Sacramento Kings leave footprints all over 2022 NBA App GM Survey

Which new or relocated head coach will make the biggest impact on his new team?

You knew Mike Brown was going to appear on this survey at least once — and here it is. He placed second in the category at 31% behind Devin Ham (LAL) at 48%. Rounding out the top-four were Steve Clifford (CHA) and Will Hardy (UTA).

Brown is entering his first season with the Kings. He was previously head coach of the Cavaliers (two stints) and Lakers between 2005 and 2014 — compiling a 347-216 record in 563 games.

His best stint was with LeBron James in Cleveland between 2005 and 2010 — leading them to the playoffs each season, the Conference Semifinals twice, and the NBA Finals once.

Things haven’t gone too well for him with the Lakers or in his second stint with the Cavaliers, but he’s hoping to turn that around after spending the past seven years as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.

He brings a defensive-minded approach to a team that desperately needs it. He also brings a winning and championship culture to a locker room that doesn’t have a lot of it. These are the intangibles that should translate well on the court this season.

Which active player will make the best head coach someday?

Chris Paul was the clear favorite in the category at 32%, with Garrett Temple coming in second at 14% and CJ McCollum placing third at 7%. Among the 13 others listed in the category was a new free agent addition for the Sacramento Kings — Matthew Dellavedova.

He’s a part of that incoming championship culture the Kings are building, having won the 2016 NBA title with the Cavaliers in 2016. With 447 regular season games played and 52 playoff games played, he brings a lot of experience to a rather young squad.

Dellavedova hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2020-21 season. He spent the 2021-22 season with Melbourne United of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He averaged 10.3 points and 4.3 assists, including a 33-point (seven threes), nine-assist outing in January.

We’re not sure how big or small his role will be in Sactown, but he’ll provide some veteran depth in the backcourt — something that’ll come in handy as the season continues. It’ll also be interesting to see his impact on the younger guards.

Which player is the fastest with the ball?

According to NBA general managers, two players stand above the rest when it comes to speed with the ball — Ja Morant (62%) and De’Aaron Fox (31%). This is a category that Fox led last season at 59%, but I can understand why Morant overtook him.

The other players included in this category are Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) and Tyrese Maxey (PHI).

There’s no denying Fox’s end-to-end speed, especially with the ball in his hand. It’s something he has prided himself on ever since he entered the league. I keep thinking back to that 2018 interview where he said he’s ‘definitely the fastest person in the league.’

Fast forward a few years and he holds the fastest speed rating (97) on NBA 2K22 and is showing that same speed on the court in real life. With the amount of talent around him this season, it’ll be interesting to see how he uses his speed to create for himself and others.

Were you happy with how GMs are perceiving this Sacramento Kings’ squad? Let us know in the comments section below!