Sacramento Kings Say Bye To Willie Cauley-Stein By Adding Dewayne Dedmon

The Sacramento Kings have started a new chapter in terms of their spot for starting center.

Years ago when the Sacramento Kings were in search of a defensive starting center, Willie Cauley-Stein seemed like the perfect option. Selected with the sixth pick in the 2015 draft, the Kings touted Willie’s defensive prowess at Kentucky and hoped his offensive game would develop over time.

During his rookie season with the Kings, Willie had a promising season as he averaged around seven points, five rebounds, and a block per contest. He showed great flashes throughout the year of how good he could be on both ends of the court and gave the Kings confidence he could be a proficient starter in the upcoming years.

Once the Kings restarted their rebuild back in 2016, it seemed like Cauley-Stein was still in their plans, and why not? Willie is a smart, agile, and great pick-and-roll player that could have definitely filled the starting center spot nicely going forward.

But as time went on, the consistency was not there for Willie which now has led to his tenure with Sacramento to end. A player that made the NBA with his defensive reputation is now facing a make-or-break year as a member of the Golden State Warriors.

Willie Chooses Fit Over Cash

Cauley-Stein found the right team for his style of play.  No one can deny that Willie is an efficient rim running and alley-oop threat. Trill has stated that Sacramento had not utilized him on offense to his full potential, and I agree with this notion. He also had a midrange jumper that was good enough for him to pull up for a couple every game.

Although Willie is definitely not an offensive centerpiece, he is good enough where he can keep his opponents honest on that end of the floor. With the Warriors needing a rotational player at the right price, signing Willie on a discount was a huge win for them.

The Kings Get What They Need At Center

The Kings have moved on from Cauley-Stein and now have a new starting center in Dewayne Dedmon. Looking at Dedmon’s numbers, they are a tad lower than Willie’s. But here are what the numbers do not say.

With Dedmon, the Kings are getting an agile big who can be effective on multiple areas on the court. Offensively, Dedmon has the ability to stretch the floor due to his shooting and is a menace in the defensive interior with his blocking and rebounding efficiency. He also has been a more reliable player in terms of fulfilling his role which is exactly what Sacramento needs in their #1 big.

The Kings lose nothing by letting Cauley-Stein go. With a starting role along with more minutes, Dedmon’s numbers will increase. Dedmon will add another element to the starting unit next season, so I see good times ahead for the Kings especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Final thoughts

I enjoyed what Willie did when being a member of the Sacramento Kings. But even though I will miss him being a King, it was correct for Vlade Divac to let him walk.

It might come off as a dislike towards the four-year pro, but it is objective analysis, in my opinion. Willie did prove to become a better offensive player that many thought he would not be, but his defense never really blossomed into what most expected.

What is more frustrating is to know he could have checked all the boxed from what the Kings needed in him, but it just did not pan out.

But none of it matters now. Both parties have moved on for hopefully the better. The Kings look to have their solution at starting center and now Willie gets to hoop with his ideal team in the Bay Area.