Taking a look at the Kings to begin 2020-21
The roster for the regular season is set, but Kings coach Luke Walton was still working through some final lineup decisions as the team concluded training camp Monday.
They finalized their roster after waiving Vince Edwards, Frank Kaminsky and Chimezie Metu over the past few days.
Some of Walton’s lineup and rotation decisions have come into focus after four preseason games, but others are still being assessed.
What role will Marvin Bagley III play and how much of an impact can he have after an injury plagued his sophomore season in the NBA? How much playing time will rookie first-round draft pick Tyrese Haliburton receive? How do Kyle Guy and Justin James fit into the team’s plans?
IMPACT OF MARVIN BAGLEY III
If Bagley remains healthy, he will have every opportunity to prove he can be a foundational
piece for this franchise. General manager Monte Mcnair said he thinks Bagley will “be a force, especially in transition.” Walton envisions all kinds of possibilities, saying on multiple occasions he believes Bagley can become a dynamic, multipositional player.
The truth is the Kings still don’t know what they have in Bagley, the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
They would like to find out before he becomes eligible for a contract extension next offseason. Walton said he wants Bagley to become a better 3-point shooter and playmaker, someone who can score from anywhere on one possession and make the smart pass out of a double team on the next possession.
The Kings recently picked up Bagley’s fourth-year option for next season, but they will have to decide whether to offer a rookie scale extension before the 2021-22 season begins. If they don’t sign him to an extension at that point, Bagley would become a restricted free agent following his fourth season in Sacramento.
This is a big year in terms of Bagley’s development and the organization’s commitment to him, but both sides have reasons for optimism.
Bagley appeared in only 13 games due to injuries last season, but despite playing in only short bursts he still averaged 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds.
As a rookie, he appeared in 62 games, averaging 14.9 points and 7.6 rebounds to earn NBA All-rookie First Team honors.
The Kings still believe Bagley can be a special player. He will get a chance to show that this season if he can avoid injuries.
LUKE WALTON’S ROTATION
Walton will probably rely on a 10-man rotation. He has De’aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Haliburton and Cory Joseph at the guard spots. The frontcourt consists of Harrison Barnes, Glenn Robinson III, Bagley, Nemanja Bjelica, Richaun Holmes and Hassan Whiteside.
Walton has talked about trying to keep either Fox or Hield on the floor with Joseph and/or Haliburton, who is capable of playing either guard position. You’ll see some overlap in the line changes and experiments with different combinations.
The frontcourt situation isn’t as clear.
Walton was asked Monday if he had decided who would start at the power forward and center positions. He said the coaching staff was “still evaluating everything.” The Kings started Bagley at power forward and Holmes at center in their last two preseason games, but Walton said they experimented with groups featuring Bagley at center in practice over the past few days.