Sacramento Kings: Expectations for Newest Kings

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Mar 21, 2015; Louisville, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) looks on during the second half against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Willie Cauley-Stein

The Sacramento Kings selected Kentucky big man Willie Cauley-Stein with the 6th pick in this years NBA draft. The talented big man is an athletic freak and defensive stalwart. Stein was regarded as one of the safest picks in this years draft, something the Kings found appealing given their recent draft history. Willie was drafted with the intention of adding rim protection and defensive versatility, something the Kings desperately needed.

Cauley-Stein’s playing time could vary dramatically, especially after the addition of fellow big man Kosta Koufos. His defensive versatility is extremely valuable, and something that the Kings would like on the floor as much as possible. However, there are a few things that could limit his playing time. The first is head coach George Karl, as Karl prefers to play veterans rather than rookies.

The second is his offensive limitations. Cauley-Stein relied mostly on his athleticism and physical abilities, and he lacks shooting range and touch around the rim. The lack of floor spacing could hurt the Kings, and in turn make it difficult for Cauley-Stein to see the floor beyond the center position. The final issue that could be holding his playing time back is the addition of Koufos. Koufos is a proven big man with a skill set similar to Willie’s.

Despite the hurdles, Cauley-Stein is simply too talented to not see the floor. With a strong summer league performance, Cauley-Stein has some momentum going into training camp. I would expect to see Cauley-Stein to see between 15 – 25 minutes per game, depending on his performance as well as those of his teammates. It is likely that a majority of Cauley-Stein’s impact will not show on the box score. But as long as he is able to play efficiently and make a positive impact defensively, he should see plenty of playing time.

Next: Kosta Koufos