How Marvin Bagley III fits with Kings and what he means for the rest of the roster

Share

SACRAMENTO -- Marvin Bagley III is a Sacramento King. After weeks of deliberation, the Kings selected the Duke star with the second overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Bagley is a high level prospect with plenty of upside, but how does he fit with the Kings?

The simple answer is, he doesn’t as of June 21, 2018. But in the NBA, change can happen quickly. The arrival of the double-double machine will have a ripple effect on the rest of the Kings roster, which will likely last throughout the 2018-19 season.

With six bigs on the roster and none capable of playing the stretch four position, the Kings need to make some adjustments.

Immediate Impact
He may not start opening night, but the plan is for Bagley to work his way into the first team at either the power forward or center position. He’s an exceptional athlete, boasting a 40.5 inch vertical to go with a 6-foot-11, 234 pound frame.

Bagley posted huge numbers at Duke, including 21 points and 11.1 rebounds while shooting 61.4 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from behind the arc. He has an incredible second jump and projects as a bigtime rebounder at the NBA level.

He’ll need to work get stronger and his defense is a major issue, but the 19-year-old is an aggressive offensive weapon that loves to get out and run and finishes above the rim.

Long-term Outlook
Sacramento loves the future pairing of Bagley and Harry Giles. Giles sat out his rookie season to recover from knee injuries, but he’s healthy and was cleared for action back in January.

Like Bagley, Giles is an aggressive rebounder with major offensive upside. The Kings have raved about his court vision and passing skills and at 6-foot-10, 250-pounds, Giles might be able to hold down the center position in the modern NBA.

What does it mean for the rest of the bigs?
Willie Cauley-Stein improved his stock during the 2017-18 season and he still has more room to grow. But the front line is crowded and the 24-year-old is playing out the final year of his rookie scale contract.

After posting 12.8 points, seven rebounds and 2.4 assists in 28 minutes per game last season, Cauley-Stein has value. Taken with the sixth overall selection in the 2015 NBA draft, the Kings could look to move the 7-footer as they attempt to rebalance the roster.

Skal Labissiere didn’t take the leap the Kings hoped he would in Year Two, but he still has potential. Sacramento would be better served holding onto the Haitian-born 7-footer and seeing if things click in his junior year in the league.

Veterans Zach Randolph and Kosta Koufos are entering the final year of their deals. The Kings could search for new homes for the duo, have them work with the young guys or wait until the trade deadline and reassess then.

Randolph is owed $11.7 million, but he’ll turn 37 in July and finding a new landing spot will be difficult.

Koufos opted in for $8.7 million this season. He’s a reliable big and a great locker room presence that plenty of teams would love to add.

What does it mean for the rest of the roster?
Change is coming. Sacramento still needs to add a small forward, a stretch four and improve the depth of the team overall. Bagley was step one. More change is on the horizon.

Contact Us