What Is The Worst Case Scenario For The Kings?

We play the pessimist in our look at a worst-case scenario for the upcoming Sacramento Kings season.

After a decade-plus of disappointment and futility, it is understandable if Sacramento Kings fans anticipate the worst. The team has been nothing short of a laughing stock, known for one-upping themselves on bad decisions and tough breaks. Any time a glimmer of hope has arisen, it has quickly been extinguished, leaving fans with little hope for the future.

But the current glimmer of hope for Sacramento gleams brighter than it ever has before. There is a plethora of young talent up and down the roster and fans are obviously optimistic, though it comes with a heavy dose of caution. It would surprise no one if the wheels came off.

So, theoretically speaking, what would be the first domino fall that would set the Kings back yet again? For the upcoming season, that domino would be an injury to De’Aaron Fox.

If Fox were to go down for an extended period, the entire structure of the Kings offense would likely suffer. The team depends on his speed and athleticism to effectively run the offense, and his absence would hinder the Kings during a crucial development season.

Backup point guard Cory Joseph is not known for his offensive abilities. He has never averaged more than 10 points or 4 assists in any season of his career, and has never carried the load as a starter. The Kings would probably be slightly better on the defensive end, but the offense would look completely different without Fox.

Fox is a slasher, unafraid to attack the basket, which creates opportunities for his teammates elsewhere on the floor. Buddy Hield would not get the number of open looks that he does if the backcourt defense is targeting him and him only. Marvin Bagley would be less effective without a pick-and-roll partner and someone to create space to improve his three-point shot.

Fox’s own development and personal financial future would also be in jeopardy. 2020 could be another break out year of sorts for the third year point hard, and he could be eligible for a rookie max extension for five years and roughly $175 million. Depending on the severity of the hypothetical injury, the Kings would likely hand that contract to Fox either way.

The Sacramento Kings have lofty goals and modest expectations, much of which lies in the hands of De’Aaron Fox and his ascension to stardom. Keeping him healthy will be a crucial key to the 2019-20 season.