Early Predictions On The Sacramento Kings Starting Five

April 5, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl (center) instructs in a huddle against the Utah Jazz during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Jazz defeated the Kings 101-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Final Thoughts:

I see this lineup being solid on both ends of the floor. Offensively, Rondo will increase the ball movement of the team, and will set up scorers like Cousins, Gay, and McLemore to succeed. You also have Cousins that is a threat in the interior, which will result in opponents eventually double teaming him. When that time does come (and it will), it leaves shooters like McLemore and Gay to be open on the perimeter.

Defensively, the interior seems pretty set. With the pair in Cousins and Koufos, the Kings now have two “bruisers” that will make it tough for opponents to score in the paint. When it comes to the trio of Rondo, McLemore, and Gay, they’re not going to be an All-Pro defensive squad, but they should be solid. McLemore has the potential to be a lockdown defender, Gay has shown to be adequate defensively, and Rondo has shown in the past to be an efficient defender.

Overall, I see this starting lineup having the most balance, talent, and potential because it shows a mix of offense and defense that both can be effective to start games. I know that George Karl has a tendency to tinker with the lineup from time to time because of certain matchups, but in most cases I feel right now that this lineup will be the most efficient one this upcoming season, and at the moment hope it starts opening night.