I think the issue for this team long-term is that we've already seen the max potential of a Fox-Domas combo last year when we had elite shooting with A+++ role players around them. A year after almost beating the Warriors in the 1st round, we might not even make the playoffs. I don't think the duo of Fox-Sabonis is our main problem, but it becomes more clear that we still need a #3 guy. Keegan's offensive developments were underwhelming this year and it's not clear at all that he can eventually be the #3 guy. There's too many games and instances where he didn't answer the call when needed. Monk could've been our #3 (I'm leaning towards no), but he never got enough shots for whatever reason. The #3 scorer is a big hole to fill on the team.As long as we're going to resurrect this thread after a frustrating series of losses, I wanted to re-post @Padrino's well-thought out response as well. It's not any less true today than it was in February...
Fox and Murray taking big steps forward as individual defenders and Keon Ellis emerging as an ideal two-way roleplayer at the SG position are significant developments in terms of this team's future potential. K'Von had a bad year shooting the ball by his standards but he also showed improvement on defense, particularly in the last month.
Each of us chooses whether to dwell on what this team is not currently or remain optimistic about who they could become in time. And I don't think its hard to be optimistic even after a loss if you just lengthen your timeline and consider the next 5 years of Kings basketball as your frame of reference instead of the next 3 weeks.
I could easily see things getting worse from here rather than progressing.. especially if we can't replace Monk.
In regards to Keon and Kevin, I'm not inspired by either guy as the starting SG. I love Keon, but he plays with 0 confidence on offense. He never looks to do anything with the ball and occasionally will pass up wide open 3s despite being a good shooter. I don't really know if he can gain confidence with more experience, but I certainly hope so because I think his defense is what the team severely needs. In regards to Kevin..... I would really like to see him in a different jersey next year.
This just reminds me how much the Kings are older and more experienced than OKC and Houston.it's only a wasted year if we have expectations that don't match the current roster make up. success isn't always going to come in orderly sequences, there will be a year or two where there will be a first round exit or in this years case, no playoffs at all if they fail to win in the play-in. let's take a look at a current scenario where last season OKC was not in the postseason playoff picture and most of us knew that once healthy and if Chet performs up to par, they are a Playoff seed. This year we see the same improvement from Houston who will most likely be a additional team you can add that will be fighting for seeding so it goes without saying that the West is simply a Gladiator blood bath for the forseeable future and all those losses the Kings had to bottom dwellers clearly has come back to give them a reminder of how there are no off nights in the NBA and that being a consistent winner is really hard in this sport.
Outside of Keegan (23) and maybe Keon (24), we don't really have any young, productive, and promising players whereas OKC has Jalen (22), Chet (21), Giddey (21), and Wallace (20). Houston has: Green (22), Eason (22), Amen (21), Sengun (21), Jabari (20), and Whitmore (19).
Jeez. The West is going to be a permanent blood bath, and all of this without Ja too.. and eventually Wemby. The Kings need to start kicking things into 1st gear because it's only a matter of time before everyone below us catches up.