A Royal Pain
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Player Report Card: Kosta Koufos

By Rafe Wong

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MARCH 12: Kosta Koufos #41 of the Sacramento Kings goes up for a dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 12, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MARCH 12: Kosta Koufos #41 of the Sacramento Kings goes up for a dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 12, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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This article will be evaluating Kosta Koufos’ 2017-2018 campaign as well as what grade I think he deserves for his efforts.

For the last couple of weeks, A Royal Pain has been writing a series where our writers analyze how each player on the Sacramento Kings performed during the 2017-2018 NBA season. This article will feature Kosta Koufos who just concluded his third season with the purple and white.

Offense

For the season, Koufos averaged 6.7 points and 1.2 assists per contest while making 57.1% of his shots from the floor and 44.6% of his shots from the free-throw line. The numbers are nowhere near impressive for Koufos, but with that being said, I thought Kosta was an asset for the Kings offensively.

In my opinion, Koufos was the guy who did the dirty work on offense. He was the one who was setting great screens so his teammates would get better looks scoring the ball and he also did a good job in rebounding (averaged 2.1 offensive boards a contest) and tipping the ball after misses which would lead to extra possessions for his team.

In terms of scoring, Kosta’s arsenal was very limited. His only go-to move was a half-hook shot he attempted when he was in the paint area, but he did have great success with it which led to him making 57.1% of his shots for the year.

Defense

As a defender, Kosta had a solid year. Compared to his teammates, who played more than 10 games, he was ranked fourth amongst them in defensive rating as he recorded a 108.9 for the year. Koufos also averaged 6.6 rebounds and 0.5 blocks a contest which is solid considering he did not even average 20 minutes a game.

Overall, Kosta was a smart and physical player on the defensive end. His ability to be a bruiser in the interior and protect the rim was greatly needed for a Sacramento squad that ranked 27th in the league in defensive efficiency (109).

Final Thoughts

Despite his playing time and role being limited this season, I thought Kosta Koufos was still an asset for the Kings on both ends of the court.

Offensively, he was a guy that did the dirty work which resulted in him creating possessions for his team and putting his teammates in positions to score the ball. Defensively, his physicality was a positive impact as he gave opponents fits when trying score in the interior.

Not too long ago, Koufos exercised his player option on his contract which means he will be staying with the Kings for at least another season. To me, this is a plus for Sacramento because despite what role Kosta gets put in next season, he is going to produce in a positive manner.

I also believe that Koufos’ presence as a veteran will be vital for the young bigs that are currently on the team. All in all, he is a solid player and mentor for the young guys to have next season.

Glad to have you back in purple, Kosta! I hope next season is even better for you and the Kings! 

Grade: C+

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