How Did Nemanja Bjelica Do In His First Year With The Sacramento Kings?

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SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 21: Nemanja Bjelica #88 of the Sacramento Kings rebounds against the Dallas Mavericks on March 21, 2019 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Analyzing Bjelica’s First Year

Nemanja Bjelica must be thrilled that he opted to sign with the Sacramento Kings last summer instead of returning back to Europe.

Statistically, he had his best numbers. It starts with him averaging around 10 points, six rebounds, and two assists per contest, all career highs for the four-year pro. Even with a bigger role with the Kings, he remained to keep his shooting efficient as he made around 48% of his total shots from the floor, 40% from beyond the arc, and 76% from the free-throw line. He even finished with a Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 15.40 which is above average.

Enough with the numbers, let us dive into his game with my eye test. Throughout the season, Nemanja stretched the floor nicely without being selfish with the ball. There were times where I thought he should have been aggressive when the team needed a boost, but instead, he opted to support the guys quietly while not disrupting the team’s chemistry.

As a role player, he helped the team every game whether it was being part of the starting lineup or beginning his night coming off the bench. Bjelica’s solid play added to the Kings’ overall win total while giving Marvin Bagley III and Harry Giles III time to get comfortable adjusting to the NBA competition.

Overall, Bjelica makes the Kings a better team as he contributed in a lot of aspects of the game in a positive manner. He should continue to remain an important role player for the Kings next season.

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