Since the Sacramento Kings started giving Devin Carter regular minutes, his game has improved dramatically. That was proven in the Kings' victory over the Warriors last night when Carter dropped personal season highs in both points and assists. But his game has grown in other ways.
For most of his two-season run with the Kings, Carter has been stuck on the bench or in the G League. At least he got to play basketball in Stockton. When he was on the Sacramento roster, he would go for long stretches without getting a chance to touch the court.
With the seemingly endless list of long-term injuries, a lot of young players got some serious minutes this season. Carter ended up benefiting from that. He's gotten a lot of time over the past couple of months and is actually starting to deliver on the potential everyone knew he had.
This all came to fruition last night against the Warriors. The Kings won by a score of 124 to 118. Carter owned 29 of those points as well as nine rebounds, four assists, one block, and two steals. These were his season highs in both points and rebounds, which is a great final home game.
Carter is about hustle, loyalty, and respect
Over the past several weeks, Carter has started to find a well-defined and more confident version of his game. He has slowly proven himself to be a competent point guard, both in a starting role and off the bench as backup. Carter has become adept at both playmaking and calling his own number.
More than that, Carter's hustle has made him a team leader. He is rarely seen giving up on a play, dives after every loose ball, and does everything he can to make sure his team wins. It doesn't always work out that way, as the Kings still have a lot of work to do, but the effort is there.
What has really shone through in recent weeks is Carter's tenacity. If the Kings' rebuild is going to be remotely successful, that's a key attribute the entire roster will need. And it will all start with young guys like Carter who hate losing more than they love winning.
As it stands right now, the last two years of Carter's contract are both team options. The Kings would be well advised to make the right choice and retain his services. Carter has not come close to hitting his ceiling yet and could be a huge part of turning this franchise around.