By signing Russell Westbrook, the Sacramento Kings have officially gone all-in on running an offense with endless angles to attack from. Westbrook joins the likes of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Domantas Sabonis, and Dennis Schröder as shot creators and playmakers who can generate offense at any given moment.
For as intriguing as the collection of talent in Sacramento may be, there's an unavoidable lack of defensive consistency that has the team toeing the line between genius and insanity.
The Kings have unequivocally gone all-in on being able to win shootouts with whomever they encounter. Each of the players listed is revered for what they're capable of providing offensively, but lack the defensive reliability to warrant the reputation of a two-way player.
Perhaps head coach Doug Christie has the secret sauce that will unlock a new level of determination from the offensive-minded group on defense, but it's an unvaoidable gamble.
Personnel exists to help ease the burden, including 3-and-D specialists Keon Ellis and Keegan Murray. There's even hope that up-and-comers Devin Carter and Nique Clifford can make an impact in 2025-26, providing another dose of defensive prowess to the rotation.
When the six big-name players on the roster are all offensively inclined and in need of a significant number of touches and shot attempts, however, uncertainty ultimately reigns supreme.
Kings have tremendous offensive talent, but lack cohesion, defense
This wouldn't be the first time that offensive-minded veterans buy in to a head coach's vision and commit defensively. Risky a gamble as that may be, it's entirely possible that the players on the Kings' roster will do exactly that and help the team realize its potential.
In that scenario, the surplus of playmakers and shot creators, as well as the presence of a high-level coach in Christie, could yield postseason-caliber results.
DeRozan and LaVine already have established chemistry from their three years as teammates with the Chicago Bulls, and Sabonis is the ultimate unselfish star. Ellis, Murray, Monk, and Schröder, meanwhile, offer on and off-ball value that make them easily adaptable.
The question facing the Kings now becomes a matter of how Westbrook, known for a somewhat ball-dominant style of play, will factor into the current plans.
Neither Westbrook nor DeRozan are particularly efficient three-point shooters, which could cause issues with spacing. The others around them have a history of knocking down open looks with impressive efficiency, but it's fair to question how often the Kings' high-profile veterans can share the court.
Similar concerns exist on defense, particularly for a Kings team that still lacks an ideal rim protector to cover up for an unproven perimeter's potential issues.
Murray could help address that concern, but he's due to miss upward of a month after suffering a UCL tear. He should return early enough in the season, but the instant knowledge of how glaring a void he'll leave behind reveals how thin the Kings are defensively and how untrustworthy the current approach is.
Perhaps the Kings will look like geniuses for creating an endless stream of scoring opportunities, but without the defensive consistency or necessary cohesion to excel, it could be a long year.