Sacramento Kings get attention in annual NBA player rankings and general manager survey
The Kings have been well represented on various lists of player rankings released over the past few weeks as the start of a new NBA season approaches. Now, they’re getting some love in an annual survey of the league’s general managers.
The Kings are getting high marks for the hiring of coach Mike Brown, the decision to draft Keegan Murray and the trade they made to acquire guard Kevin Huerter, among other things. They are also being recognized for upgrading their talent with as many as four players making lists of the top 100 players.
All of this comes as a feather in the cap of Kings general manager Monte McNair, who is entering the final year of a three-year contract with no talks of an extension. McNair has worked quickly and efficiently to overhaul Sacramento’s roster over the past two years, but Kings owner Vivek Ranadive recently told The Sacramento Bee he wants to see results.
Sacramento’s best showing came in ESPN’s top-100 rankings, which were generated from a panel of over 200 reporters, editors, producers and analysts. Domantas Sabonis came in at No. 47, De’Aaron Fox was No. 54, Harrison Barnes was No. 74 and Murray, a rookie from Iowa, was No. 95.
Sabonis, Fox and Barnes have shown up on other top 100 lists. Fox was No. 43, Sabonis No. 45 and Barnes No. 84 on Sports Illustrated’s annual list. CBS Sports had Sabonis at No. 50, Fox at No. 57 and Barnes at No. 81.
ESPN took the bold step of including Murray in its top 100, with NBA analyst and draft expert Jonathan Givony explaining: “Murray trails only Orlando’s Paolo Banchero as the front-runners for Rookie of the Year honors and looks poised to make an immediate impact in the NBA after leading college basketball in scoring and winning MVP at summer league in Las Vegas. He’ll step right into an outsized role for the Kings and will play a huge part in whether Sacramento can make its first playoff appearance since 2006.”
Murray was also mentioned prominently in the 2022-23 NBA GM survey, which was released Tuesday. The survey asked general managers 48 questions, everything from which team will win the 2023 NBA Finals to which rule needs to change.
Among the questions:
Which team made the best overall moves this offseason?
The top four spots went to the Cleveland Cavaliers (41%), Minnesota Timberwolves (17%), Philadelphia 76ers (17%) and Utah Jazz (17%), but the Boston Celtics and Kings also received votes.
In addition to Murray and Huerter, the Kings have acquired Quinn Cook, Matthew Dellavedova, Malik Monk, Sam Merrill, Kent Bazemore, KZ Okpala, Keon Ellis and Chima Moneke.
Who was the most underrated player acquisition?
The biggest names on this list were Malcolm Brogdon (Celtics), P.J. Tucker (76ers), John Wall (Los Angeles Clippers), De’Anthony Melton (76ers) and Bojan Bogdanovic (Detroit Pistons). Several other players received votes, including Huerter, who the Kings acquired in a trade that sent Maurice Harkless, Justin Holiday and a protected first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks.
Which team will be most improved?
The Clippers (41%), Cavaliers (17%), New Orleans Pelicans (17%) and Timberwolves (10%) topped the list, but the Kings made an appearance, too.
The Clippers could be a top NBA championship contender. While Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were recovering from injuries, the Clippers bolstered their roster with the acquisitions of Norman Powell, Robert Covington and Wall.
Others receiving votes for most improved team included the Brooklyn Nets, Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers and Kings.
Who will win the 2022-23 Rookie of the Year?
The Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero was an overwhelming favorite at 79%. Murray, who was selected with the No. 4 pick in June’s draft, came in second at 17%. The Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith was third at 3%.
Others receiving votes were the Pelicans’ Dyson Daniels and Indiana Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin. The Blazers’ Shaedon Sharpe was not mentioned.
Murray has certainly looked like a top Rookie of the Year candidate thus far. He might even have a better chance than these percentages suggest after winning the Las Vegas Summer League MVP award.
Which rookie will be the best in five years?
Murray (7%) came in fifth behind Banchero (31%), Chet Holmgren (28%), Jaden Ivey (14%) and Smith (14%). Banchero was the No. 1 pick in the draft. Holmgren went No. 2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Smith went to the Rockets at No. 3. The Kings chose Murray over Ivey, who was selected by the Pistons at No. 5.
Which rookie was the biggest steal at where he was selected in the draft?
The Pistons’ selection of Jalen Duren at No. 13 and the Rockets’ selection of Tari Eason at No. 17 tied for first with 14% of the vote. They were followed by the Hawks’ A.J. Griffin (10%) at No. 16; Sharpe (10%) at No. 7; Ivey (7%) at No. 5; Murray (7%) at No. 4; and the Thunder’s Jalen Williams (7%) at No. 12.
Which new or relocated head coach will make the biggest impact on his new team?
First-year Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham was a resounding winner with 48% of the vote, but Brown was clearly identified as the runner-up at 31%. They were followed by the Charlotte Hornets’ Steve Clifford (17%) and Jazz’s Will Hardy (3%).
Brown comes to Sacramento following six seasons as Steve Kerr’s lead assistant with the Golden State Warriors. He previously served as head coach of the Cavaliers and Lakers, winning one NBA championship with Cleveland while compiling an overall record of 347-216 (.616).
Which active player will make the best head coach someday?
Dellavedova was among those receiving votes behind the likes of Chris Paul, Garrett Temple and CJ McCollum.
Dellavedova, 31, is trying to get back into the NBA after last playing with the Cavaliers in 2020-21. In July, the Kings signed him to a partially guaranteed one-year, $2.6 million contract, with only $250,000 guaranteed before Jan. 10, according to Spotrac.
Which player is the fastest with the ball?
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies was a clear winner on this question at 62%, but Fox came in second at 31%.
Fox, 24, is entering his sixth season in Sacramento and the second year of a five-year, $163 million max extension. He averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists last season.
This story was originally published October 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
