With the rumors out that the Sacramento Kings have interest in Jeremy Lin, what would be the positives if the Kings were to acquire the veteran guard?
The 2018-2019 NBA season has been a pleasant surprise for the Sacramento Kings and their fans. Everyone knew that the Kings had a lot of promising young talent on their roster, the question was, however, how long it would take until that talent developed into good players?
Well, the Kings are currently halfway through the second year of their rebuild, and they have a record of 24-23 and a legit shot at qualifying for the playoffs. They also have guys like De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Marvin Bagley III who look like they have a good chance of becoming All-Pro players in their futures.
It looks like everything is according to plan for Sacramento. The team’s young talent is improving by the game which has them on track to becoming a very good team going forward.
But just because the future looks bright for the purple and white, does not mean they should settle right now. It does seem like the Kings are looking to make a serious run at a playoff berth as their name has swirled around various trade rumors.
Names that have popped up have been Enes Kanter, Otto Porter Jr., and even Harrison Barnes. Another name that has surfaced the internet is Atlanta Hawks’ guard Jeremy Lin.
According to multiple news sources, the Kings are interested in the eight-year veteran in order to add more assistance to their playoff push. But how exactly can adding Lin to Sacramento’s roster help the team?
Enjoy this slideshow which will showcase three reasons how Jeremy Lin can help the Sacramento Kings if acquired.
Reason #1: More Depth / Versatility
The Kings have a solid group of young point guards on their roster which includes De’Aaron Fox, Yogi Ferrell, and Frank Mason III. Even though all these players are young and have the potential to be good, Fox has been the only guy to receive consistent playing time and an established role throughout the season.
If the Kings were to add Lin, it would bolster up the Kings’ depth chart at the guard positions. For the Kings to be more competitive going forward, they cannot just rely on Fox to be their guy. With the number of minutes he has logged into the season already, he will start to get tired and become less efficient. But if Lin were to be traded to Sacramento, he can be that reliable backup facilitator who could take some of the responsibility off Fox’s plate.
Not only can Lin be a solid backup guard for the Kings’ second unit, but his size and skill set allows him to play two-guard as well if Dave Joerger desperately needs him to.
Reason #2: Playmaking Ability
Another attractive quality in Lin’s game has been his ability to score points. Throughout his eight-year career, he is averaging around 12 points a game while making around 44% of his shots from the floor, 35% of his shots from beyond the arc, and 81% of his free-throw attempts.
Although the Kings do have a few players on their roster who can put the ball in the bucket, what makes Lin stand out above most of them is his ability to score on his own.
Even though it is important for an offense to share and play unselfish basketball, sometimes a team needs a guy who can just create points on his own when his team needs a bucket. Lin has shown through his track record that he has the capability of being that guy, even through clutch moments.
Another quality that Lin has is his ability to create points for others. He may not have the vision or passing ability of an elite facilitator, but he is still solid as he averages over four assists in his career.
When analyzing Lin’s offensive game, he is a playmaker who can create shots for himself and his teammates. If the Kings were to trade for Lin, it would bolster up the Kings’ second unit AND starting five.
Even though Bogdan Bogdanovic is one of Sacramento’s best players, he is coming off the bench due to the team having no reliable playmakers with the second unit. But if Lin were to be added to the roster, it can shift Bogi with the starters and make the Kings’ starting lineup and overall roster better.
Reason #3: Defense
Hear me out before you exit this page. No, Jeremy Lin is not a lockdown defender, but he definitely can help the Kings improve their defense if added to the rotation.
Let us face it, the Kings’ defense has been terrible this year. For the season, they are allowing a whopping 115 points per game (26th in the league) while allowing their opponents to make almost 47% of their baskets from the floor (22nd in the league).
So why does trading for Lin make the Kings’ defense better? Well, to be honest, he probably will be one of Sacramento’s better defenders right away. Throughout his career, Lin has shown to do a solid job in keeping defenders in front of him due to his foot quickness and length at the point guard spot. Lin also has a good basketball IQ which helps him be a good team defender as well.
Again, I do not think Lin’s presence will make a giant impact on the Kings’ defense, but it sure will improve it. Comparing Lin to most of the Kings’ current guards, he is just a better defender straight up and will make a positive impact on Sacramento’s defense if he does come.