Top Three X-Factors For The Sacramento Kings This Season
By Rafe Wong
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number six overall pick to the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Willie Cauley-Stein
For Cauley-Stein, the sky is the limit. With the physical tools that Cauley-Stein has been blessed with, he has the ability to become an effective two-way player. Throughout the draft process, as well as Summer League, Cauley-Stein has been predicted to be an asset defensively for the Kings this season, however the same cannot be said about his offense.
Throughout his college career and brief time with the Kings, Cauley-Stein has shown to be limited offensively, as the majority of his points have come off of fast breaks and baskets from five feet or under from the rim.
Although Cauley-Stein’s offense may be suspect right now, I do see potential. For one, I like his jump shot (crazy, right?). Although the results from his jumper have been atrocious so far, his shooting form does have promise to the point where I think it can accelerate the process of him improving his shot faster compared to other players that have the same problem.
I also like his potential as a post player. He has good footwork, but it has been his lack of touch around the rim that has been holding him back in this aspect. With the length, athleticism, and footwork that Cauley-Stein already has, an improvement in his touch could make him a reliable option to score in the paint.
With Cauley-Stein, fans already have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the rookie defensively, but offensively it’s still up in the air. If Cauley-Stein can find improvement in his offensive game as the season progresses, he could be playing a bigger role for the Kings this season than what fans originally expected.
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