Here’s the Sacramento Bee on the new-look Kings, who recently made a controversial trade by sending talented youth away and getting experience in return:
With De’Aaron Fox working the perimeter and Domantas Sabonis manning the top of the key, setting screens at the 3-point line or making passes from the elbows, the Kings offense just seemed to make sense against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
The presence of Sabonis allowed Chimezie Metu to cut down the baseline and hammer home dunks fed by the new center’s creative passing. Sabonis’ floor vision, use of angles and positioning also led to 3-point shooters getting open looks.
It all led to a win, most importantly, with the Golden 1 Center crowd reaching a different level of intensity in the fourth quarter spurred by clutch shots, defensive stops and breakaway baskets. Wednesday’s victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 132-119, came in Sabonis’ Sacramento debut. It was a breath of fresh air, an oasis in a desert, hot chocolate on a cold day for a franchise that’s spent most of the season broiled in frustration.
One could even call it: fun.
Could the Kings become fun again? Say what you will about the decision to trade promising 21-year-old Tyrese Haliburton to get Sabonis from the Indiana Pacers. We’ve done that plenty. Sacramento’s new product on the court has the potential reach levels of fun that feel foreign to a team that’s missed the playoffs an NBA-high 15 consecutive seasons.
And the fun could come from a free-wheeling style that’s still in its infancy.
