The Sacramento Kings came into the season needing to make a playoff push. They are riding an NBA record 15-year drought and there were some people’s jobs on the line, including head coach Luke Walton. The front office is probably feeling some heat as well, as owner Vivek Ranadive has had a quick trigger in the past.
The team hasn’t been a consistent winner in nearly two decades, but there was some hope that would begin turning around sooner than later. Recent draft picks, Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell were expected to help start turning around the culture of the team.
While that was the right course of action to take, the pieces still have to fit together. For the Kings, they may not have the right mix going forward.
According to the paid subscription website, The Athletic, some issues are beginning to bubble up when it comes to De’Aaron Fox, the current face of the franchise and best player on the team.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kings Could Be In Store For Major Changes To Franchise
The Athletic reports that there are rising concerns about Fox’s comfortability in sharing the backcourt with Haliburton.
“[Fox’s] comfort level in the starting lineup with second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton is, it would seem, fast becoming an early concern.”
On the season, the two-man pairing of Fox and Haliburton has been a solid backcourt duo for the Kings according to NBA.com’s advanced statistics. They have a net rating of +1.2, which is trumped only by the combination of Buddy Hield and Haliburton which is +2.2 in 79 fewer minutes together on the court.
Alas, Fox has seen his production slip this season, averaging 19.8 points per game, but is making only 41 percent of his shot attempts and 23 percent of his 3-point attempts. Both numbers are well below Fox’s career numbers, as he is also averaging only 6.1 assists per game, which would be his lowest total since his rookie season. The 3.4 turnovers per game that he is averaging are also on pace for the most in his career.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kings Could Be In Store For Major Changes To Franchise
Fox’s statistics back up the concerns that Fox and Haliburton may not be the best fit in the backcourt, at least from Fox’s comfort level. Is it a coincidence that in the two games Haliburton has missed, Fox had arguably his two best games of the season?
This will be something that the Sacramento Kings have to figure out. Could this open the Kings up to being more receptive to including Tyrese Haliburton in a trade for someone such as Ben Simmons if he is not someone that De’Aaron Fox can mesh with?
