Kevin Martin, the starting SG, is the brightest spot on this reconstructed roster. He is the Kings' franchise player, and the player with the most trade value.
The Kings have a mix of young talent and veteran leadership, with Abdur-Rahim, Jackson, Miller, and Mikki Moore all having played at least 10 years in the NBA.
Here is my projected starting lineup for the Sacramento Kings:
PG: Beno Udrih
The Slovenian PG can provide stability for this team. He plays solid basketball, and with maybe four more years of experience, I can see him becoming an All-Star.
SG: Kevin Martin
Obvious choice. The returning leading scorer for the Kings is sure to lead his team once more.
SF: Shareef Abdur-Rahim
The seasoned veteran, commonly used at PF, is only 6'9'', and considered undersized and outmatched against current NBA power forwards. His age is starting to catch up with him, but he can be a threat from mid-range to possibly outside shooting. He played SF in Portland and found moderate success there.
PF: Shelden Williams
He is the best player to come out of Duke since Mike Dunleavy Jr. He is also 6'9'', but he can be a monster on the defensive side of the ball. I do not believe that he is going to be their long-term PF, though, because of his height.
C: Brad Miller
The 10-year veteran has been through much during his time with the Kings. In order for him to really improve his game, and his team's chances of success, he needs to step up his defensive game. At 7'0'', he towers over the opposing team, and should be a formidable defender. Look for him to improve on his blocking and rebounding.
Second Team
PG: Bobby Jackson
The second-oldest player on the team, and was with the team during their 2002 run for the Western Conference Crown. A fan favorite. He provides experience, knowledge, and leadership.
SG: John Salmons
Coming off a season in which he averaged 12.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and 2.6 apg.
SF: Donte Green
Let's see what the freshman out of Syracuse can do!
PF: Jason Thompson
Tallest PF on the team at 6'11''. Who knows? With his work ethic, and desire to get better, he could be the starting PF in a couple of years.
C: Spencer Hawes
He's a score-first, think-about-scoring-second, defend-third center. Like Miller, he too needs to work on and step up his defensive game if he wants to help his team succeed.
Geoff Petrie is an amazing GM. He got Bibby and Artest out of Sacramento, and acquired some cap room to work with. The attempts of the Kings' front office to rebuild their roster and team have started unraveling.
I still believe that there is more to be done before Kings fans can start thinking about a playoff berth.
I predict that Sacramento and the Clippers will finish at the bottom of the division, with one team just finishing on top of the other.
There have been rumors circulating that the Kings may move to Las Vegas if a new arena is not built. Can the city of Sacramento get behind their team and front the money to build a new arena, so that they just might see their Kings make the playoffs within the next few years?
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