For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.Kings Season in Review 2015-16
The biggest news for the Kings this season included the switch they made at point guardW-L: 44-38Best Performances:Points: D. Cousins:
34 PTS vs. MINRebounds: D. Cousins:
23 REB vs. GSAssists: J. Martin:
15 AST vs. MIABlocks: D. Cousins:
8 BLK vs. MEMD. Cousins -
26 PTS, 21 REB vs. OKC -
30 PTS, 13 REB vs. WAS -
20 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST, 5 STL vs. DEN -
28 PTS, 17 REB, 8 BLK vs MEMR. Gay -
34 PTS, 10 REB vs. DEN -
22 PTS, 11 REB, 11 AST vs. MINB. McLemore -
29 PTS, 5 AST vs. LAC -
28 PTS vs. PORD. Favors -
16 PTS, 17 REB, 4 BLK vs. DEN -
19 PTS, 19 REB vs ORLLast season was a relative success for the Kings, reaching the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Demarcus Cousins keeps seeing his star rise in the league and a supporting cast featuring Rudy Gay gave the team something to build around. The team traded for Derrick Favors to add to their frontcourt and upped their win total from 41 to 44 this year. But that small increase isn't overwhelming, and some of the questions that arose about the team make it clear that the Kings still have work to do until they could be considered any kind of legitimate title threat.
The point guard position is the main question facing the front office this offseason. Rookie Julio Martin stepped up in the latter half of the season and was the starter for the team down the stretch. His playmaking and defense are welcome in the starting lineup, but he needs to gain experience and well as improve his outside shooting. Reggie Jackson was the starter when Martin wasn't, and his dynamic offensive ability is something the team lacks from the backcourt aside from him. Ray McCallum had a very difficult season statistically, but broke out of his role in the team's playoff series vs. Houston with a 29-point effort in game 1 and and 23-4-6 night in game 2 including the game-winning basket in OT. McCallum is too good to be a 3rd string PG, but might be too inconsistent to be a high-level backup. Martin showed promise, but needs much more experience and a larger sample size before a team can be confident of having him as their everyday starter. Jackson can score almost at will, but struggles a bit when he needs to control the tempo and set up his teammates. He is an unrestricted free agent this offseason as well.
Rudy Gay went down with an MCL injury at the end of the regular season and was ruled out for the postseason. The Kings had a first round matchup with the Rockets which exposed some of the needs the team still has, most notably a reliable defensive stalwart on the perimeter. The Kings found themselves either overplaying on James Harden and letting the supporting cast get free shots (which they made in the series) or letting Harden abuse his defender 1-on-1. Having their #2 option to support Demarcus Cousins would have helped matters, but the odds were stacked against the Kings in the playoffs without a player capable of slowing James Harden on a consistent basis.
Demarcus Cousins: Boogie was Boogie. Putting up consistently strong performances every night on both ends of the court, leading the NBA in rebounds, another All-Star appearance and All-NBA First Team honor as the #1 center in the league, nothing else needs to be said. The Kings would like to reward his efforts and improvements in his defensive effort and on-court maturity with a legitimate playoff run soon instead of first round exits like they have had the last two seasons. But at least Cousins has been to the postseason now, something that couldn't be said about the team in a long time.
Rudy Gay: Rudy had another efficient season, proving his rebirth and renaissance in Sacramento isn't a fluke. The big story about him however is now his health after suffering an MCL injury towards the end of the regular season. He missed the team's playoff series against Houston and might have made enough of a difference to make the series much closer than an easy 5 game loss. Moving forward, the team hopes Rudy can come back at 100% with his athleticism and dynamic scoring ability still intact.
Derrick Favors: Favors came to the Kings from Utah in exchange for John Henson and Nik Stauskas and played his role very well. He was a capable post scorer to help Demarcus Cousins slow the tempo, as well as anchoring the defense with his rebounding and shot blocking. He isn't an elite athlete or prolific shot eraser, but is strong and smart on the defensive end. His two-way play and greater ability to be an offensive threat than Henson was makes him a good partner for Cousins. He has been a good teammate as well, sacrificing some of his own touches for much of the year. But the Kings finally seem focused on embracing this defense-first, half-court, physical gameplan and his touches could go back up next season.
Ben McLemore: His rookie season is starting to look more and more like an aberration, thanks to a 14.4 PPG season. McLemore's shooting percentages last year were off the charts at 50% and 42%. With an increased workload this season, his percentages still remained respectable for a starting 2-guard at 48% and 38%. His defense continues to steadily improve, and even if Ben is never a star in the backcourt, his athleticism, shooting, and defense promise that he will be a solid NBA pro for years at worst and likely an above-average starter.
Julio Martin: When the Kings traded Isaiah Thomas to the Thunder, they got Reggie Jackson and a 1st round pick in exchange. That pick turned into Julio Martin. The point guard from Ohio State showed a lot in the second half of the season with his playmaking skills and started the final 39 games of the season for the Kings. Specifically, he showed good instincts in feeding Cousins and Favors in the post, running the pick-and-roll, and finding athletes like McLemore and Williams for lobs. His shooting still needs improvement, but the Kings have to be interested in seeing what kind of lead guard he can develop into.
Reggie Jackson: After a few bumps in the road in Sacramento the last few seasons, Reggie Jackson's identity crisis is over. He is a scorer, for better or worse. The question about him being a starting point guard are determined by the team around him, not by his own talents now. He has proven to be adequate enough as a playmaker to find a balance with his scoring abilities. On this Kings team, he might have to be a 6th man because of the half-court pace of play the Kings want to transition into and the capable scorers of Cousins, Favors, Gay, and McLemore. He is a free agent and could find a team that can make use of his talents as a starter if he wishes, or accept a 6th man role either here or somewhere else. His dynamic scoring ability is needed with the current group of point guards the Kings have, but it is unclear exactly what price tag the team is willing to place on him.
Kostas Lekic: The Lithuanian national was a huge surprise for the Kings this season for a number of reasons. It was unclear if he would even come to the NBA right away after being drafted in the 2nd round last summer. Most 2nd round picks fail to make a huge impact immediately anyway, but Lekic found his offensive confidence quickly. Playing off of inside forces like Cousins and Favors, Lekic needed to do little except spot up in the corners and wait for the ball. 146 of Lekic's 236 FGA in his rookie season were from behind the arc. Overall he shot almost 44% from downtown, and for much of the year his percentage was over 50%. He is definitely a keeper for a Kings team in need of shooting about their frontcourt stars. His ceiling seems to be more than simply an Anthony Morrow/Marco Belinelli 3pt specialist. A future as an elite shooter like a J.J. Redick or even a Kyle Korver is something the Kings can dare to hope for with Lekic.
Derrick Williams: D-Thrill played as expected, with his inconsistent nights interrupted by a few breakout games showcasing his offensive skill and athleticism. His first 4 games as a starter in place of Rudy Gay were good, scoring 12, 15, 21, and 18. His defense still leaves things to be desired and his perimeter shot might never fully develop now, but his athleticism and dunks off the bench are a good spark plug that the Kings will likely keep around.
Ray McCallum: RayMac is still consistent when it comes to defensive effort and overall work ethic, but his shooting numbers have not increased over his career as quickly as the team would hope. His percentages skyrocketed in the second half of the season though, helping him finish with a career-best 42% overall and 40% from 3 on the season. His position on the team is still unclear though, due to the previously mentioned PG quandary in Sacramento.
Jonas Jerebko: Last summer's main FA signing struggled in Sacramento and might not last through this summer, if the rumors are to be believed. Jerebko was expected to be the third big, playing beside either Cousins or Favors in a stretch-4 role. Unfortunately, he shot below 29% from downtown. Without his perimeter shooting, Jerebko found himself on the bench due to inferior rebounding and defense compared to Quincy Acy. With Acy also shooting practically as well as Jerebko from three, there was no reason for Mike Malone to give the Swedish forward many minutes. There's no reason he couldn't turn it around, but unfortunately it probably won't be in Sacramento.
Quincy Acy: Acy might have come close to his talent ceiling now at 25, but is a fan-favorite and versatile reserve forward who plays will never play with less effort than his opponent. He can step out to the 3pt line well enough now and his athleticism and effort make him an all-around option to shoot, rebound, finish, and defend. He is a free agent but the Kings are expected to offer him a fair contract to retain him.
Eric Moreland: The Department of Moreland Security is still a developmental project. His MPG didn't increase much since last season, but his games played did go up from 13 to 44. His work in practice and the weight room has been noticable as well. Depending on what the Kings do this offseason, he might find himself with some regular playing time next season backing up Boogie Cousins.
Derrick George: George was signed by the Kings in free agency after being waived by the Jazz before the season. He was a 2nd round pick of the Jazz, ironically with a pick the Kings sent to Utah as part of the Derrick Favors trade. George has solid physicals and good defensive instincts, but struggles with his handle and his perimeter shot. The Kings gave him some minutes in the playoffs out of necessity to guard James Harden and could be interested in bringing him back as a long-term project, but roster space is always the enemy for fringe NBA players and young prospects like George.
Francisco Garcia: El Flaco was brought back to Sacramento after a difficult start to the season for the Kings' bench. Jeff Taylor was traded after a very forgettable stint with the team in which he only played 6 games. Garcia provided the veteran leadership the team needed off the bench, along with the shooting and defense they hoped to get when the signed Taylor. But Garcia played less and less as the season went along, and is now 35. If the 12-year veteran wants to keep playing, then the Kings would likely be at the top of his list. Otherwise, the Kings might offer their former draft pick an opportunity to get into coaching. The veteran was practically a player-coach for the team for the majority of the season anyway, and showed an excellent mentoring relationship with young players like Kostas Lekic.
-----------------------------------------------------------------Kings accept team options on McLemore, Lekic, MorelandThe Sacramento Kings announced that they have accepted the contract options on G Ben McLemore, G Kostas Lekic, and F/C Eric Moreland. McLemore played in all 82 games for the Kings with averages of 14.4 PPG on 48% shooting and 38% 3PT shooting. Lekic has a strong rookie season with 6.9 PPG, 49% shooting, 44% from three, and 12.9 MPG in 45 games. Moreland appeared in 44 games with averages of 1.8 PPG and 2.4 RPG in 6.7 MPG.