Sacramento Kings Need To Be Patient With Nik Stauskas

Will Nik Stauskas Be Next Year’s Ben McLemore?

Two years ago this June, the Sacramento Kings took Ben McLemore with the seventh overall pick in the NBA draft. At the time, it seemed like a risky move, but one that might pay off handsomely.

McLemore had all the tools to be a great player in the association, but some questioned his work ethic and love for the game. So, of course, him going to the Kings was a natural fit, the latest in a long line of players with great natural talents but questionable maturity.

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In his first season, McLemore looked overwhelmed by the pro game, scoring less than nine points per game while shooting a woeful 37 percent from the field. It sure looked at the time that Sacramento had whiffed again on a lottery pick.

However, McLemore’s game has steadily improved, as his shooting has increased from 37 percent all the way to 44 percent. That is quite a jump for a second-year player. More importantly, his three-point shooting is now a more-than-respectable 36 percent. Last year he finished shooting just 32 percent from beyond the arc.

His development has been a pleasant surprise in another otherwise dismal season. It is also a reason not to worry just yet about another lottery pick selected by the Kings: Nik Stauskas.

Like McLemore last year, Stauskas is having trouble getting the ball into the basket, hitting just 36 percent of his shots and only 30 percent of his threes. Stauskas is also seeing less of the court than McLemore did, at just 13 minutes per contest.

That number has risen recently, as in the last 10 games Stauskas is on the court more than 16 minutes. His shooting has improved recently as well, with Stauskas hitting 59 percent of his field goals in March and 60 percent of his three point shots.

It is not just his shooting either, but his overall court awareness. The game seems to have slowed down for Stauskas, as evidenced by his plus/minus numbers. In 189 minutes in January, his plus/minus was a despicable minus-12.

So far in March, that number has jumped to a respectable plus-0.1. There is no doubt that Stauskas has finally seen the light, and while it might be too late to save this season, the future looks brighter in Sacramento if Stauskas can be a solid contributor.

More than that, the development of first McLemore and now Stauskas speaks positively of the player development staff of the Kings.

Dee Brown is the current player development coach, along with Ryan Bowen. Brown was hired in July 2013, and seems to have done wonders with the Kings’ recent draft selections.

The Kings announced the hire that summer and spoke glowingly about Brown, but I do not think Kings fans paid much attention.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Dee to Sacramento,” said Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. “His experience in the NBA as a player and coach will serve as a valuable asset to our young players in numerous aspects of their development.”

If Stauskas continues his strong play, then the Kings will be glad they did not move him at the trade deadline, as they were rumored to be considering. Trading a lottery pick for short term help is always a bad decision, but it would be especially egregious for a team that had no shot at making the playoffs this year.

Sacramento’s best hope is to continue its good work developing its young players, and hope that a core of McLemore, Stauskas and DeMarcus Cousins develops into a legitimate playoff threat. If nothing else, an improved Stauskas will get a far better return on the trade market.

The biggest take away from this season must still be that the Kings talent evaluation and player development has finally come around, and if they can keep Vivek Ranadive from meddling too much, there might finally be a bright future in Sacramento.

Next: Kings Are Playing Fast Under George Karl

Will Nik Stauskas Be Next Year’s Ben McLemore?

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