Shortly after Wednesday’s win against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Sacramento Kings agreed to sign former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz, per ESPN senior insider Shams Charania. This is a move that helps Sacramento answer a question that they’ve had ever since trading former face of the franchise De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
Do they have a reliable point guard?
Free agent guard Markelle Fultz has agreed to a deal with the Sacramento Kings, his agent Raymond Brothers of I AM Sports & Entertainment told ESPN. Kings have searched to find a point guard – and land a deal with the former No. 1 overall pick. pic.twitter.com/oqnBqnpyCy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 13, 2025
Markelle Fultz Signed By Point Guard-Needy Kings
A seven-year NBA veteran, Fultz has career averages of 11.1 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
The 26-year-old’s story has been well-documented, as the former Washington standout suffered a debilitating shoulder injury shortly after the draft. At Washington, Fultz was shooting 41.3 percent from three but was unaware he was suffering from both scapular muscular imbalance and thoracic outlet syndrome. Now, he’s a career 27.3 percent three-point shooter in the NBA.
However, though his jumper is no longer reliable, the other parts of his game remained strong. He’s an above-average athlete, intuitive facilitator, and an excellent on-ball defender. Whether in Sacramento or with any other franchise, these are the skills that will be focused on.
Getting Malik Monk On Track
Thus far, Kings guard Malik Monk has started alongside newcomer Zach LaVine in the backcourt. However, neither Monk nor LaVine are naturally primary facilitators. This has led to Sacramento having a more committee-like approach to their playmaking. It’s also worth noting that rookie point guard Devin Carter has seemingly been demoted. The 13th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, he hasn’t appeared in the rotation since Feb. 6.
Even with Fultz’s arrival, Monk is liable to retain his starting spot. Though he made his name as a sixth man, former Kings head coach Mike Brown promoted him to the first unit on Dec. 1 to help jolt their offense. Heading into Wednesday’s battle, he was averaging 19.1 points and 6.7 assists per game as a starter.
Monk’s efficiency could stand to be better, as he’s shot 43.7 percent from the field and 31.4 percent in that stretch. Defenses are playing him even tougher since Fox’s departure. As a result, he’s made just 40.0 percent of his field goal attempts and 25.0 percent of his three-point attempts in the five games preceding their win against the Pelicans. With that in mind, 15.3 percent of the passes Monk received per game this season came from Fox. His chemistry with his new backcourt mate is far from that, with just 1.2 percent of the passes he’s received per game coming from LaVine.
As they establish chemistry, perhaps Fultz can help Monk get back on track.
© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
