The Sacramento Kings were one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2018-19 NBA campaign. No, they did not make the postseason, but they actually contended for a playoff berth for much of the season, which came as a shock to many.
This is a Kings team absolutely loaded with young talent, so they should contend for a playoff spot yet again next season, and in a couple of years, they might end up being a legitimate threat in a Western Conference that may look a whole lot different by then.
But, just because Sacramento has a bright future does not mean it doesn't have any holes to address.
Here are three needs the Kings need to take care of this offseason:
3. Backup Point Guard
De'Aaron Fox is one of the top upcoming floor generals in the league, but he can't play 48 minutes a game.
Outside of Fox, the Kings don't have a whole lot of guys who can create, with Bogdan Bogdanovic probably representing their second-best playmaker.
Basically, Sacramento can really use a backup point guard, and the good news is that backup floor generals who can simply run the offense and not mess up with the starter sits are relatively easy to come by.
The Kings split that duty between Yogi Ferrell and Frank Mason this season, and while Ferrell isn't a bad player, he is more of a shooting guard in a point guard's body, and Mason just isn't a guy you want getting extended minutes.
Guards like Shelvin Mack are generally readily available, so it would behoove Sacramento to pick up a guy like him this summer.
2. Perimeter Defense
The Kings began the year with a wily veteran of a perimeter defender in Iman Shumpert, but they understandably traded him to the Houston Rockets near the trade deadline.
Sacramento was a rather porous defensive team in general this season, as it ranked 19th in the NBA in that category. While the Kings are not dreadful on that end of the floor, they could certainly use some help there, and adding some versatile perimeter defenders would be huge.
We know Fox can guard his position very well, but that's really where it starts and ends. Buddy Hield is much more of an offensive threat than a defensive stopper, and Bogdanovic is hardly a defender that opponents fear. As for Harrison Barnes? He has a player option, and it's hard to imagine him returning.
There are usually always options to fix perimeter defense in free agency. The trick is to find a guy who can play stingy defense while also not being a complete waste on the offensive end.
1. Rim Protection
The main area in which the Kings really struggled this year was protecting the rim.
Only one Sacramento player averaged one block per game this season, and that player was Marvin Bagley, who literally averaged one block a night. And the funny thing about Bagley is that he is not even known for his defensive chops.
You would think Willie Cauley-Stein, with his long seven-foot frame and athletic ability, would have been able to swat some shots, but he registered a mere 0.6 blocks per game. Plus, Cauley-Stein will be a restricted free agent this summer, and whether or not the Kings will match any offers thrown his way seems debatable.
As a team, Sacramento ranked 24th in blocks this season, so, obviously, this is an area it needs to remedy.
Of course, this is easier said than done, but the Kings should be able to find a cheap big somewhere on the market who can contest shots at the rim.
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