A Royal Pain
Fansided

Richaun Holmes Deserves Better

By Anthony Cardenas

SACRAMENTO, CA - NOVEMBER 30: Richaun Holmes #22 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets on November 30, 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)
SACRAMENTO, CA - NOVEMBER 30: Richaun Holmes #22 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets on November 30, 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) /
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Richaun Holmes is everything that the Sacramento Kings are not, and frankly, he deserves a lot better.

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Sacramento Kings during the month of December, capped off by an eventful night that featured a loss to the reeling Minnesota Timberwolves.

Injuries to their franchise cornerstone players have put the season in jeopardy and their struggling sharp-shooter revealed that the team has trust issues. To cap it off, the team’s prized off-season free-agent signing has requested a trade after falling out of the rotation completely.

But as has been the case throughout the entire season, the one constant positive for Sacramento has been Richaun Holmes.

The Kings’ decision to sign Holmes to a free agent contract over the summer was an under-the-radar move and he might end up being one of the best bargains in the league.

During the preseason, it was unclear exactly what role Holmes would have in Sacramento’s rotation. He spent the first four games of the season coming off of the bench, but has started each of the last 27. He is averaging career-highs across the board, and his energy and relentless motor are what have made him such a commodity for the Kings. His 18 rebounds in the loss to Minnesota was the most of his career.

Holmes is almost certainly Sacramento’s MVP through the first 30+ games of the season and cost the Kings just $9.77 million for two years of service. He is currently 3rd in the entire league in both offensive rating and field goal percentage. He is 10th in offensive win shares, just behind Jimmy Butler but ahead of Kemba Walker and Trae Young.

Given his body of work this season, it seems as though Richaun Holmes is everything that the Kings are not: energetic, consistent, tenacious, likable, underpaid.

Frankly, he deserves better. He deserves to be coached by someone who understands proper rotations and minutes allocation. He deserves teammates who don’t spout off to the media about locker room and team cohesion issues after tough losses.

He deserves to play for a franchise that actually includes him in their All-Star Voting media campaign. Holmes was left out of the posts and voting pushes that the Kings social media team released this past week, but included Marvin Bagley who has played in just nine games this season.

Next. Vlade Deserves The Blame. dark

There will undoubtedly be changes coming to the Kings roster, whether it be during the season or next summer. But Sacramento would be absolutely foolish to do anything but build with Holmes as a part of the equation.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Kings will be able to keep Holmes when his contract expires after next season, and whether Holmes would want to return to the dumpster fire is a whole other story.

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