Being the most experienced player on the roster by seven years, Trevor Ariza’s NBA tenure and championship DNA can help the Sacramento Kings become a postseason threat
The Sacramento Kings have undergone years of roster turnover, re-building, and fruitless attempts at playoff contention. Having passed up or lost the talents of DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, Hassan Whiteside, Tyreke Evans, Seth Curry, and now Willie-Cauley Stein, it seems as though the Kings are fated for another sub-500 season.
Yet with De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley, along with Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Buddy Hield, Sacramento finally has a roster centered around near All-Star talent and is looking to make a return to the playoffs after a 13-year hiatus.
While the Sacramento Kings’ 2018-19 campaign bordered a playoff appearance, and they hovered around the 7th and 8th seeds at points, their season concluded with a sub-par 39-43 record, taking the 9th seed after it was all said and done.
Could the Kings have made the postseason last year? Yes.
Can the Kings make the postseason this year? Yes.
There is a multitude of factors that end up deciding how a team’s regular-season will end, many of which fall under the umbrellas of skill level, and experience. The Sacramento Kings have talent and lots of it. What separates their past season from this year is the consistent presence of a seasoned NBA veteran.
Iman Shumpert brought championship experience to last year’s Kings but spent much of his time with the team listed as inactive. Corey Brewer‘s time with the 2010-11 Mavericks likely left a good impression on the Kings’ youth, but the 11-year vet only suited up for 31 games, seven of which were with Philadelphia.
After splitting his last season between stints with the Suns and the Wizards, Trevor Ariza landed in Sacramento on a two-year, $25 million contract. Averaging 12.5, 5.4, 3.7 on 40/33/79 splits, Ariza played a confusing role. Neither Phoenix or Washington was in extreme need of another wing player, and after spending six consecutive seasons on a playoff team, the absence of a playoff series was a relatively new experience for him.
A seasoned locker room presence is a necessary factor for all championship-caliber teams, and when dealing with such a young roster, growing pains can be handled best with the help of an experienced veteran. Creating a cohesive and expressive environment for a developing core can do wonders for a team’s performance on and off the court.
Beyond his off-court skills, Trevor Ariza offers perimeter defense, shooting, leadership, and a high basketball IQ. As the Sacramento Kings look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2006, Ariza is one of the better role models that can still contribute on the court that the league has to offer.
In addition, Harrison Barnes will more than likely own the starting spot for the Kings this season, which will allow Ariza to move his focus from reaching starter-caliber numbers, and instead look to assist and develop Sacramento’s younger players as a rotation contributor.
Vlade Divac, the team’s general manager, has spent the last four years trying to bring the Sacramento Kings to relevancy after their consistent playoff appearances in the early to mid-2000s. While he was berated for his movement of DeMarcus Cousins, he now sits confidently in the front office, watching as his roster gains momentum.
The Kings have a good chance to reach the playoffs this year, and if they fail to do so, it will not be due to a lack of talent, but rather due to the immense strength of this year’s Western Conference. With such budding young talent and an unbelievably high ceiling, the Sacramento Kings, with the help of veteran Trevor Ariza, will undeniably be contenders in the coming years.
Whether or not De’Aaron Fox and his teammates are capable of reaching the postseason will be revealed as the NBA season begins on October 23. The Kings will face off against the Jazz on Monday in Salt Lake City as their NBA preseason continues.