{"id":763,"date":"2016-10-05T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2016-10-05T12:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/?p=763"},"modified":"2016-10-03T23:17:14","modified_gmt":"2016-10-04T03:17:14","slug":"keys-sacramento-kings-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2016\/10\/05\/keys-sacramento-kings-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Key Factors to a Successful Sacramento Kings Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

During the 2016-17 NBA<\/strong> season, headlines will be dominated by Kevin Durant<\/a><\/strong> and the Golden State Warriors<\/strong> on a daily basis. However, having a super-team doesn’t guarantee a championship; just look at the 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong>. Everything can change and anything can happen in the NBA. A team can implode, the injury bug could strike, or a team simply might not play to its potential. In this Last Word On Pro Ba<\/strong>sketball<\/strong> series, we’ll break down which two key factors will determine the fate of each team in the upcoming season.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

In this edition, we examine\u00a0the Sacramento Kings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Two Key Factors to a Successful Sacramento Kings Season<\/strong><\/h1>\n

It seems like the Sacramento Kings have been re-building for years; that’s mainly because they have been. The Kings have struggled for a while now and can’t seem to get out of this poor period. For a team that has an All-Star on its roster, the Kings hierarchy has\u00a0failed to build around star center DeMarcus Cousins<\/a><\/strong>. From the free agency signings to the many draft picks, the Kings have issues bringing in quality talent.<\/p>\n

Moving\u00a0on from Rudy Gay<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

During the 2013-14 season, the Kings acquired\u00a0forward Rudy Gay<\/strong>\u00a0from the Toronto Raptors<\/strong><\/a>. Gay has given the Kings three solid years, but he appears to be producing less and less every year. Set to earn just over $13 million during\u00a0the upcoming season, Gay is a player who the Kings shouldn’t carry anymore. He is\u00a0not improving and is set to earn even more money next season.<\/p>\n

This Kings team needs to look forward; keeping players like Gay will only hold the team back.\u00a0Despite not actually getting anywhere with\u00a0their\u00a0previous attempts, the Kings are re-building once again. Gay is a player who can easily be traded, with recent reports suggesting that there are plenty of suitors. The Kings should trade Gay and move on from the 30-year-old forward.<\/p>\n

Developing\u00a0Willie Cauley-Stein<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the 2015 NBA Draft<\/strong>, the Kings selected\u00a0big man\u00a0Willie Cauley-Stein<\/strong> No. 6 overall. The seven-foot\u00a0Cauley-Stein developed slowly in his rookie year, showing promise as the year went on. Cauley-Stein averaged seven\u00a0points, 5.3 rebounds, and one\u00a0block per game in his rookie season. He\u00a0is now 23 years old heading into his sophomore year.<\/p>\n

After starting 39 games in his first year, Cauley-Stein will fight to be named the starting power forward. The Kings would do well to start the promising young man. Cauley-Stein will need to develop his offensive skill-set, as the big man out of Kentucky<\/strong> is a defensive specialist. If Cauley-Stein can develop the other\u00a0side of his game, then there is no reason why the big man can’t team with Cousins to form one of the more promising front-courts in the association.<\/p>\n

Cauley-Stein will develop faster if he is the starter; the same goes for essentially any second-year player. DeMarcus Cousins could also benefit from having Cauley-Stein on the court alongside him. Adding a talented young big man will take pressure off of Cousins, allowing him to\u00a0focus more on the offensive side of his game. Cauley-Stein can rebound and defend well, not to mention that he’s seven feet\u00a0tall. His\u00a0skill-set could free up Cousins to dominate on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

In the past, Cousins has often looked like a one-man wrecking crew. With Cousins being so talented,\u00a0he needs to be surrounded by solid role players. Cauley-Stein is a good first step, as the power forward fits the bill. Sacramento has a long way to go if it’s\u00a0to be competitive once again, but the development of\u00a0Cauley-Stein could be the start of something special in Sac-town.<\/p>\n

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Main photo:<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n