Sacramento Kings: Lineup expectations for the 2020-21 season

The subs

Bench: Cory Joseph, Tyrese Halliburton, Glenn Robinson III, Nemanja Bjelecia, Hassan Whiteside

At first glance, this bench unit lacks firepower. What it doesn’t lack is veteran leadership and defensive prowess. Cory Joseph, one of the leagues best defenders will set the tone while Hassan Whiteside locks down the paint. The young rookie Tyrese Halliburton is also touted as a great perimeter defender and his size at the guard position can cause major issues for the opposition.

Offensively they may stagnate, especially with Joseph dominating the ball. Nemanja Bjelicia currently the most prolific scorer in this lineup will need to carry most of the scoring load. In saying that, Halliburton has the chance to become the go-to scorer off the bench, but expect him to take a back seat early on. Alternatively, he and Hield could exchange places, giving the bench more scoring at the expense of the first team.

Expect a lot of Whiteside pick and rolls and Bjelicia pick and pops, while Halliburton takes the lead in transition with his excellent vision.

The small forward position is up for grabs. My pick for the first few weeks is Glenn Robinson III as he’s the most experienced of the lot. While he is a solid player, he’s hardly a game-changer. There are a few intriguing options, but my money would be on either DaQuan Jeffries or Robert Woodard settling into the role eventually.