Sacramento Kings: 5 things to look forward to in second half of season

The first half of the Sacramento Kings‘ season went about as well as we all thought it would. There were glimmers of hope over the first 36 games, but yet another losing season is on the horizon and the team will miss the playoffs for a record-tying 15th straight season.

But there are a few reasons to be excited about the future, and things to watch for in the second half of the season. There are players that need developing, roster moves that need to be made, and a certain Rookie of the Year campaign to follow. Here are the top five things to look forward to for the Kings:

1. Marvin Bagley’s development with the Sacramento Kings

It has certainly been a rough go for Marvin Bagley to begin his career, dealing with nagging injuries, inconsistent playing time, and unfair comparisons to those drafted around him. Over his first two seasons, he struggled to find his place in the flow of the offense and was even worse on the defensive end. But he has shown a few signs of progress this year, enough to give hope to those of us who haven’t given up on him completely.

His scoring numbers are down, which is something that can be attributed to fewer shots per game and a usage rate that is nearly three percent lower than last season. But he is more efficient, and is, at times, fitting in nicely with the offense. He is shooting 37.0 percent from deep, which was the second-highest mark on the team until the last handful of contests. During a nine-game stretch in February, Bagley averaged 18.6 points on 38.0 percent from long range and was the most consistent that he has ever been on an NBA floor.

While the sample size may be small, the slight improvement and signs of development are positives for Marvin Bagley. Should he continue on a similar trajectory, then he would solidify his place in the future core of the Sacramento Kings.