Late-season accidents derailed the Sacramento Kings’ try and observe up on their first playoff look in 17 years. The short-handed Kings nonetheless received 46 video games and one play-in sport, nevertheless it was a step down from their third-place end in 2022-23. With DeMar DeRozan becoming a member of the squad, listed below are three questions for the Kings.
1. Can the crew get again to the free-throw line?
The largest cause the Kings had a lot success in 202-23 was their top-ranked offense. Final season, they dropped to thirteenth, scoring 4.1 fewer factors per sport. That massive distinction could be defined by one particular stat: Free throws.
In 2022-23, the Kings made 19.8 free throws per sport on 25.1 makes an attempt. In 2023-24, that dropped to fifteen.5 free throws in 20.9 makes an attempt, whereas they shot a league-worst 74.5 p.c from the charity stripe. The entire crew confirmed a decline, however the greatest drop got here from Harrison Barnes, who went from 4.3 to 1.9 factors per sport from free throws.
Enter DeRozan. Not solely did the six-time All-Star get to the road for 7.7 free throw makes an attempt per sport final season, he made 85.3 p.c of them. DeRozan hasn’t been a three-point menace like Barnes for a lot of his profession, however he is just lately develop into a satisfactory, if below-average exterior shooter. If he can preserve attending to the foul line, he’ll resolve the Kings’ greatest offensive drawback.
2. How will the crew’s two crunch-time superstars work within the clutch?
De’Aaron Fox received the NBA’s first Clutch Participant of the 12 months Award in 2022-23. DeRozan completed third within the voting that yr, and second final season. They’ve each been extremely efficient gamers when it is shut late in video games. Fox could be very onerous to cease when he drives to the ring, whereas DeRozan has an uncanny capability to get to his spot and get off the jumper he needs.
