Sacramento Kings: The Future Isn’t All That Bad
After moving the face of their franchise, we explore why the future isn’t that bad after all for the Sacramento Kings
It has been little over a month since the Sacramento Kings sent DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans for Buddy Hield and a 2017 First Round pick.
Since then, the Kings are 3-10 but the Pelicans haven’t been much better (5-7 since the AS break). With that said, this isn’t about how or why DeMarcus Cousins has made the Pelicans worse. Instead, let’s take a look at the Kings and how they actually do have something to build the future on.
The main piece that the Kings got in return for Boogie, Buddy Hield, first seemed like a bad acquisition. However, he’s slowly shutting down the doubters.
More from Sir Charles In Charge
- Dillon Brooks proved his value to Houston Rockets in the 2023 FIBA World Cup
- NBA Trade Rumors: 1 Player from each team most likely to be traded in-season
- Golden State Warriors: Buy or sell Chris Paul being a day 1 starter
- Does Christian Wood make the Los Angeles Lakers a legit contender?
- NBA Power Rankings: Tiering all 30 projected starting point guards for 2023-24
Since joining Sacramento, Hield’s numbers have SKYROCKETED. In his tenure with the Kings, Hield is shooting a little under 50 percent from the floor, a whole 10 percent higher than in NOLA. He is also now shooting 45 percent from 3, a whole 8 percent higher than when he was in New Orleans.
With that, the rest of his basic stats like points, assists, rebounds and steals per game have also gone up or at least stayed the same. Maybe Hield isn’t so bad after all.
Hield isn’t the only who has benefited it seems from the move, so has Willie Cauley-Stein. WCS, a former lottery pick, has also seen his stats surge. Post All-Star break, WCS is averaging 13 points and seven rebounds per game, paired with two assists and a block per contest.
All numbers that are drastically higher since Boogie’s departure. Another big man that not only has seen more play time but has also improved his overall play is Skal Labissiere. The former Kentucky big had a slow start to his NBA career but has seen a drastic improvement.
Skal is averaging 11 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 60 percent from the floor since the AS break. That’s really good for a rookie that was in the D-League just a while ago.
The Sacramento Kings also have more than a few player assets. With two what seem to be lottery picks in the LOADED 2017 NBA draft, they can add to the talent pool they currently have. The only way the Kings don’t get the Pelicans picks is that if an utter catastrophe happens (yes, it’s complicated), in which they would then be really screwed. Since they are most likely going to keep both picks, let’s look who they can get.
According to a recent mock draft by DraftExpress, they are projected to select NC State superstar Dennis Smith Jr. at No. 6 and Kentucky sniper Malik Monk at No. 8. That would be an INSANE backcourt to add to the current big men they have and a backcourt to grow together. Some other options they could possibly get in the 5-9 pick range is De’Aaron Fox from Kentucky, Jonathan Isaac from Florida State and Jayson Tatum from Duke.
The Sacramento Kings don’t have the brightest future, and some of the above players could just be putting up empty stats, but they are not doomed, yet.
Must Read: 2017 NBA Draft: Previewing The Most Intriguing Sweet 16 Matchups
Skal/Hield/Cauley-Stein is a nice start, if they can pair that three with an orchestrating point guard and a versatile wing with their two upcoming lottery picks, they could be in good shape.