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Sacramento Kings: 3 Bold Predictions For Willie Cauley-Stein

By Jonathan Roberts

SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 26, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 26, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Sacramento Kings’ big man Willie Cauley-Stein is heading into a contract year with his future in Sacramento still unclear. While questions circle, should he put together a good season, Sacramento will likely retain him. If these bold predictions come to fruition, he would be a near-lock to return.

Willie Cauley-Stein Will Average Over 10 Rebounds

Admittedly, this is not too bold. Rather, it is on the edge of bold but still completely in the realm of possibility. Cauley-Stein’s career high for rebounds in a season currently sits at seven per game which he set last season.

The year prior, he averaged only 4.5 rebounds per game. His improvement in that category from 2016-17 to 2017-18 shows he is capable of making sizeable leaps in his season averages.

WCS has never been the best rebounder around, and depending on the statistic you use to measure his rebounding success, he may not be the best on his team. Nevertheless, Cauley-Stein is a more than capable rebounder. He is able to hold his own and if he is able to average more than ten boards a game, it would go a long way towards him receiving a new contract from the Kings.

Willie Joins Two Former Kings Stars In The History Books

Fifteen points, ten rebounds, three assists, one block, and one steal. That is a stat line only reached by four players since the 2000-01 season.

Former Kings star Chris Webber (2000-2003), Minnesota Timberwolves legend Kevin Garnett (2000-2007), analytics darling Al Horford (2012-13), and former Kings All-Star DeMarcus Cousins (2014-) are the only ones to reach that milestone in the last eighteen years. That changes this year with Cauley-Stein’s performance.

As daunting as it seems for a player, who is objectively not as well-known or well-regarded as the others on this list, to hit that milestone is not much of a reach for him. Last season, WCS averaged 12.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. A jump of 2.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.1 blocks is well within reason.

Cauley-Stein, for what it is worth, hit or came close to nearly all of those marks of improvement from 2016-17 to 2017-18. From 2016-17 to 2017-18 he posted improvements of 4.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.3 blocks per game. He would need to add a little bit to the assist and rebound categories, but those are things he could hit rather easily if he continues his development.

Of course, if Cauley-Stein becomes the third Kings big to hit those marks in the last twenty years, the third bold prediction almost goes without saying.

The Kings Re-Sign WCS

I may be cheating a bit here by not giving an in-season goal for him. Regardless, Cauley-Stein’s future with Sacramento is fairly murky at the moment. And whether or not he has a good season could be the difference between him staying or going.

Of course, Willie could also play himself out of the Kings’ price range, though that figures to be highly unlikely with Sacramento only having five players on the books for 2019. De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Justin Jackson, and Harry Giles all have team options for next season.

Should WCS play his way into history, his market value would surely rise. If he hits those benchmarks, he could command a new contract similar to that of Miami Heat’s center Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk signed with Miami for four years and $50 million after leaving the Boston Celtics. Olynyk, similar to WCS, is a big man with solid passing although he is a less proficient rebounder.

Of course, Cauley-Stein’s next contract could be considerably less if he only marginally improves next year. However, Kings fans should be rooting for a stellar season from him. A three-headed frontcourt of Cauley-Stein, Marvin Bagley III, and Harry Giles could be the key to success for the Kings. Besides, having good players is not a bad thing, especially for a young team struggling to find its identity.

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