The 1998–99 NBA season was the Kings' Golden Jubileu in the
National Basketball Association, and 14th season in
Sacramento.[1] On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's
collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the
league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The
National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a
lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.[2][3][4][5][6] Due to the lockout, the
NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled.[7][8][9][10][11] However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner
David Stern, and NBPA director
Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games instead of the regular 82-game schedule.[12][13][14][15][16]
Webber averaged 20.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, while Divac averaged 14.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, and Williams provided the team with 12.8 points, 6.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition,
Corliss Williamson provided with 13.2 points per game, and second-year guard
Tariq Abdul-Wahad contributed 9.3 points per game. Off the bench, Maxwell contributed 10.7 points per game, while second-year forward
Lawrence Funderburke averaged 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, and Stojaković provided with 8.4 points per game.[39] Webber also finished in seventh place in
Most Valuable Player voting,[40] while Williams finished in second place in
Rookie of the Year voting behind
Vince Carter of the
Toronto Raptors.[41][42][43]
In the Western Conference First Round of the
playoffs, the Kings got off to a good start, taking a 2–1 series lead over the 3rd–seeded
Utah Jazz.[44][45][46] However, the Jazz won Game 4 on the road by one point to even the series, 90–89, and force a decisive fifth game.[47][48][49] The Kings would lose Game 5 on the road in overtime, 99–92.[50][51][52][53] Following the season, Abdul-Wahad was traded to the
Orlando Magic,[54][55] and Maxwell signed as a free agent with the
Seattle SuperSonics.[56][57]
For the season, the Kings added new purple alternate road uniforms with black side panels to their shorts, which would remain in use until 2002.[58]
The 1998–99 NBA season was the Kings' Golden Jubileu in the
National Basketball Association, and 14th season in
Sacramento.[1] On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's
collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the
league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The
National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a
lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.[2][3][4][5][6] Due to the lockout, the
NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled.[7][8][9][10][11] However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner
David Stern, and NBPA director
Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games instead of the regular 82-game schedule.[12][13][14][15][16]
Webber averaged 20.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, while Divac averaged 14.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, and Williams provided the team with 12.8 points, 6.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition,
Corliss Williamson provided with 13.2 points per game, and second-year guard
Tariq Abdul-Wahad contributed 9.3 points per game. Off the bench, Maxwell contributed 10.7 points per game, while second-year forward
Lawrence Funderburke averaged 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, and Stojaković provided with 8.4 points per game.[39] Webber also finished in seventh place in
Most Valuable Player voting,[40] while Williams finished in second place in
Rookie of the Year voting behind
Vince Carter of the
Toronto Raptors.[41][42][43]
In the Western Conference First Round of the
playoffs, the Kings got off to a good start, taking a 2–1 series lead over the 3rd–seeded
Utah Jazz.[44][45][46] However, the Jazz won Game 4 on the road by one point to even the series, 90–89, and force a decisive fifth game.[47][48][49] The Kings would lose Game 5 on the road in overtime, 99–92.[50][51][52][53] Following the season, Abdul-Wahad was traded to the
Orlando Magic,[54][55] and Maxwell signed as a free agent with the
Seattle SuperSonics.[56][57]
For the season, the Kings added new purple alternate road uniforms with black side panels to their shorts, which would remain in use until 2002.[58]