Sacramento Kings: Vince Carter is exactly the mentor the Kings need

Vince Carter was signed in free agency by the Sacramento Kings and is the perfect mentor for the young talent.

As the Sacramento Kings prepare for the 2017-18 NBA season, there is a lot more excitement surrounding the franchise than there has been in recent years. A lot of that excitement has to do with the top-notch young talent that Vlade Divac and company have put together. Another reason is the veteran pieces that the Kings have brought in, especially former superstar Vince Carter.

Carter may not be the high-flying star that he once was, but he still has some quality basketball left in the tank. In addition to what he will bring to the table on the court, Carter is also the perfect veteran leader for the Kings’ young pieces.

Looking at De’Aaron Fox, Justin Jackson and Buddy Hield, the Kings have three pieces that could help them turn their franchise around. All three of those players have superstar potential and are capable of scoring the basketball. Having a former top scorer like Carter showing them the ropes will be invaluable to their development.

Hield, in particular, will be able to learn a lot from Carter. Playing the shooting guard position and being a scoring leader isn’t an easy task in the NBA, but Carter has a lot of experience in both areas.

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Throughout his illustrious career, Carter has averaged 18.2 points per game. He has had 11 seasons where he averaged more than 20 points per game. Four of those seasons, he averaged more than 25 points per game.

Not only will Carter be able to help the young players with their game on the court, he can also mentor them on how to prepare themselves and carry themselves off the court. Numbers on the court may be important, but preparation and staying out of trouble is equally as important.

Carter has proven his work ethic over the years, which is one of the main reasons that he is still playing at an NBA-caliber level even at 40 years of age. If he can pass that work ethic on to the young Kings’ players, Sacramento will be in good hands long after Carter decides to retire.

Needless to say, it will be an intriguing season to keep an eye on the Kings. They have put together pieces that should take them back to postseason contention in a few years. Watching the development of that talent will give the Kings’ fanbase a lot of entertainment as well.

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Expect to see Carter bring exactly what the Kings needed from a leadership perspective. He has always shown a high level of leadership wherever he has played and that will not change in Sacramento. Carter may not end up having a large role on the court for the Kings, but his role off the floor is even more important for the Kings’ future.