Should the Sacramento Kings sign Cedi Osman?

We are nearly two months removed from the start of free agency, and seven-year veteran Cedi Osman is still without an employer.

Currently, our Sacramento Kings have 14 (of 15) main roster spots filled, all three two-ways, and one training camp deal. In theory, that means that we can still add Osman on a veteran minimum contract (or something similar to that) if they so choose.

On Wednesday, Kings Beat Writer Brenden Nunes suggested Osman as a potential target for the Kings. But should they try to sign him?

What Do The Kings Need?

As we've discussed all offseason long, the Kings need functional size. What do I mean by that? They need a big forward who can space the floor, attack closeouts, defend, and offer some secondary rim protection.

Can Cedi Osman Help The Kings?

The question now becomes: can Osman do what the Kings need from him?

As any good analyst will tell you, you need to take a holistic approach when evaluating players. That means looking at anecdotal, analytical, and actual (i.e., film analysis) information to form one's opinion.

With that said, I have found over the years that there are some statistics that offer a good proxy for how good a role player can be in the modern NBA. Some metrics I like to look at are player wingspan, 3-point percentage, 3-point attempts per 75, true shooting percentage on drives, drives per 36 minutes, Defensive Estimated-Plus Minus (DEF EPM), steal rate, and block rate.

(Sidebar: All data from the chart above was taken from Dunks & Threes and the Thinking Basketball database.)

From these numbers, it appears that Osman is a good spacer who gives you a lot of size (he's 6'7 with a 6'11 wingspan). Unfortunately, he doesn't drive very much, and his efficiency is only league average (you hope the lower someone's volume, the higher their efficiency is).

More importantly, though, Osman looks like a pretty below-average defender based on the numbers we've pulled out. This trend has continued throughout his career, as he's never had a positive DEF EPM.

Bottom Line

I think that Cedi Osman can help an NBA roster. But that roster would likely need to be one with a better defensive infrastructure than the one the Kings currently tout.

I'm not saying we'll be a bad defensive team next season. But with all the offensively-slanted players we currently roster, I don't think it is a good idea that we add another in Osman. Overall, we should not use a roster spot on Osman.

During his career, Osman has spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs. He owns career averages of 9.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 2.0 APG.