Jimmer already has impact on Kings

It took only two exhibition games for Kings coach Paul Westphal to see the effect Jimmer Fredette could have on the team's offense.

Though Fredette can have an impact without the ball, Westphal said, the Kings need to get the ball to the rookie more often.

With Fredette's shooting and playmaking ability, teams will have to monitor him at all times, which should open the floor for his teammates.

With the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers four days away, the Kings are still learning how to do that.

"I think our spacing needs a lot of work," Westphal said after Wednesday's practice. "I think we missed (Fredette) a few times where we should have got him the ball."

Getting Fredette the ball hasn't been a bad idea in the preseason.

In the two games, Fredette made 11 of 20 shots, including 6 of 9 from three-point range. He also had eight assists, second only to Tyreke Evans' 14.

Fredette is adjusting to not being the primary ballhandler as he was at BYU. Instead of setting up teammates and creating his own shot, Fredette is relying on others to get him the ball.

"It's not too bad, because with this offense it's more moving without the ball, but once you have the ball trying to make a play," Fredette said. "It's not just like a catch and shoot. If you have the ball, you can go out and dribble, make a play."

To improve the offensive flow, Westphal wants better spacing, which would open more lanes for penetration and create more space for shooters such as Fredette and Marcus Thornton.

The offense also comes down to the player with the ball making the right play.

Evans said he's looking to find Fredette or Thornton whenever he can.

"I think it's a read (the defense) thing," Evans said. "Once I drive, they get to the open spots, and I try to kick it out as much as I can if I see them. They both can shoot, so if I drive and I get the help, I'm looking for one of them."

Evans said players are still learning the offense, but he hopes spacing improves as everyone becomes more comfortable.

"We're starting to share the ball better, hitting the extra guy, getting guys involved in the places they can be the most dangerous," Fredette said. "So we'll continue to work on it, but it's a learning process for all of us."

Westphal said positions on the perimeter are interchangeable, and that the idea is for the player with the ball to make a play by scoring or setting up a teammate, not stalling the offense by standing or crowding an area.

"We've got a lot of guys that can attack the hoop, some guys that shoot, and some bigs that can finish," rookie guard Isaiah Thomas said. "If we space the floor, we'll be more difficult to guard."

Even without the ball, Fredette is a challenge for the defense. And the quicker the Kings figure that out, the better the offense might look.

It's a lot to put on a rookie, but Westphal said Fredette already does some things on the court like a veteran.

"(Fredette) can be a weapon whether he's scoring or not because they're defending him in a way that opens it up for other people," Westphal said. "He's very good at picking his spots, and the other team has to respect where he is on the floor."

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