Marty Mac's World: Youthful Kings showed us something

Let all of those who began last October believing the Kings would win at least 38 games this season raise their hands.

Mine was not raised.

And that was before the Kings found out starting point guard Mike Bibby would not play until January because of injury.

That was before knowing starting shooting guard Kevin Martin would miss 17 games with a groin injury. That was before knowing Ron Artest would play with bone chips in his shooting elbow and then miss time after having surgery to remove those loose bodies.

Martin, whose game many observers around the league believed had no chance to succeed in the NBA, is the seventh-leading scorer. That means six players, many of whom roll by their first name or nickname – LeBron, Kobe, A.I., 'Melo, Amare and Dirk – averaged more points than, uh, Kevin.

Martin had an outside chance to make the 2008 Western Conference All-Star team before the groin injury but will be on the front street next season for a berth. Each of those averaging more than Martin was an All-Star this season.

Moreover, Martin, 25, already is an elite scorer whose overall game has much room to grow. He's becoming more adept (although not as adept as he thinks) at making plays for his teammates. He'll only reach that level when his ballhandling improves.

Right now, Martin can use explosiveness, length, quickness and shooting ability to exploit defenders and defenses.

When his handle and experience allow him to decide which shot he wants and how to get to the spot from which he wants to take that shot, he'll not only become a more prolific scorer but see more ways to abuse defenses.

And there appears to be no reason to think Martin will not continue to use the summer as a laboratory, because that's what each offseason has been for him. Martin certainly will become a better team defender because he's intelligent and has excellent instincts. He'll gain weight and strength with work, as well as his body's natural maturation.

Yet, don't fall for the okie-dokie with that 19-year-old face. Martin is tougher than most would think, and his leadership skills should be encouraged. Which team's best players don't also lead? Martin needs to take that step, as well.

If it's telling Ron-Ron to chill or helping him to chill, or stepping up to coach Reggie Theus and asking him to step off because something he's doing is causing more harm than help, it's about that time for Martin.

The development of Francisco García, in many ways, is similar to Martin's. There is no reason García, with many of the same things working for him, can't take the same steps. Improving as a pro in any sport is gaining a better knowledge of yourself and understanding what opponents are doing to slow you.

How many people have watched 2007 first-round pick Spencer Hawes and now believe he has what it takes to be a solid center in this league? There were a couple of e-mailers who believed the Kings should have tanked last season to get a better draft choice. "We missed the opportunity to get Yi Jianlian," they said.

Man, nothing against Milwaukee's Yi, but I'll roll with Hawes. As long as he stays grounded, works on using all of his gifts and forgets that fadeaway garbage unless it's the last option, he has the potential to be as good an offensive center as there is in the league. And that's in about three years, when he'll be 23. Maybe even sooner if the Kings spring for a big man's coach.

Whether Theus and his coaching staff could get things done was a major question around this area.

That question should be answered, and now we'll look to see what he and his group have learned and what impact they can have on necessary defensive improvement.