The Sacramento Kings have been one of the early surprises of this new NBA season. Although many expected them to be among the league's worst teams, they've managed to stay very competitive in an unforgiving Western Conference. It's been said that the Kings organization is in need of a culture change, and while that won't happen overnight, starting the season by exceeding expectations is a great building block for the future.
For a team with several young players, winning and creating good habits can be crucial for their development. The Kings have managed to do that so far this season, and while it may not be sustainable in the long term, development of their young talent is key at this stage of a rebuild.
Here are three takeaways from the Kings' first 17 games.
Takeaway #1 – Scoring and Ball Movement
The Kings ranked dead last in the NBA in scoring in the 2017-18 season. The lack of offensive firepower was a large reason why the Kings finished with only 27 wins and ended up with the second pick in this year's draft. Scoring needed to be an area of emphasis for the Kings to open this season, and judging by their play, the team has responded by addressing that very issue.
Through their first 17 games of the season, the Kings are in the top 10 of several scoring metrics around the league. They're ninth in points per game, fifth in three point percentage, and seventh in overall field goal percentage. All four of their top scorers (Buddy Hield, De'Aaron Fox, Willie Cauley-Stein and Bogdan Bogdanovic) have all increased their offensive output, averaging more points than they did last season. Second overall pick Marvin Bagley and new addition Nemanja Bjelica are both averaging double figures as well, bringing the total of 10-point-per-game scorers to six. The Kings haven't been able to determine a true number one option on offense, and that may hurt them in close games they need to win down the stretch, but their approach of spreading the ball around and focusing on scoring as a team has paid off so far.
Sacramento currently ranks eighth in the league in assists per game, compared to last season where they were in 25th in the same metric. De'Aaron Fox has emerged as the team's premier ballhandler and facilitator, averaging over seven assists per game. Fox is able to use his elite speed and athletic ability to make plays for his teammates, an area of his game that has improved exponentially in his second season.
In addition to averaging three more assists than he did as a rookie, Fox has also been able to cut down on the turnovers, going from just over three per game to just over two. The Kings drafted Fox with the expectation that he would be their point guard of the future. So far this season, he's lived up to the billing.
Takeaway #2 – Trusting (Certain) Young Players
The three players who play the most minutes for the Kings this season are all under the age of 26. De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Willie Cauley-Stein are entrusted with the responsibility of leading the team and playing the bulk of the minutes at their position, experience that is vital for young players.
As a second year player and point guard, this experience and trust is invaluable for Fox in particular. Teams often place young point guards in a sixth man role, opting to sign a veteran as a starter with the expectation that the young player can learn from them and improve. Sometimes, this strategy can work, as was the case for Dennis Schroeder in Atlanta. He was able to play under Jeff Teague for the majority of his time there, earning experience and game time without the expectation of truly needing to lead the team.
However, more often than not this is a better idea than an actual practice. Players like Brandon Knight and Emmanuel Mudiay had their growth stunted by playing under older players, not getting the minutes and experience needed to advance their skills as players. Fox was in a similar situation last season, playing under George Hill before he was eventually traded to Cleveland.
Fox has started every game for the Kings this season, after only starting in four games through the first 17 games of his rookie season. Allowing him to succeed (or fail) without the immediate threat of a reduction in playing time has paid off, and Fox is beginning to emerge as the player many felt he would be when he was drafted.
Willie Cauley-Stein is another young player benefiting from added trust from the coaching staff. Cauley-Stein has worked hard to improve in each of his four seasons, and that improvement has come with more minutes. Initially regarded as a defensive specialist, Cauley-Stein has emerged as a very capable offensive player, averaging nearly 15 points per game. His defensive output has suffered as a result of his added role on offense, but his rebounding has also seen an improvement.
When players like Fox and Cauley-Stein are allowed to develop and find what their strengths and weaknesses are, they can become better players. Dave Joerger has come under fire for not playing certain players more, like Marvin Bagley and Skal Labissiere. The improvement of Hield, Fox and Cauley-Stein should cause him to rethink his approach.
Takeaway #3 – Beating Teams They Should
The majority of the Kings' wins this seasons have come against teams that failed to make the playoffs last season. Those wins include victories over the Magic, Grizzlies and Hawks. On paper, the Kings have cultivated enough talent that they should be able to win these games, and they are.
For any team looking to turn its fortunes around and develop a winning culture, this is an important part of the process. You shouldn't look past any team, as any given team can win any given game, but it is also important to know where exactly you stand in terms of talent and ability. For example, the Warriors should be able to beat a team like the Hawks. This doesn't mean that it's impossible for the Hawks to beat them, but it's a game the Warriors should reasonably expect to win.
For a team like the Kings, getting to the point where they reasonably expect to win games against other teams is a big part of development. They know they have good players, players who can win games if they buy into the coaching staff's system and execute. The Kings haven't fared as well against the better teams in the league, as you might expect. As they continue to develop as individuals and as a team, that will come with time.
For now, the Kings have started off the 2018-19 season in a positive way. They've fallen off a bit as of late, but their five-game winning streak shows that they have the ability to string wins together and play an impressive brand of basketball. It will be interesting to see how they continue to play as the season goes on, and if they can even fight for a playoff spot in the West, an outcome even the most optimistic of Kings fans may not have expected.
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