Sacramento Kings Report Card: Willie Cauley-Stein
By Rafe Wong
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.
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.