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Will Hunter or Achiuwa Win the Kings’ 5th Starter Spot?
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- Will Hunter or Achiuwa Win the Kings’ 5th Starter Spot?
(Sergio Estrada/Imagn Images)
The Sacramento Kings don't have a starting small/power forward heading into the regular season, making the preseason a competition between De'Andre Hunter and Precious Achiuwa.
Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis are likely penciled as the other four starters. Murray needs another frontcourt mate, especially one who shares similar two-way impact.
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Achiuwa has shone in three games, while Hunter has looked unimpressive. He's tallied 28 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, including a preseason-best 18 points on 9-for-13 shooting in Sacramento's second showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers .
The 27-year-old brings an unrelenting high motor to the starting group. Achiuwa can guard bigger wings on the perimeter and switch with Murray on pick-and-roll coverage.
Shooting isn't his strong suit, as he's only attempted 1.3 threes in his career, but he'll help the Kings dominate the boards. He averaged 6.7 rebounds last season and recorded a season-high 19 rebounds against the Toronto Raptors on April 1.
Sabonis is an elite rebounder himself, averaging double-digit boards for seven straight seasons. An Achiuwa-Sabonis frontcourt would add extra possessions for Sacramento, giving the team more offensive opportunities while limiting its opponents' possessions.
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Hunter's preseason production has been nearly nonexistent. He's tallied 10 points, seven rebounds and two steals across three games.
The 28-year-old offers similar defensive impact to Achiuwa and is a reliable 3-point shooter. Hunter has shot 36.4% from beyond the arc in his career.
Sacramento desperately needs floor spacing after tying the Brooklyn Nets as the worst 3-point shooting team last season at 34%. The 6-foot-7 forward fits alongside Murray, who is another 3-point shooting specialist.
Hunter may have the nod over Achiuwa despite his struggles. Season-ending surgery to repair a retinal detachment in his right eye cut his Kings tenure short.
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The team must figure out what player they have in Hunter during a contract year. Is he worth extending on a team-friendly deal if he bounces back? Or does general manager Scott Perry ship him off at February's trade deadline for assets?
Roster politics play a significant role in which players receive more opportunities or have a shorter leash.
Achiuwa coming off the bench could be an underrated strength for Sacramento. He'd play next to Ben Simmons, another versatile defender and playmaker, and Maxime Raynaud or Dylan Cardwell at center.
Competition for the starting spot speaks to the team's depth rather than seeing it as a weakness. Coach Doug Christie can go either direction: bolster rebounding or maximize floor spacing.
