Should the Sacramento Kings sign Markelle Fultz?

We are nearly two months removed from the start of free agency, and former first overall pick (in the 2017 NBA Draft), Markelle Fultz, is still without an employer.

Currently, the Sacramento Kings don't have any more spots on their roster without releasing anyone. With that said, they can still sign free agents to camp deals and then, if they like what they see, clear a roster spot for them. So, in theory, the Kings can still add Fultz on a veteran minimum contract.

But as any adult will try to teach their kids, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. So, should the Kings try to sign Fultz?

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 Markelle Fultz Help The Kings?

The question now becomes: can Fultz 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 Crafted NBA, Dunks & Threes, and the Thinking Basketball database.)

According to these numbers, Fultz is a plus defender for the guard position. He offers defensive playmaking and positional rim protection. In fact, the block rate we have included in the chart above may undersell Fultz's shot blocking at the guard spot. When you compare him to only combo guards, Fultz is in the 77th percentile in block percentage (per Cleaning the Glass).

Unfortunately, Fultz doesn't offer nearly the same contributions on the offensive side of the ball. He is one of the worst non-big man shooters in the NBA (something that has really derailed his career). And while he drives quite a bit, he isn't very efficient on those forays (although some of this may be a byproduct of the Orlando Magic's poor spacing).

Bottom Line

I have been on the record on multiple occasions in saying that the Kings could use more defensively-slanted players to balance out their offensively-slanted core. Fultz is certainly that, but he does it at a position where the Kings have their most defense.

Between De'Aaron Fox, Keon Ellis, and Devin Carter, the Kings have a serviceable amount of defense at the guard spot. Where they really need help is on the wing. It's because of that (and Fultz's disastrous shooting) that I think the Kings should pass on trying to pursue Fultz, even if they can get him for the veteran minimum.

During his career, Fultz has played for the Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers. As it stands, he owns career averages of 11.1 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.2 SPG.