NBA: Power Ranking Every Team’s Bench Unit Entering 2016-17
By Mason McFee
30. Sacramento Kings
Starters – Darren Collison, Arron Afflalo, Rudy Gay, Willie Cauley-Stein, DeMarcus Cousins
Bench – Isaiah Cousins, Garrett Temple, Matt Barnes, Anthony Tolliver, Kosta Koufos
Out of all the bench units I had to rank, this one made me the most nauseous.
The Kings have long been the laughingstock of the NBA due to poor management and questionable draft picks, alongside head scratching signings and the constant tension that exists between Boogie and upper management. Their offseasons have been tumultuous to say the least the past few seasons, and 2016 was no different.
The Kings drafted yet another big man in the lottery and despite being active in free agency and on draft night, their roster still doesn’t have a clear identity. Ben McLemore has been the starter at the 2 for the past few seasons, but you don’t shell out a combined $49 million to Arron Afflalo and Garrett Temple to have both of them ride the bench…do you?
On second thought…it is the Kings.
Darren Collison is facing legal trouble but for now is the starting 1, making rookie Isaiah Cousins the backup. Matt Barnes won’t start over Gay unless Gay gets hurt or gets traded (which according to rumors, may happen soon). Tolliver and Koufos are career bench players, and I think Afflalo offers more overall, which is why Temple is on the bench.
Overall though, there is no player on this bench that can justifiably not make them the worst bench unit in the NBA.
Next: No. 29