Looks like the Kings' Opening Day roster is pretty much set. What re your expectations of them defensively this coming season?
We know that the Kings had a "historically bad" defense last season. For the season they ranked dead last, w/a defensive rating of 116.5 (linked). But that's highly misleading: the team they ended the year with was far from the team they started with.
In the 36 games before the All-Star Game, they were not only last, but last by a wide margin (119.1 vs. 116.3 for the next-worst Pelicans). That was the historically-bad bit. But in the 36 games after the ASG they were 23rd of 30 teams in DEFRTG - not great, but a significant improvement. And in the last 10 games of the season the Kings ranked.... FIRST (105.3)!
No big mystery as to the why of these changes. Shortly after the ASG they traded out some guys and acquired Wright, Davis, and Harkless; and then down the stretch when almost the entire starting lineup was lost to injury or COVID protocols the more defense-minded bench guys played HARD. It's also true that once Walton acquired bench guys he felt comfortable playing - or was ordered to play - some of the starters (HB, Fox) were a bit less apt to get ground down and THEY could play harder.
All to say that IMO the appropriate baseline for our expectations of the 2021-22 defensively isn't the "historically bad defense" they were pre-ASG last year or the "worst defensive team" they were over the course of the season. It's the 23rd ranked team they were after the ASG.
To *that* team they've added Davion Mitchell, TThompson, ALen, and Doug Christie. W/luck, the Metu we saw at the Olympics and in Summer League will transfer, and I think we'll see a better version of Mo Harkless than the one we saw last year. They may yet add King, which would also be a defensive plus. Fox and Haliburton have said all the right things in terms of stepping up their defensive games - and I have zero doubt that Ty, in particular, will make every effort. (We've all heard about the 9 lbs of muscle he packed on already in the offseason.) AND this team will be deep, meaning there'll be no need for anyone to coast.
The only meaningful loss from last year's team in re defense is Wright.
IMO, the implications of all the above in terms of defensive skills, toughness, leadership, emphasis, and culture is potentially profound. My expectation is NO WORSE than a middle-of-the road defensive team (~14-16). My real expectation is 10-13 or so.
What's yours?
We know that the Kings had a "historically bad" defense last season. For the season they ranked dead last, w/a defensive rating of 116.5 (linked). But that's highly misleading: the team they ended the year with was far from the team they started with.
In the 36 games before the All-Star Game, they were not only last, but last by a wide margin (119.1 vs. 116.3 for the next-worst Pelicans). That was the historically-bad bit. But in the 36 games after the ASG they were 23rd of 30 teams in DEFRTG - not great, but a significant improvement. And in the last 10 games of the season the Kings ranked.... FIRST (105.3)!
No big mystery as to the why of these changes. Shortly after the ASG they traded out some guys and acquired Wright, Davis, and Harkless; and then down the stretch when almost the entire starting lineup was lost to injury or COVID protocols the more defense-minded bench guys played HARD. It's also true that once Walton acquired bench guys he felt comfortable playing - or was ordered to play - some of the starters (HB, Fox) were a bit less apt to get ground down and THEY could play harder.
All to say that IMO the appropriate baseline for our expectations of the 2021-22 defensively isn't the "historically bad defense" they were pre-ASG last year or the "worst defensive team" they were over the course of the season. It's the 23rd ranked team they were after the ASG.
To *that* team they've added Davion Mitchell, TThompson, ALen, and Doug Christie. W/luck, the Metu we saw at the Olympics and in Summer League will transfer, and I think we'll see a better version of Mo Harkless than the one we saw last year. They may yet add King, which would also be a defensive plus. Fox and Haliburton have said all the right things in terms of stepping up their defensive games - and I have zero doubt that Ty, in particular, will make every effort. (We've all heard about the 9 lbs of muscle he packed on already in the offseason.) AND this team will be deep, meaning there'll be no need for anyone to coast.
The only meaningful loss from last year's team in re defense is Wright.
IMO, the implications of all the above in terms of defensive skills, toughness, leadership, emphasis, and culture is potentially profound. My expectation is NO WORSE than a middle-of-the road defensive team (~14-16). My real expectation is 10-13 or so.
What's yours?
Last edited:
