Bagley isn’t “struggling”. Nobody but jaded grass is always greener Kings fans are calling Bagley a project or suggesting he’s having a rough rookie season up to this point. You’re forgetting others are being shoehorned for starter minutes and their teams are playing poorly. Doncic plays 35 minutes per game right now. Bagley numbers with those minutes would astounding for a big his age but maybe not the most efficient or what Bagley or the Kings really need at the moment. Joerger isn’t shoehorning him in to big time minutes but 12-6 in 22 minutes for a 19 year old kid is excellent and more than what we could’ve realistically expected..what would Bagley average as a starter with 35 minutes guarantee. 13 more minutes for a 12-6 player in 22 minutes. Look pretty good next to Doncic. Kings are playing well though and we got other bigs playing well. The reserve role increases his touches over the guard centric scheme of the starting lineup offense
There is a reason Donic wasn’t picked. They think Bagley will be a more impactful NBA player when the dust settles and a better fit for a De’Arron Fox led team. The order is rarely defined in the first year or two. Divac has not been proven wrong or right by any stretch but there isn’t anything in the slightest wrong with Bagleys progression and certainly not with his ceiling
The order may not be ‘defined’, but the good majority of the time the player who looks better initially ends up better. And Vlade will be judged at the end of the season, and the perception of the players will come to play.
Objectively, he will appear lower on Rookie Ladders (like NBA.com) than many of his peers, and a lot of NBA pundits feel his play has been below, not only Doncic, but other options like Jackson and Carter.
A lot of that is subjective, like the importance of per 36. It could be argued if Bagley was more ready, as opposed to other piers, he would be starting.
To my eyes his game is rough on both ends despite the per 36. His awareness on D in the team concept, offensive tunnel vision etc. Not to say that he doesn’t have excellent tools to work with and won’t improve, just that I’m not personally secure with it this day (and I want to be, whether you think that)
I don’t want to be put in a position to argue against the kid though, as I want to believe in him, but will call it as I see it