For years, the simple talking point about the Sacramento Kings has been, “They need better defense.” While many see the addition of DeMar DeRozan as a positive for the Kings, they are quick to point out the lack of defensive reinforcement.
NBA.com's Shaun Powell, in his 30 teams in 30 days review, predicts the Kings to win the West but notes defense as a potential issue for Sacramento.
With DeMar DeRozan in town, the Kings are poised to make some serious noise in the West 📈Follow In today's “30 Teams in 30 Days,” we break down Sacramento's offseason and look ahead to 2024-25.
📰: https://t.co/kpZ8OAJjWA pic.twitter.com/8U6UdRwoxJ
— NBA (@NBA) September 19, 2024
Powell referenced the Kings' defensive struggles last season and how the acquisition of DeRozan failed to improve Sacramento's defense.
But defense was an issue at times and the Kings couldn't keep up with other championship contenders… [DeRozan is] But he is also 35 years old and doesn't address the team's need for defensive strengthening.
-Shaun Powell, NBA.com
The Kings finished 14th in the NBA last season with a defensive rating of 114.4, which is better than they'd be expected to rank, and their defense continued to improve as the season went on, especially with the emergence of Keown Ellis.
Keon was cemented in the rotation for the final 22 games of the season. During that span, the Kings had a defensive rating of 108.6. For reference, the Minnesota Timberwolves led the league with a defensive rating of 108.4.
While the Kings don't have a defensive stopper like DeRozan, they do have impact defenders in Jordan McLaughlin and Alex Len.
Fun fact: out of the 354 players who played at least 40 games last season, who had the second-best defensive rating?
Alex Len: 100.8 https://t.co/ECYpiSIRd5
— Will Z. Stutz (@will_zimmerle) July 7, 2024
Powell credits DeRozan's addition with helping stabilize a team that struggled with consistency last season, and it's hard to find a more consistent player than DeRozan.
He led the league with 2,989 total minutes played last season, scoring at least 15 points in 73 of 79 games and was tied for fifth in the NBA with 7.3 fourth-quarter points. He's been very consistent and should help the Kings take the next step in the playoffs.
The Kings may not have done much to improve their defense in the offseason, but if they can continue the defensive improvements they made late last season and return to their historic offensive potential in 2022-23, contending for the West should be the bottom line for this team.
Follow Inside The Kings on Facebook Twitter.
Subscribe on YouTube for the latest Kings news videos and livestream podcasts!
