Sacramento Kings: What’s Up With the Kings?

New coach, new marquee signing, but same old story – the Sacramento Kings take their place as one of the cellar dwellers in the NBA, despite the injection of talent during the offseason. The Kings recruited Rajon Rondo and Marco Belinelli in an attempt to add more talent to the roster, but are yet to see dividends. Eight games into the season, the Kings are 1-7, with a win percentage that sees them at the bottom of the West.

So, what’s wrong with the Kings?

At first glance, with the roster they have, the team shouldn’t be the worst in the Western Conference. They have a formidable trio in DeMarcus Cousins (one of the best centers in the league), Rondo (who was once a leading point guard), and Rudy Gay (a starting-caliber small forward). The Kings have talent – the issue here is getting the talent to fit.

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When Rajon Rondo signed with the Kings, many were critical of the move. There were those that didn’t think that Rondo was worthy of being called a top-tier point guard, while there were many others that saw his Kings’ stint as a stepping stone to greater things. Regardless, Rondo is the best point guard the Kings have had in a long time. The problem is getting him to fit within the Kings’ system.

The Kings currently have three figureheads that are pulling them in different directions: Cousins prefers a post-up offense that features him heavily, Rondo prefers having the ball in his hands, while coach George Karl favors an up-tempo offense that involves a lot of running and quick baskets. Unfortunately, all three types of offenses are distinctively different from one another – Cousins and Rondo can’t both have the ball in their hands, and Karl’s up-tempo offense doesn’t require a ball-dominant center or point guard.

That said, their offense isn’t as bad as their defense. The Kings are allowing opponents to shoot 50.1 percent from the field – a league worst. They have the worst defense in the league, despite having a top-10 offense. It doesn’t matter how many baskets they make – if their opponents are making half of their attempts, the Kings are already on the back foot.

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However, the silver lining here is that the Kings have had a tough schedule to start their campaign. They’ve played teams seeking to make the playoffs in the West in all of their games, bar one – the win against the Los Angeles Lakers. In their losses, they’ve played the Los Angeles Clippers twice; Memphis, Phoenix, Golden State, San Antonio, and Houston once. Three of those losses were seven points or closer, and were games that they could have stolen.

Against Golden State, the Kings’ lack of depth really hurt them. They managed to stay close with the defending champions for most of the game, but when their second unit came in, the game was blown wide open. Stunningly, the Kings’ second unit’s defense is much worse than their starting lineup, which often results in the Kings’ starters having to fight back from a deficit after sitting.

The other silver lining is that star center DeMarcus Cousins has been injured for most of their games. He missed the previous four games before last night’s game against San Antonio, which doesn’t help the already thin roster. Kosta Koufos has had to start in his absence, further weakening the bench.

Next: How Far Did The Kings Fall In Our Latest Power Rankings?

Moving forward, I fully expect this team to improve. Their next eight opponents are from the Eastern Conference, against similarly struggling teams. With Cousins back in the fold, the Kings should be able to bully a few of the weaker teams, while sorting out their issues on offense and defense.