Surpassing expectations means having to retain or have better results in the next season. This is the curse that Mike Brown's Sacramento Kings hold after having broken their playoff drought and then some. But, everything is coming full circle for the De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis-led squad after only getting one win during the NBA Preseason. Title contention is always the dream for any team. While all those hopes may look bleak because of a stacked Western Conference and revamped East, it can never be too bad to hope. Although, fans should take their optimism with a grain of salt. This is because there is a glaring problem in the team's system that needs to be addressed to get close to a 2024 NBA title.
The Kings and their frontcourt depth issues
Mike Brown's latest addition to the Kings was a veteran in the NBA but it may not have been what De'Aaron Fox and Co. needed. JaVale McGee can impart knowledge to their young guys but his level of production pails in comparison to other free agents before the NBA Preseason hit. There was a reason a hopeful title contender in the Dallas Mavericks removed him from the squad. It is because of his steady decline in being able to impact winning and his inability to stuff the stat sheet. Alex Len and Trey Lyles might be good options for a secondary big man but they often get moved easily in the paint or get exploited through drop coverage.
Domantas Sabonis is going to need help. Otherwise, fatigue might hit this Mike Brown-led squad and their playoff season might be considered a fluke. Averages of 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists are special. This often means that they do not get replicated a lot. Or, worse things like deliberate stat padding could happen for Sabonis such that he does not manage his fatigue well. This does not end well for teams. Their star centers often get injured or their opportunity to pick up the pace of the opponents withers over time.
Trey Lyles is a good help off of the bench. The main concern would be if he and Sabonis start together. Obviously, they would get tired at fairly the same time. This all leads to McGee taking over for a short amount of time. This could be good for the squad. But, note that most centers in the NBA need to be hyper-athletic or can stretch the floor. As of the moment, McGee is neither of those.
How will they solve it?
Lyles' production from last season needs some work. He notched 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in a game in 17 minutes. These are serviceable statistics but are often not enough to cover ground if their starter gets hit with massive fatigue. A great example of this would be last year's Memphis Grizzlies. The team had a good record and their wings matched with amazing guards were deep. It just so happens that they did not have much help to counter tough teams that have an Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, or Nikola Jokic. They still do not have a big body to contend for a 2024 NBA title.
The trade deadline is always an option. Until then, they seem to be losing games in the NBA Preseason with serviceable centers like the Utah Jazz. They gave up 15 boards to Walker Kessler which is not at all a good sight. Trayce Jackson-Davis also did the same thing to them while notching a double-double with 10 rebounds. The Kings might start to get bullied on the inside. Will De'Aaron Fox's pack resort to just outshooting their opponents to get the 2024 NBA title?
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