The Kings are in the midst of yet another rebuild and one major question has yet to be answered. Who should the Sacramento Kings build the offense around?
We are witnessing the Sacramento Kings in the midst of a full-fledged rebuild. As much as it hurts to say that they are still rebuilding because they’re 10 seasons removed from their last playoff appearance, it doesn’t make it any less true. With that being said, the front office has an important question to answer…
Who Should They Build the Offense Around?
The easy answer is Buddy Hield. The main reason is owner Vivek Ranadivé’s very public man crush on the soon to be second year shooting guard out of Oklahoma; that would be the wrong move.
The NBA has seen the big man rise to the forefront on multiple teams across the association in recent seasons. Furthermore, we have also seen them become offensive focal points for their respective teams. Anthony Davis, Hassan Whiteside, Rudy Gobert, Deandre Jordan, Demarcus Cousins (sorry Kings fans) and others have shown that teams can thrive on offense with big men in prominent roles which leads me to the Kings’ Willie Cauley-Stein.
A Statistical Explosion in the Wake of Cousins’ Departure…
Willie ‘Trill’ was arguably the biggest beneficiary of the Cousins trade, second only to the team’s lottery odds. Cauley-Stein’s per game averages exploded in the era after Demarcus (A.D). He went from playing 13 minutes per game to over 30 after the trade. That extra time on the court led to increased averages 12.9 points per game(+7.1), 8.2 rebounds(+5.5), and 2.2 assists(+1.7). All this, to go with 50% shooting from the floor(-6.1%) and 71.6% from the charity stripe(+11.6%). This jump wasn’t a coincidence. It is clear Cousins was hindering his development, and it seems like the Kings knew what they had in WCS and felt all he needed was an opportunity.
An Inspiring Youth Movement in the Capital City:
The Kings have an enviable nucleus of young players. As a result, an offense built around Cauley-Stein and flanked by rising star Buddy Hield (15.1ppg A.D.) looks promising. Throw in Skal Labissiere (10.8ppg A.D.) and the Sacramento Kings could be dangerous in just a few shorts years. Head Coach Dave Joerger knows what it’s like to have a über talented big man as an offensive leader. In Memphis, he rode perennial all-star Marc Gasol to the playoffs in his three seasons as the Memphis Grizzlies head coach. Joerger could prove to be the perfect mentor for this young group, especially in Trill’s case.
The Kings should be a young team with a focus on inside scoring with Willie Cauley-Stein as the centerpiece. As well as an interior focus, the inside and outside scoring of Skal Labissiere (54.1% FG%, 37.5% 3P%), and lethal sharpshooting shown by Buddy Hield over the second half of the season (42.8% 3P%) makes for a great trio that could be enough to compete in a loaded Western Conference.
Next: Early Opinion: What Next Year’s Sacramento Kings Might Look Like?
The optimism shown by fans, beat writers, and team officials alike are refreshing for a franchise in need of optimism. Regardless of what happens with the Sam Hinkie to Sacramento rumors, Kings fans finally have reason to “Trust The Process”.
*All Stats from NBA.com.