Note: Sportsnet.ca will unveil a team preview every day from Oct. 1-30 counting down in reverse order where we believe the teams will finish.
At No. 27, the Sacramento Kings:
2011-12 record: 22-44 (Division: 5th Pacific; Conference: 14th Western)
Key additions
Aaron Brooks (Signed from Suns); James Johnson (Acquired from Raptors); Thomas Robinson (Draft).
Key subtractions
Donte Greene (Signed by Nets).
Key player: Tyreke Evans
The Sacramento Kings can’t seem to figure out what position Tyreke Evans plays. After a phenomenal rookie campaign as a point guard, Evans’ productivity dropped each of the two past seasons, forcing the Kings to concede that he may not be adept at running the team. With three legitimate options at the lead guard position, Evans will play on the wing even though he’s a terrible shooter and loses his size advantage as a small forward. In a contract year, Evans will have to figure things out fast and the Kings’ fortunes this season may depend on it.
Outlook
While still in rebuild mode, the Sacramento Kings now have three top five picks from the last four drafts: Tyreke Evans (2009), DeMarcus Cousins (2010), and Thomas Robinson (2012). It will be through these three players that the Kings will attempt to build a playoff contender with, but don’t count on this being the year.
Evans, as mentioned above, is in a contract year and his future with the team is in serious doubt. Cousins is the best player on the team but still has character issues along with an extremely-high foul rate. Robinson is instantly the most humble of the three, but of course is a rookie and thus unproven.
The point guard situation is a bit of a mess. On the roster there are three candidates for the starting position: Isaiah Thomas, Aaron Brooks, and Jimmer Fredette. However, none of these players are particularly well-rounded and all would be best suited as backups who provide offence and/or energy off the bench. Thomas and Brooks are woefully undersized and Fredette has long been considered a weak defender, so it will be interesting to see how the minutes are distributed throughout the season.
What the Kings lack is veteran leadership. They need someone who can lead by example and put the younger players in line. The same could be said about the team’s ownership under the Maloof brothers, which is teetering on instability. Their flirtation with will be a distraction all season long, especially with Seattle looking to build a new stadium with the Kings in mind as a possible relocation prospect.
Don’t expect the Kings to challenge for the playoffs this year, but their talent alone will make this team competitive and very watchable.
Prediction:
22-60 (Division: 4th Pacific, Conference: 14th Western).
Who should the Sacramento Kings start at point guard?
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