Sometimes when things are going bad, it’s important to understand that taking a step back is better than continuing to force the issue. Right now, Kings rookie two guard Nik Stauskas is severely struggling, which has raised the question of whether the Kings should send Stauskas to do a brief stint with the D-League Reno Bighorns.
Me personally, I feel that some time in the D-League could benefit the rookie guard because it might rejuvenate his confidence.
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In his two years with the Michigan Wolverines, Stauskas was known as the sharpshooter of the squad. Shooting an overall 50% from the floor, while shooting 44% beyond the arc, as a result averaging 14.2 points a game throughout his collegiate career.
Stauskas has proven that he can shoot, which was the main factor why the Kings selected him with the overall 8th pick in last years draft, but his production in college hasn’t translated to the professional level.
Knowing this has lead fans (including myself) to believe that Stauskas shooting struggles is a result of a low level of confidence, as in his first-half of his rookie season has only made one-third of his baskets, and making only 27% of his three point shot attempts.
Why should Stauskas lace up his sneakers for Reno?
For starters, he will be getting a lot more playing time with Reno compared to the Kings, where he only averaged 14 minutes a game. More playing time on the court can result in Stauskas better improving some of the struggles he encountered when in the NBA.
Another reason why Stauskas should be in Reno is because the level of competition is lower, which can potentially help Nik average more points, thus regaining confidence when he does come back to the Kings.
The Kings need to find a solution to solve Stauskas struggles, but so far leaving him on the roster playing limited minutes has been ineffective for the rookie so far.
Something has to change.
Brady Heslip, who is nowhere as gifted as Stauskas in terms of talent, is dominating the D-League, averaging around 24 points per game. Ray McCallum also played a handful of games with the Bighorns last season, where he was very efficient, and resulted in the then rookie to regaining his confidence upon returning to Sacramento.
So overall, I think that if Stauskas was re-assigned to Reno, it could rejuvenate the rookie’s spirits, and hopefully, turn his sagging pro career around.