Sacramento Kings schedule 2013: Tyreke Evans’ return and back to the Bay

The vision for future success has been built. Sacramento could struggle this season, but its schedule includes games where reflecting on the past will give context to the present.

Nov. 2 at Golden State -- In the third game of the season, a revamped Kings team will visit the Bay Area after new ownership did a good amount of gutting of the Warriors’ leadership. First-year Kings coach Mike Malone was the lead assistant under Golden State coach Mark Jackson over the last two years, and Sacramento also hired general manager Pete D’Alessandro away from the Nuggets’ front office after he spent 2004-08 in Golden State. The Kings may be building their model around the success of the Warriors, but they’re far behind in terms of the product and the process.

Dec. 23 vs. Pelicans -- Tyreke Evans, the fourth overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Kings, will make his return to Sacramento with his new team. The combo guard won the Rookie of the Year award with the Kings, but in the years thereafter only produced inconsistently. The blame doesn’t fall completely on Evans, of course.

Jan. 24 vs. Pacers -- Cousins gets another interesting matchup against a well-regarded but very different style of center in the Pacers’ Roy Hibbert. Comparatively, it’s true that Hibbert has help in Indiana whereas Cousins doesn’t in Sactown. But with the Kings handing Cousins a long-term extension, he’ll be expected to grow in one area where Hibbert is already successful -- we’re talking about the defensive end of the floor.

The first 17 games of the year won’t be kind to the Kings, who play the Clippers three times, the Warriors and Lakers twice each, and the Nets, Grizzlies, Hawks, Thunder and Nuggets once each. Those are the playoff teams of a year ago. Remaining are two games against Portland, one against Detroit and two against the Phoenix Suns.

While not much will be easy for Sacramento in 2013-14, the Kings do have a stretch in the middle of December that could help the season’s final win percentage. Beginning on Dec. 6, they have an eight-game run with opponents including the Bobcats, Suns and the Jazz twice. They also face teams of varying talent that will be trying to find themselves early in the year in Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Back-to-backs: 19

Season opener: Oct. 30 at home vs. Nuggets

Longest road trip: Seven games (March 5-16)

Longest homestand: Five games (Nov. 9-19, Jan. 2-12)

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