Sacramento Kings: The Need To Upgrade The Backup Point Guard Spot
Jimmer Fredette has been producing with more minutes as the backup point guard, but the Sacramento Kings could still use more help. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
The Sacramento Kings have now started to embark on a long and tough six-game road trip. After losing to the Indiana Pacers, the Kings were able to pick up a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although the Kings just suffered a loss to the Indiana Pacers, the Kings have really shown signs of improvement over the last five games and it seems that they are finally getting their bench production back for the first time since Isaiah Thomas was named the starter at point guard.
One player that has stepped their game up off the bench is Jimmer Fredette. Fredette has finally found his shot and looks to be gaining confidence in his game, which has really been translating well on the court. The confidence may have come down to the fact that Jimmer finally knows he will be getting consistent minutes behind Isaiah Thomas, but even with the recent production, it seems the team is still looking for other options for the backup point guard position. There have been plenty of rumors as of late that the Kings are in trade talks with the Denver Nuggets and looking to acquire veteran point guard Andre Miller.
If the Kings do find a way to get this deal to go through, the team would be getting a new backup point guard in Miller but the question is do they need it? Jimmer has been coming around and the production off the bench is starting to come into form; so would changing Jimmer be the right move for the Kings especially now since the team is finally starting to begin a winning streak?
The answer is yes. The Kings need a player like Andre Miller, a veteran point guard that has proven to be productive off the bench for a few years now. Having a player like Miller would definitely boost the IQ of the entire Kings roster. One other great reason that the Kings should consider to pursue the 37-year-old Andre Miller is the ability to be a good mentor to rookie Ray McCallum.
The Kings have shown that they have some hope for their second-round pick from this past year’s draft and having a veteran like Andre Miller to be that mentor could really help with McCallum’s development. Of course there are other options out there for Sacramento to look at and I am just using Andre Miller as an example of what could be for a new backup point guard.
With the bench playing well as of late and Jimmer showing signs of what he can do, the absolute need for the Kings to find a replacement backup point is not so high. The Kings are playing for the future right now and are looking at getting another high draft pick coming after the season, where they could look to get a backup point guard either in that draft or during free agency. Jimmer will be amongst the players in free agency that will be able to sign wherever he desires since the Kings declined to pick up his option earlier this season.
The Kings are also expected to be one of the most active teams in the trading market near the trade deadline and that is where you may see the change at that position and a few new players added to this rebuilding Kings roster. The Kings will continue to look for an upgrade at the backup point guard spot and like I said earlier–the Kings should do so–but until they can find that one player they are looking for, the Kings and the fans are going to have to hope that Jimmer’s production can continue for as long as possible.