This may be the best Kings related analysis I've ever read from a source that isn't directly in the Kings' orbit. Bravo Jonathan Tjarks for actually doing your homework and getting this right! He very neatly outlines the main points of our current situation:
(1) Fox and Haliburton in the same starting lineup needs to happen right away and should be a great foundation for us to build around.
(2) Barnes has been aces this season and he's the type of player we shouldn't throw away unless we have a very good reason.
(3) Bagley in the starting lineup is a huge problem for our defense and his biggest growth area on offense this season (shooting 35% from three on 2.6 attempts per game) is not very hard to replace when you also consider that he doesn't have the defensive impact a guy his size is expected to have. In fact, we
already had a defensively challenged stretch 4 on the roster who we benched to give Bagley his spot in the starting lineup.
The other interesting wrinkle here that the article did not touch on is how moving Haliburton into the starting lineup (assuming Luke isn't bold enough to push his favorite Canadian into that spot instead) is likely to impact erstwhile 3pt champion Buddy Hield's shooting. After making 41% from deep in January, prompting sighs of relief that his touch had returned at last, Buddy proceeded to nosedive down to 32% on over 10 attempts per game in February. That's... not good. So far in March he's back up to 41% after 5 games and, as Tetsujin pointed out in the last game thread, the less Harrison Barnes and Buddy Hield are asked to create their own shot from the perimeter, the better life is for everyone. (You can bash in the post all day though HB). Tyrese and DeAaron driving and dishing to Buddy and Harrison spotted up on the 3pt line is what we want on offense. We should be running that particular glass horse until the revolving doors fall off. (for you
@bajaden )
Not to beat said glass horse, but what the heck I'm just going to say it anyway: Getting a
preview of a potential post-Bagley future might not be the worst thing for us right now. If we can get Metu and Whiteside back in uniform sometime soon and maybe even give Woodard half a look before the season is over, we might even show some improvement from the listless uninspiring team we've been for the past month or so.