Building Blocks – Point Guard(?)
When the Sacramento Kings bought out the best shooting guard this league has ever seen, it was just another failed experiment upper management tried at the 2 spot.
Now, Jimmer Fredette just recently dropped 73 in a Chinese League game and the Kings wish he was still on their roster. (I’m half-kidding). What I’m serious about is that at the Kings have had a hole in their backcourt for a long time, and this year is no different.
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
The Kings signed Ty Lawson prior to the season in hopes of him finding his Denver days-magic despite already having microwave-scoring guard Darren Collison on the roster; and signing veteran combo guard Garrett Temple.
Collison has definitely been the better of the two, averaging 13.7 PPG to go with a 53.9 eFG% and a very good 42.1% from 3. Lawson has been the better passer (albeit by a small margin), averaging 4.5 APG opposed to Collison’s 4.2, but Lawson hasn’t provided much spacing for Dave Joerger’s squad; shooting 29% from deep.
Temple has been shooting a respectable 36.1% from 3 this season and made a few quality fill-in starts, but hasn’t moved the needle much on the offensive end even in a reserve role.
While Lawson has been a nice surprise in Sacramento, and Collison continues to be a good scorer and 3PT shooter, neither are franchise PGs. Same for Temple. I think all are fine backup options, but nothing more. Luckily for the Kangz, this year’s draft class is stocked with franchise PGs. While they could lose their selection to Philly, I think the basketball gods will finally have mercy on them and gift them a guy like De’Aaron Fox or Dennis Smith to help start turning this franchise around.
So with the PG position out of the way, let’s move on to….