Locks & Probable Starters
Stone Cold Lock:
De’Aaron Fox
De’Aaron Fox is the clear-cut face of the franchise and the centerpiece of the future of the Sacramento Kings. His spot in the starting lineup is as solidified as they come, and a majority of the offense is going to run through his hands. There shouldn’t be much change to his position when Fox is in the game, as he has played 96.0 percent of his career minutes at point guard. But that is not to say that Walton won’t have some flexibility there. Look for the rare possibility of Fox playing off-ball and allowing Tyrese Haliburton to run the offense.
Probable Starters:
Buddy Hield
While the general consensus is that Buddy Hield should be in the starting lineup, the Kings’ coaching staff could have other ideas. The team found success last season when he was relegated to a bench role, but the player that he lost his starting spot to has since departed, and Hield is certainly the most talented option to start in the backcourt next to Fox.
This is all subject to change. It is no secret that Hield’s happiness in Sacramento is wearing thin, and there have been multiple reports of rifts between him and the coaches. But given his contract and age, it is likely that Hield is not a part of Sacramento’s long term plan. If he can showcase that he still has the ability to be one of the most lethal shooters in the league, then he could garner a nice return for the Kings closer to the trade deadline.
Harrison Barnes:
Harrison Barnes is likely to find himself in the starting lineup, but the question of where remains. As has been the case for the past couple of years, there is going to be a log jam in the Kings’ frontcourt, and there are only so many minutes to go around (more on that later). Luckily for Walton, Barnes has the ability to play both small forward and power forward positions and could be a starter at both spots depending on the performance of the rest of the team.
Barnes will be in a similar boat to that of Hield. He won’t be fitting into the future timeline of the retooling Kings, and getting rid of his contract will certainly be in the best interest of the front office. Barnes is typically a solid option for the Kings and could become attractive to a desperate team around the deadline. Sacramento is the thinnest on the wings, so expect the lineups and overall team to look vastly different by the time Barnes is shipped out.