The Sacramento Kings have been a in a drought for quite some time now. I still recall Michael Malone getting axed even after becoming the best coach former franchise superstar Demarcus Cousins ever had. Till this day I don’t understand why they ever fired Michael Malone but as far as De’Aaron Fox goes he’s just not what Sacramento Kings needs to get out of the gutter they’ve been in ever since Chris Webber was no longer a top 10 player in the NBA after suffering injuries which derailed his career. I had very high expectations for De’Aaron Fox coming of Kentucky as the 5th overall pick but his personal trainer was wrong claiming he’s be playing at an MVP level 4-5 years down the line.
His numbers are down this season and he is approaching the age of 25 even after signing a max deal with the Sacramento Kings. He’s just not a franchise player and does nothing at an elite level which leads me to think it’s time for the Sacramento Kings to look to move on from Fox and find more complimentary pieces to go with Davion Mitchell and Tyrese Haliburton who should both be starting. I believe Tyrese Haliburton can be the starting point guard for the Sacramento Kings, he is already averaging more assists and rebounds than Fox and is 3 years younger while shooting a much higher percentage from 3 point range on a lot less shots with just as many steals per game as well.
Tyrese Haliburton is just a better guard overall, he is as unselfish as they come and I feel he is being held back at the moment. He has great size for a point guard standing at 6’5 and I believe would have no problem orchestrating the Kings offense going forward. The Kings have leverage as they could always package Fox for some front court help which they dearly need as former lottery pick Marvin Bagley is just not panning out. I wouldn’t entirely give up on Bagley just yet as I see new interim head coach Alvin Gentry has given him extensive minutes and just recently put him in the starting lineup. The Kings have suffered bone crushing losses to the Hornets and Cavaliers over the past 2 games and could vy for a play-in spot this season but it just seemes unlikely as their defense is just horried and last time I checked Alvin Gentry’s specialty is not anchoring a top 10 defense.
As far as De’Aaron Fox he’s just not a superstar and never will be and I know that sounds harsh but as some point we just have to come to grips with reality. I’ve been following him long enough and I myself believed the drafting of De’Aaron was going going to be the start of a turnaround for the franchise but it’s just not working. What is the Kings identity? They don’t have one, they have no 1-2 combo and I just don’t see the what they are building where I could say it’s only a matter of time before they become a special team. The only permanents should be Davion Mitchell and Tyrese Haliburton, both can play defense,shoot, and play-make and I would like to see both of them getting over 30 minutes a night consistently a full season. Not saying they would lead the Kings to the first seed in the Western Conference but it would be a good start as they look to rebuild their identity.
Yes I get it the Kings blew it they should have drafted Luka Doncic but it’s too late now and even Luka himself is struggling this season and the hype has worn off a bit. Marvin Bagley who was picked in the same draft as Luka Doncic still has time to turnaround what has been an underwhelming start in Sacramento, not saying he could become a top 10 player but with the right coach and mentoring he could become an all-star and help Mitchell and Haliburton carry the Sacramento Kings into a new era. Coming out of Duke people forget Marvin Bagley was putting up Kevin Garnett like stat lines it just hasn’t translated to the NBA level but the flashes are there and he has the tools to be poor man’s version of Giannid Antetokoumpo which is not bad what so ever.
To conclude De’Aaron Fox is a very good player but the Sacramento Kings need a difference maker and he is just not that. You can’t be an average shooter,average play-maker, and play average defense which is what De’Aaron Fox is and I think he could be the third or fourth best player on a championship team just not the best player in your roster if you are looking to win long-term. The way the league has been trending over the past few years 3 point shooting and versatility on defense are vital and Fox doesn’t excel at either, Fox could elevate himself to superstardom if he were to become an All-NBA defender and shoot 35 to 40 percent from 3 point range but I wouldn’t bet on making that sort of leap. Now Tyrese and Davion? Those 2 could do both and take the Kings to the next level. Sorry Fox fans, the Kentucky show was fun while it lasted. Till next time.
D-NBA 