Last year the Sacramento Kings won only 27 games and wound up with the second pick in the NBA draft. Currently, Sacramento sports a 10-10 record and is tied for the last playoff berth in the west. Among their ten wins are wins over the Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs. The question we have to ask is what to make of the Sacramento Kings surprising start.
What To Make Of The Sacramento Kings Surprising Start
Where is the improvement coming from?
The two best players on Sacramento thus far are their two starting guards. De’Aaron Fox is playing really well and has shown a lot of improvement since last year. Fox is scoring 17.5 points a game and shooting the three at 38 percent. In his rookie year, Fox shot a poor 31 percent from downtown. In addition to his scoring, Fox is passing the ball well, averaging 7.5 assists a game. His backcourt partner Buddy Hield is the teams leading scorer at 18.8 points a game and is knocking down threes at a 45 percent clip.
Marvin Bagley and Willie Cauley-Stein have also played well and provided an interior presence to complement the production from the backcourt.
Is this level of production sustainable?
The bulk of Sacramento’s production is coming from the aforementioned four players. They range in age from 19 to 25. All were highly touted players coming out of college and were all picked top 6 in their respective draft classes. They seem to be coming into their own and gelling together as a unit. Not only should the production level be sustainable, but it can also be improved over time. Fox and Bagley are 20 and 19 years old respectively, with boatloads of talent. They should only get better with more playing time and experience. Hield seems to have taken the step forward everyone was waiting for and is playing good basketball.
Are the Sacramento Kings for real?
Yes. This does not mean they will win a round in the playoffs or that they will to even make the playoffs. However, they are a good young team that is trending upwards and will continue to get better and make a push for a playoff spot. It is safe to say that Sacramento will not be in the draft lottery this year or for the next few years.
Main Photo
BLACKSBURG, VA – FEBRUARY 26: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Duke Blue Devils dribbles down the court in the first half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum on February 26, 2018 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Lauren Rakes/Getty Images)
