Who's ready to overreact to some Sacramento Kings preseason basketball ? This guy absolutely is, and I hope you don't mind coming along for the ride. In case you missed it, the Kings dropped their first two preseason games to the Los Angeles Lakers, and there was a lot to be concerned about in both matchups. While defense and shooting will be storylines throughout the season, I'm starting to wonder if the Kings need to consider making a change to the starting lineup.
When the Kings acquired Hunter for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder last season, most fans weren't excited about the move. That lack of excitement was more focused on needing to use Ellis to get off of Schroder's contract after signing him to a three-year deal just months prior, rather than Hunter as a return.
On paper, Hunter makes a lot of sense for this Kings team as a switchable defender who can fit in as a floor spacer offensively, though he hasn't had the best run over the last few seasons and had his first season in Sacramento cut short (no pun intended).
Hunter enjoyed some really good years in Atlanta, but it was clear that he was much more effective offensively than defensively, despite his projection as a plus defender coming out of Virginia. Hunter shot the ball well for Atlanta and shot 42% from three in 27 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers after being traded with a first-round pick (which actually ended up being the pick Sacramento used to select Alex Karaban). Unfortunately, Hunter never really provided the level of defense that Cleveland expected from him and was ultimately put on the trade block as they looked for ways to improve the team before the playoffs.
Hunter shot just 30% from three in 43 games with Cleveland before landing in Sacramento and hasn't provided much else either in the last few seasons. If you're an advanced stats disciple, Hunter is in the negatives in OBPM, DBPM, BPM, and VORP for his career, and it has felt like the league has come around to the fact that his impact has been largely hypothetical. Hunter isn't a bad player and should still get minutes on the Kings, but he may not be the best fit as a starter.
Forgive me for making the "My Precious" connection for the millionth time, but Precious Achiuwa really does feel like a player that fans would walk through Mordor to find. After somehow making it to the regular season unsigned, Scott Perry and the Kings gave Achiuwa a chance, and he had the best season of his relatively young career. Precious started 57 games for Sacramento and played in 73, averaging over 10 points and 6.7 boards per game.
Achiuwa brought a toughness and blue-collar attitude to a Kings team that they had been missing for quite some time, and showed enough for them to offer him a two-year guaranteed deal. Most expect Achiuwa to come off the bench this season, while still playing heavy minutes, though the Kings should really put some thought into starting him. Hunter was slotted in next to Keegan Murray for his shooting ability and defensive versatility, but if he isn't shooting well and is still struggling with his off-ball defense, there's no value in having him out there with the first unit.
Achiuwa is never going to be a threat from behind the line, though he can make them if left wide open. He also isn't much of a playmaker or someone who will be handling the ball much. Still, Achiuwa finds ways to score by relentlessly attacking the basket and using his size and strength to muscle through defenders. Achiuwa also posted an 11% offensive rebound rate last season, which is solid for his position and allows him to get some easy putback opportunities.
Achiuwa is also a versatile defender, though he brings a bit of a different skill set than Hunter. Precious isn't going to be as capable of navigating screens and staying tight on shooters, but his physicality, intensity, and engagement might be more impactful for this team. He's a better rim protector and help defender than Hunter, and with Domantas Sabonis at center, those are incredibly important qualities for playing in Sacramento's frontcourt.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but there is an argument to start Ben Simmons over De'Andre Hunter as well. I'll admit, I scoffed at the idea when Marc Spears mentioned that he wouldn't be surprised to see him starting in a month. Simmons is an all-world talent when healthy, but he hasn't been close to that level in years and is coming off an entire year away from competitive basketball.
All reports have been aligned that Simmons is healthy, having a great camp, and looks like the old Ben from his time with the Philadelphia 76ers. I'm hesitant to get too excited, but even 85% of what Simmons was would be huge for the Kings' starting lineup. We all know who Simmons is defensively and how impactful he can be, though it's his offensive skill set that intrigues me just as much.
If one thing has become clear during the preseason, it's that the Kings are already asking a ton of Darius Acuff Jr. when it comes to playmaking and ball-handling. Without Sabonis' screen setting and passing last time out, Acuff Jr. struggled as the Lakers often sent two to the ball, put bigger defenders on him, and made sure nothing was easy for him. Acuff Jr. shot a blistering 49% on catch-and-shoot threes at Arkansas, and putting Simmons in the lineup allows the Kings to use Acuff off-ball more often and take advantage of that skill while taking some pressure off the rookie.
Unfortunately for the Kings, perfect fits for the roster like Jalen Williams aren't walking through the door, and they'll need to pick the best option out of what they have. In theory, Simmons is the best fit next to Acuff Jr., Sabonis, Murray, and Zach LaVine, but we'll have to wait and see how he looks once he actually takes the court. Achiuwa was solid as a starter and likely would be again, but the Kings are going to be hesitant to give up on Hunter and want to build up his trade value as an expiring contract that may not be in their future plans.
As low as the expectations are for this season, the Kings still need to help their star point guard develop and stay out of the relegation zone, and Hunter may not be the best fit for either of those goals.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/kings/onsi as Key Positional Battle Emerges for Kings After Preseason Woes .
