Sacramento Kings Should Not Hit Panic Button Just Yet
By Gurjus Singh
After three brutal losses to the Suns, Trail Blazers, and Jazz, Sacramento Kings fans and the media alike are having a hard time determining whether the team will get their first win any time soon and whether changes are needed.
Although the Sacramento Kings losses have trended in the wrong direction, fans need to be patient. Through the first three games, the Kings can point to several areas where the team is trending downwards.
Turnovers – The Kings currently rank 26th in this category, and is the primary reason for their struggles this year. They are averaging 20.7 turnovers per game to go along with 16.7 assists. Yikes.
Rebounding – The Kings are currently ranked 28th in rebounding while averaging 40 per game.
Scoring – Sacramento is averaging 96 points per game which ranks 29th best in the league. Part of the reason for this is the team’s pace. The Kings ranking in pace is around 15th, after finishing 3rd last year.
Defense – The Kings are currently 27th in the defensive rating and allow 119.5 points per game, which is currently 25th in NBA.
Leadership – The Kings do not seem to have a leader right now. Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox do not seem to show alpha-dog qualities at the moment, nor do the veterans.
Why Should Kings Fans Continue To Be Patient & Not Panic?
The last time the Kings last made the playoffs, the team got off to a similarly rough start. That year, they began the season 1-3 and still ended up with 44 wins. A 1-3 start is still possible for this year’s team.
Free-agent signings like Trevor Ariza, Cory Joseph, and Dewayne Dedmon have struggled overall so far this season. A factor that can contribute to their struggles is their unfamiliarity with new teammates and coaching staff. There is time to correct these troubles.
People are giving up on new coach Luke Walton, but should give him at least a 25-game window to install his system. During his tenure with the Lakers, the team improved their defensive rating from 30th to 13th and went from 17th to 2nd in rebounding. The Lakers did rank last in turnovers, which can be an effect of playing up-tempo.
Kings Need To Take Back Sacramento. dark. Next
My personal opinion is that the team should have kept Dave Joerger, as he deserved to coach one more season, and the Kings would have gotten out to a faster start. But this is an adjustment period for the Kings and things can only go up from here.