‘He opens it up a lot’: Kings’ biggest offseason addition flashes potential in debut
Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica demonstrated why he was the organization’s biggest offseason acquisition over a brief stretch of the second quarter in the preseason home opener against Maccabi Haifa, helping his team turn a lackluster start into a 132-100 victory Monday night at Golden 1 Center.
Bjelica started in his Kings debut after missing the first three preseason games with a sore knee, posting 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 18 minutes. He didn’t do much in the first quarter but returned to do a little bit of everything in the second period, making plays at both ends of the floor to spark a 20-5 run that gave the Kings a 19-point lead.
“We kind of started the game a little bit sleepy, but then we just picked it up, got some good defensive stops and then we ran and we scored some open shots,” said Bjelica, a 6-foot-10 Serbian who signed a three-year, $20.5 million contract with the Kings after spending his first three seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. “When you play good defense, everything is easier.”
Buddy Hield scored 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting for the Kings. Justin Jackson, who went scoreless in the first two preseason games, made four 3-pointers Monday and finished with 18 points.
Harry Giles III continued to impress, putting up 16 points and seven rebounds. Willie Cauley-Stein also had a strong showing, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Former Stanford star Josh Childress scored 18 points for Maccabi Haifa, a professional team from Israel. Former North Carolina standout Kennedy Meeks had 17 points and nine rebounds.
Bjelica didn’t have the biggest numbers, but he might have made the biggest impact.
He made a layup to give the Kings a 32-29 lead with 9:18 remaining in the first half. Then he blocked a shot at the other end that led to a transition 3-pointer by Hield.
Moments later, Bjelica buried a 3-pointer from the right wing, putting the Kings up 44-35. On the next two possessions, he recorded assists on a layup by Cauley-Stein and a 3-pointer by De’Aaron Fox.
Bjelica grabbed a rebound and passed ahead to Hield for a transition basket. Bjelica then received a pass from Frank Mason III and finished at the rim, giving the Kings a 58-39 lead with 4:20 to play in the half.
“It was good,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said. “He opens up the court with his shooting and gives De’Aaron space to play and get into the paint. ... The thing for Nemanja was, the first couple of minutes on the floor weren’t pretty and I think after that he was very effective for us. He came out of nowhere to block a couple shots that I did not think he was going to get to. Impressive, team guy, high IQ, spaces the floor and gives our guys room to play.”
Bjelica proved capable of playing small forward last season with Minnesota when Jimmy Butler was injured, but Joerger said he will be best used as a power forward who spreads the floor with his outside shooting.
“I can bring experience and I can play multiple positions,” Bjelica said. “Whatever coach wants to do, I just want to be on the floor, helping guys, and make some shots.”
Fox said Bjelica will be a key addition to the team.
“He opens it up a lot,” Fox said. “There are stretch 4s and then there are guys who can really shoot, and he really shoots the ball well, so it takes another big out of the paint.
“That helps myself, Frank and other guys who are used to getting into the lane because it takes away another big body. It makes it easier for everybody when you have a 4 who can shoot the ball as well as he can. I definitely think he helps us a lot.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2018 at 11:44 PM.