NBA Bubble Preview: It’s time to get reacquainted with Sacramento’s rookies
Every NBA team set to finish the season in the Orlando bubble will need to search its entire roster for contributions.
For the Sacramento Kings, Harrison Barnes and Alex Len are still back home and must clear coronavirus protocols. Buddy Hield and Jabari Parker only joined the team recently and are still working toward full involvement in practice. Richaun Holmes has another week of isolation to go after unknowingly crossing a bubble boundary.
Things got even worse Wednesday afternoon, after star point guard De’Aaron Fox sprained his left ankle during practice. While the injury does not appear to be as serious as the sprain that kept Fox out of 17 games in November and December, The Bee’s Jason Anderson reports that Fox is likely to miss at least one early scrimmage on the schedule.
That is six players who have already had availability issues for the Kings. More could crop up at any time. After the last few weeks, Sacramento is all too aware of how quickly a player’s status can change.
The Kings have three rookies on the roster, and while they haven’t seen many minutes so far, that could easily change. Kings fans should get themselves reacquainted with the youngsters, as any one of them could suddenly be playing crucial minutes.
JUSTIN JAMES
Justin James was the 40th pick in last year’s draft, and has played the most minutes of any Kings rookie by a mile. Most of his 34 appearances in the NBA have come late in games, but a few exceptions exist. He has scored 14 points twice against big-league competition, and he played a crucial part in a win over the Denver Nuggets in November.
In college, James played four years for Wyoming and nearly became the team’s entire offense by his senior year. His totals in points, rebounds and assists all doubled his nearest teammate. He also collected six blocks in just three games for the Stockton Kings, while shooting an absurd 72 percent from the floor in the G-League.
As a 6-foot-7 wing, James could easily see added work with Sacramento in the bubble. The Kings are already thin at the small forward position, and he is one of the few options that could step up in case of an unavailable player. He is also looking stronger by the day, and says he has added 10 pound of muscle during the hiatus.
KYLE GUY
Kyle Guy was selected 55th with the Kings’ second pick in the draft. While he has barely seen the court with Sacramento, he was the centerpiece of Stockton’s offense all season. Guy finished third in the G-League in total points and made 3-pointers. His elite distance shooting is very translatable to the NBA, and the Kings could call on it at any time.
While Guy hasn’t won anything yet as a pro, he was a huge part of Virginia’s title team in 2018-19. He scored 24 points in the NCAA Final over Texas Tech and earned the award for the Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. Guy shot 42.5 percent on 3-pointers in his highly decorated college career.
There are some athleticism concerns for Guy, who is listed at just 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, but he has a championship mentality that is likely to make those concerns disappear. Guy relishes his obstacles and often puts them far in his rear-view mirror.
DAQUAN JEFFRIES
DaQuan Jeffries went undrafted last summer, which was quite the surprise. Countless scouts had Jeffries ranked higher than both James and Guy. These three players could have easily been drafted in any order, so don’t let his path to this point fool you.
Jeffries has made six appearances in NBA games but has yet to top 10 minutes in any contest. In Stockton, he showed a very balanced skill set with averages of 16.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. He is also liable to catch fire at any time, as exemplified by his 44-point performance against Sioux Falls in December.
The most appealing aspect of Jeffries as a prospect is his NBA-ready body. While Guy has to overcome size concerns and James is working to add weight, Jeffries is already there. Tipping the scales at 216 pounds, Jeffries is capable of absorbing and inflicting the contact required in the pros. His experience playing in the frontcourt for Tulsa in college will help him along the way.
WHO WILL WE SEE THE MOST?
It’s a hot take, but I think Jeffries could get the most playing time of any Kings rookie in Orlando. Head coach Luke Walton said he was getting a look at small forward in practice, and Stockton’s executives have been excited about him for a while now. If either Barnes or Corey Brewer need replacing, Jeffries could see his name called quickly.
James is probably the safest bet for minutes if any wing option winds up unavailable. His playmaking skills in particular could be handy if Hield or Bogdan Bogdanovic are limited for any reason. James would provide a boost of energy and team defense in any lineup.
Guy has an uphill battle to prove himself, but from what I can gather, he is comfortable with that. People have always doubted Guy, and he has always proved them wrong. If any high-end shooters miss games, Guy can step in. He might even get some limited minutes at point guard if Fox’s injury concerns aren’t resolved quickly.
The odds are that at least one of these first-year players will get a real chance to prove themselves in the bubble. There’s an outside chance it’s even two or three. Don’t forget these names, Sacramento, because you will be seeing them in crunch-time basketball sooner than you think.