Fans of the Sacramento Kings have not known hope like this for ages. After 17 long years, the Kings made the playoffs, and they played well enough to merit more than a participation trophy. They took the Golden State Warriors to seven games, which is no mean feat given the disparity in playoff experience between the two teams.
With De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, two members of the third team All-NBA, still only 25 and 27 years old respectively, the Kings should have the requisite talent to remain a playoff contender for years to come.
But can they ascend even higher in the league's totem pole with the addition of yet another quality player?
At the very least, another quality player should be available for grabs in free agency for cheap after reports have come out regarding the Phoenix Suns' intention to waive Chris Paul. Paul remains a starting-caliber player — there should be no questions about that — but the Suns' preference appears to be shouldering $15.6 million less in cap obligations in the hopes of adding depth to the roster.
As a result, many teams should be vying for Paul's services, especially if he commands nothing more than, perhaps, the taxpayer mid-level exception. The Los Angeles Lakers, as expected, are the rumored frontrunners for the 38-year old floor general's services.
But could the Kings unexpectedly join the Chris Paul sweepstakes?
For a team aspiring to contend for a championship, there is no such thing as too much depth. But for the Kings' sake, rocking the boat too much may not be the best idea.
Here is why Chris Paul is a poor fit for the Kings.
Why signing Chris Paul isn't a good idea for the Kings
It must be said that Chris Paul would bring a lot of positives to the table for the Kings. Members of the Kings roster doesn't exactly boast the most playoff experience, so Paul should bring some added locker-room gravitas and stability, helping the nascent team remain even-keeled amid their newfound reputation.
Paul has also made his past teams much better. The Los Angeles Clippers were stuck in mediocrity before he arrived, the Houston Rockets vaulted into title contention during his first season with the team, and the Oklahoma City Thunder remained competitive during his lone season with the squad. And of course, the Suns became a serious contender especially during his first season in the Valley.
But the Kings may be better off riding their current trajectory, which isn't half bad, especially when Chris Paul doesn't fit the team's on-court product.
During their 48-win season, the Kings mostly played around the strengths of Domantas Sabonis, running a hyperspeed motion offense reminiscent of that of the Warriors' system. Sabonis functioned as the heart of the team's offense, running dribble handoffs as De'Aaron Fox and company ran riot over the opposition. And the results were splendid. The Kings put up the best offense in the entire NBA last season, scoring 118.6 points per 100 possessions.
With that in mind, Chris Paul looks like one of the poorest fits imaginable in Sacramento. Paul, even when he was at his physical prime, preferred to play slow. He loves dictating the tempo of the game, pounding the rock and running tons of pick-and-roll much to the opposition's annoyance. In fact, Paul's teams play at a much slower pace (number of possessions per game) whenever he's on the floor.
Meanwhile, the Kings are at their best whenever they have their foot on the gas. Playing fast allows the Kings to maximize the skillsets of their personnel, especially De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, who simply move like time moves more slowly. Fox and Monk's elite quickness helps stretch the defenses they encounter beyond its breaking point. The Warriors series is a great example of how much the Kings excel at a breakneck pace.
More than the clash of styles, the Kings may be better off devoting their resources to a much more pressing area of need — a better point-of-attack defender on the wing. Paul is no longer the elite defender he was at his peak, and a duo of him and De'Aaron Fox in the backcourt could make the Kings extremely vulnerable. Meanwhile, Harrison Barnes and Keegan Murray try their best, but there's a reason why the Kings' defense ranked 24th this past season.
The Kings will have to re-sign Barnes anyway, so there might not be room for Chris Paul in their cap sheet for a contract worth more than the veteran minimum.
Paul is not a bad player, make no mistake about it. But he might not provide as much of a return if he decides to sign with the Kings.
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