Starpower is the foundation of every great NBA team. Without it, it is difficult to win anything in such a competitive league. Stars alone are not enough, though. They might carry their team through the regular season but teams wanting to compete in the playoffs need the right supporting cast and role players.
For the Kings, one of those players is Trey Lyles, and he has become pretty much irreplaceable since coming to Sacramento at the 2022 trade deadline. So, let’s look at three reasons Lyles is the perfect role player for the Kings.
3. His shooting
In today’s NBA, every team needs shooting at pretty much every position. It is not enough anymore to just have guards who can hit threes. Ideally, at least one of your bigs can stretch the floor as well.
Lyles provides that for the Kings. For the season, he is shooting 41.2 percent on four attempts from three per game. Both are career highs and a true game changer for the Kings.
He averages the sixth-most attempts from long range on the team—not a crazy number—but among all the Kings taking at least four threes he shoots the best percentage. To have someone like that coming off the bench is incredibly valuable.
First of all, going to Lyles as a backup doesn’t lead to any drop-off shooting-wise compared to the starting lineup. Secondly, his shooting allows him to come in, stretch the floor, and make his presence felt quickly.