The Sacramento Kings only have 18 games left in the season, and are likely looking forward to the off-season. These final games give them a chance to put players on the court who don't usually get minutes, like Drew Eubanks. And the veteran put those minutes to good use against the Pelicans.
After being waived by the LA Clippers, Eubanks signed a one-year contract with Sacramento. The move was made to bring depth to the front court, which was an issue after the Kings gave up Jonas Valanciunas in exchange for Dario Saric. That was a money move, not a roster move.
What the Kings didn't know at the time was that All-Star center Domantas Sabonis would end up spending most of the season on the bench due to an injury. The coaches initially tried Eubanks as the starting center, but that did not pan out. It did give rookie Maxime Raynaud a chance to shine.
That's exactly what the kid did. Raynaud has become one of the top rookies of the year, a regular resident on the Kia Rookie Ladder. Then, another rookie, Dylan Cardwell, also took the stage, essentially becoming Raynaud's backup, leaving Eubanks off the rotation.
Don't forget about Drew
With Sabonis out for the season and Cardwell injured, Eubanks has stepped back into that backup center position. Honestly, he's doing pretty well. In the Kings' recent loss to the Pelicans, he pulled down 15 points and 11 rebounds on seven of nine shooting from the field.
Anyway you cut it, that's a good night's work for a veteran backup. Eubanks doesn't always get a lot of minutes, so it's good to see him show why he's in the league when he gets the chance. In their focus on youth in the rebuild, it sometimes feels like the Kings have forgotten about Drew.
It seems unlikely that Eubanks will play a role in the rebuild. The Kings have a strong youth core already on the team, and have three picks in the upcoming draft. Plus, they're trying out younger players like Killian Hayes and Patrick Baldwin Jr. in the remaining games of the season.
While there might not be a place for Eubanks on the Kings, there is a place for him in the league. Being that he's an unrestricted free agent after this season, there are a number of teams that could use a seasoned backup center on their roster like Drew Eubanks.