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Sacramento Kings: The Impact Of Signing Isaiah Pineiro

By Gurjus Singh

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Isaiah Pineiro #45 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Day 8 of the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League on July 12, 2019 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Isaiah Pineiro #45 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Day 8 of the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League on July 12, 2019 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Isaiah Pineiro, a summer-league player for the Sacramento Kings, signed a one-year contract with the team that is partially guaranteed. How does his addition impact the purple and white?

Who Is Isaiah Pineiro?

Isaiah Pineiro is a 6’7” forward who went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft. For the last two years, he was at the University of San Diego where he averaged around 17 points per game on 49% shooting. He is from Auburn, California which is about 33 miles northeast of Sacramento. The Kings gave the local kid a shot on their summer-league squad wherein limited minutes he shot 54% from the field on 24 total shots.

What Can Pineiro Bring To The Kings?

Pinero is an intriguing prospect because he has the size, athleticism, and versatility of a typical NBA forward. Here is one of his plays at San Diego where he shows off that athleticism while running the court on a fastbreak:

In another play, he receives an assist from one of his teammates and finished with a dunk.

https://twitter.com/usdmbb/status/1104296284721053696

In this play, he shows off his versatility by driving to the basket and making a turnaround fadeaway jump shot.

What was eye-opening was how he struggled to shoot the perimeter shot in college. He only shot around 34% in three seasons, even though he does seem to have a smooth and decent shooting stroke. You can see the potential in him to become a better three-point shooter later on, and maybe even better all-around scorer since he already has the skillset to score in a variety of ways:

If Pineiro wants to make the team, he has to increase his shooting percentages, which he did during his summer league stint. That was enough to earn him a contract. He also has to be able to play perimeter defense which the Kings have struggled with in the past. If he fills in all of these holes, he will certainly make the final roster.

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Here is a clip of what opponents, coaches, and teammates had to say about Pineiro:

Please welcome the Auburn Kid on the Purple Wagon, and show him what it means to be a Sacramento King!

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