0	4–1	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1
Boston	1–3	–	6–0	1–3	1–4	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	5–1	3–3	3–3	0–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–4
Charlotte	1–4	0–6	–	1–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–4	2–4	3–3	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–5
Chicago	2–4	3–1	4–1	–	0–6	2–0	1–1	0–6	1–1	1–1	4–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	6–0	2–2	3–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–1
Cleveland	2–4	4–1	4–0	6–0	–	2–0	2–0	3–3	1–1	1–1	5–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–3	4–0	2–2	3–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2
Dallas	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	–	3–3	0–2	1–3	1–5	1–1	3–1	0–4	6–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	5–1	2–2	4–2	1–1
Denver	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–3	–	1–1	3–1	4–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	5–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	3–3	2–2	3–3	1–1
Detroit	5–1	3–1	4–0	6–0	3–3	2–0	1–1	–	1–1	1–1	4–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–4	4–0	0–4	5–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	5–0
Golden State	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	1–1	–	1–3	1–1	5–1	2–3	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–4	2–4	2–3	3–1	2–4	2–2	1–1
Houston	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–4	1–1	3–1	–	2–0	2–2	1–3	4–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	6–0	2–2	2–4	0–2
Indiana	1–5	3–2	2–2	2–4	1–5	1–1	1–1	2–4	1–1	0–2	–	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–4	1–3	0–5	0–4	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–5	2–2	1–1	–	1–5	1–3	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–5	2–3	3–1	1–4	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	4–0	3–1	0–2	3–2	3–1	2–0	5–1	–	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–3	5–0	5–1	3–1	4–2	1–3	1–1
Miami	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–6	1–5	0–2	0–4	2–4	1–1	3–1	0–4	–	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–4	0–4	1–5	0–2
Milwaukee	0–6	2–2	4–0	0–6	3–3	2–0	2–0	4–2	2–0	1–1	4–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	–	4–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1
New Jersey	1–4	1–5	4–2	2–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–4	–	2–4	1–5	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–5
New York	2–2	3–3	4–2	2–3	2–2	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	5–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–2	–	2–4	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	5–1
Philadelphia	2–2	3–3	3–3	3–1	2–3	1–1	1–1	0–5	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–3	5–1	4–2	–	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–2
Phoenix	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–1	3–1	0–2	4–2	3–1	1–1	5–1	3–3	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	–	2–3	5–1	3–1	4–1	2–2	2–0
Portland	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	4–2	1–3	0–2	5–1	0–5	4–0	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–2	–	3–3	4–0	2–4	0–4	1–1
Sacramento	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	3–2	2–2	1–1	3–2	1–5	3–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–5	3–3	–	2–2	1–5	1–3	0–2
San Antonio	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	3–3	0–2	1–3	0–6	0–2	1–3	1–3	4–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	–	0–4	1–5	1–1
Seattle	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	4–2	2–2	1–1	4–1	2–4	4–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–4	4–2	5–1	4–0	–	3–1	1–1
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	3–3	0–2	2–2	4–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	5–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	3–1	5–1	1–3	–	2–0
Washington	1–3	4–2	5–1	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–5	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–4	5–1	1–5	2–4	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	—

Game log

Transactions

Trades

June 27, 1988	To Sacramento Kings Randy Wittman 1988 1st round pick	To Atlanta Hawks Reggie Theus 1988 3rd round pick
October 11, 1988	To Sacramento Kings Rodney McCray Jim Petersen	To Houston Rockets Otis Thorpe
October 31, 1988	To Sacramento Kings 1991 2nd round pick 1996 2nd round pick	To New Jersey Nets Mike McGee
February 20, 1989	To Sacramento Kings Wayman Tisdale 1990 2nd round pick	To Indiana Pacers LaSalle Thompson Randy Wittman
February 23, 1989	To Sacramento Kings Danny Ainge Brad Lohaus	To Boston Celtics Joe Kleine Ed Pinckney

See also

• 1988-89 NBA season

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAC/1989.html 1988-89 Sacramento Kings
2. News: SPORTS PEOPLE; Signed, Then Traded . The New York Times . October 12, 1988 . February 12, 2022.
3. News: Rockets Trade 2 for Sacramento's Otis Thorpe . Los Angeles Times . October 12, 1988 . December 25, 2022.
4. News: Associated Press . Rockets Trade Petersen, McCray for Otis Thorpe . Deseret News . October 12, 1988 . December 25, 2022.
5. News: Goldaper . Sam . N.B.A. Draft; Manning, Then 3-Way Trade Give Hope to Lowly Clippers . The New York Times . June 29, 1988 . December 25, 2022.
6. News: Baker . Chris . 1988 NBA DRAFT: Clippers Choose Manning, Then Play for Position: They Trade Cage, End Up with Smith and Grant . Los Angeles Times . June 29, 1988 . December 25, 2022.
7. News: Smith . Sam . Theus Complements Hawks' Stars . Chicago Tribune . November 17, 1988 . December 25, 2022.
8. News: The Boston Celtics traded Guard Danny Ainge and Second-Year... . United Press International . February 23, 1989 . June 20, 2023.
9. News: Thomas Jr. . Robert Mcg. . BASKETBALL; Knicks, In a Surprise, Get Vandeweghe; Celtics Trade Ainge . The New York Times . February 24, 1989 . February 13, 2022.
10. News: Celts Send Ainge to Sacramento; 8-Year Veteran Surprised, But Vows He’ll Make the Best of it . Deseret News . February 24, 1989 . December 25, 2022.
11. News: Cotton . Anthony . Several Teams Make Moves Before Trading Deadline . The Washington Post . February 25, 1989 . December 25, 2022.
12. News: The Indiana Pacers Have Traded Forward Wayman Tisdale to... . United Press International . February 19, 1989 . December 25, 2022.
13. News: The Indiana Pacers Traded Forward Wayman Tisdale... . Los Angeles Times . February 20, 1989 . June 22, 2023.
14. News: Tisdale Reportedly Traded for Wittman, Thompson . Deseret News . February 20, 1989 . December 25, 2022.
15. News: Goldaper . Sam . Pacers Deal Tisdale to Kings; Eye Move to Get Vandeweghe . The New York Times . February 21, 1989 . February 13, 2022.
16. Web site: NBA Games Played on February 9, 1989 . Basketball-Reference . January 23, 2023.
17. Web site: 1988–89 Sacramento Kings Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. February 13, 2022.
18. Web site: 1988–89 Sacramento Kings Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. February 13, 2022.
19. News: SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Warriors Send Sampson to Kings for Petersen. SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO FOOTBALL; Patriots to Start Flutie. SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO HOCKEY; Fuhr Dismisses Agent. SPORTS PEOPLE: SPORTS MUSEUM; Opening in New York . The New York Times . September 28, 1989 . December 25, 2022.
20. News: Associated Press . Warriors Trade Sampson to Sacramento for Petersen . Los Angeles Times . September 28, 1989 . December 25, 2022.
21. News: Brown . Clifton . Knicks' Green Is Taken First in N.B.A.'s Expansion Draft . The New York Times . June 16, 1989 . December 6, 2022.
22. News: Howard-Cooper . Scott . NBA Expansion Draft: Timberwolves Get Mahorn; Lakers Lose Rivers . Los Angeles Times . June 16, 1989 . December 6, 2022.
23. News: Cotton . Anthony . Green Tabbed No. 1, Mahorn No. 2 in NBA Expansion Draft . The Washington Post . June 16, 1989 . January 31, 2023.
24. News: Smith . Sam . Magic Day for Vincent, Not for Mahorn . Chicago Tribune . June 16, 1989 . July 8, 2023.
25. Web site: 1989 NBA Expansion Draft . Basketball-Reference . February 13, 2022.