Sacramento Kings Report Card: Willie Cauley-Stein

Mar 8, 2017; San Antonio, TX, USA; Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein (00) shoots the ball over San Antonio Spurs power forward David Lee (10) during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2017; San Antonio, TX, USA; Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein (00) shoots the ball over San Antonio Spurs power forward David Lee (10) during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

This article is part of a series that A Royal Pain is writing where we grade each player on the Sacramento Kings individually.

For this article specifically, we will evaluate the performance of Willie Cauley-Stein. We will grade Trill based on his offensive, defensive, and overall performances for the 2016-2017 season.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: For this series, the players on the Kings will be graded on a curve, meaning that the grades handed out to each player say more about their ranking on the team rather than their actual performance grade.

Offense: B+

Despite his offensive struggles in the beginning of the season, Cauley-Stein was able to become a top scoring option for the Kings this season. Pre All-Star break, Willie only averaged a measly 5.8 points per game, but once All-Star weekend concluded, Trill was able to get that average up to 12.9 points, totaling to 8.1 points a contest overall for his campaign.

Bottom line, the more opportunities Trill received, the more he showcased his ability as an offensive asset. Kings fans know that Willie is a weapon in the interior, but he was also able to display a reliable hook and mid-range shot that has the makings of expanding his offensive game. Not only did Trill improve as a versatile scorer this season, but he was also able to become a solid distributor for a big man. Watch out NBA, Trillie Cauley-Stein in on his way to dominance.

Defense: A-

Cauley-Stein was drafted by the Kings mainly for his defense, and boy did he deliver on that side of the court this season.

Apr 12, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and Sacramento Kings Willie Cauley-Stein (00) and guard Ben McLemore (23) battle for the ball in the second quarter during a NBA basketball game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and Sacramento Kings Willie Cauley-Stein (00) and guard Ben McLemore (23) battle for the ball in the second quarter during a NBA basketball game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

With his combination of length and athleticism, Cauley-Stein was able to be a versatile defender for the Kings as he showcased the ability to guard multiple positions. As a result of Cauley-Stein’s defensive efforts, he recorded a defensive rating of 109.2 which was ranked 4th amongst his teammates.

Cauley-Stein also was able to develop into an active rebounder by season’s end. Pre All-Star break, Cauley-Stein recorded just a 12.3 clip in total rebounding percentage, but that number went up to 14.6 during his post All-Star break span. Some of that success is due to the effect of the Kings trading DeMarcus Cousins, but by using the eye-test it was glaring how active and motivated Cauley-Stein was in rebounding the ball as the year progressed.

The defense for Sacramento was a drag this season, but Cauley-Stein’s defensive hustle was one of the few brights spots for his team in that aspect of the game.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Willie Cauley-Stein drastically improved his game on both sides of the court. As a result of the surge of Trill, many fans within the Kings’ fanbase are gleaming with optimism about their team’s future.

If Cauley-Stein continues his pattern of improvement going forward, there should be no question that he will be one of the focal points for the Kings’ future.

Overall Grade: A-

Schedule