NBA Rumors: A New Starting Lineup for the Sacramento Kings

After firing a head coach, blowing a fourth-quarter lead against a weak Detroit Pistons unit and dropping a close one to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it's finally time to acknowledge that the Kings made a mistake. They have too many players at the same position and because of that, they've been taking players out of their element. With shooting guards at point guard and small forward, everything has seemed out of sync.

Despite the fact that Tyreke Evans was moved back to his natural position at the 2, this lineup has faults. Marcus Thornton posted 24 points against the Pistons but it was on defense that he truly struggled. The defensive-minded Tayshaun Prince posted 22 points on 10-19 shooting, topping it off with 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Rodney Stuckey dropped 36 points, as well, further proving that the Evans and Thornton combination just can't work.

As for 5'9" rookie Isaiah Thomas, who was honored with the first two starts of his career, his play at the point was more than impressive. He helped the Kings get out to an early lead because of his prowess in the open court and his ability as a facilitator. Unfortunately, he only saw one minute in the fourth quarter. Not so coincidentally, the Kings were winning until the fourth quarter began.

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According to CBS Sports, Thomas helped engineer 23 first-half fastbreak points in the first half against Detroit on Friday night and he had 14 points and four assists, but he played one minute in the fourth quarter of a 114-108 loss. Smart said he pulled Thomas because of size matchup problems. Still, expect Thomas to remain a starter.

Said Thomas, "I just want to help this team win. I'm sick of losing."

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The following game, when Thomas was given the opportunity to start opposite Kyrie Irving, he outplayed the first overall draft choice. Not too bad for "Mr. Irrelevant."

There's no denying that the problems go deeper than who plays where, but it'd be foolish to dismiss this as anything less than a core issue. With the right players at the right positions, the extremely talented youth of the Kings could begin to turn things around.

So who goes where?

Sixth Man: Tyreke Evans

Send a message.

This team has shown some of the worst effort I've ever seen as a fan of the game and a analyst. Hardly anyone makes an effort in transition defense, leaving the 5'9" Isaiah Thomas as the only man back. The direction of the offense is often lost as players aimlessly move around until the shot clock expires then forces a poor shot. When a player has a hot hand, plays are not created for them; it's isolation plays and excessive dribbling. How do you solve it? Make the leader of the team come off the bench.

Point Guard: Isaiah Thomas

Isaiah Thomas is the hardest-working player on the Sacramento Kings. His effort on both ends of the floor paired with his fearless pursuit of victory, has had an undeniable influence on his teammates. His stat line of 13 points, four assists and four rebounds in 23 minutes against the Pistons was beyond efficient. For the second game in a row, he had the highest +/- rating of any player on the Kings.

Oh, and for those who haven't heard yet, Thomas dominated Kyrie Irving. He held Irving to 8-21 shooting and forced him to commit four turnovers. Thomas proceeded to put up 23 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds. He's the obvious choice.

Shooting Guard: Marcus Thornton

Marcus Thornton has all the makings of an elite scorer. His range as a shooter is hard enough to defend, but it's natural ability to get to the basket that takes him to the next level. Unfortunately, he's not a great defender, nor is he tall enough to play the three. Ideally, Thornton would be the sixth man, but for the sake of sending a message, that's Evans role.

Also, Thornton was given a $40 million contract for a reason. It's time to make people put up or shut up, and the perfect person to start with is No. 23.

Small Forward: John Salmons

I'm not a big fan of placing Salmons at the three, but at this point, it's the best case scenario. Salmons could find his stroke at any moment, and if he does, his scoring ability is a valuable asset to the Kings moving forward. Unfortunately, he is lacking on the defensive end.

Travis Outlaw is an option, but inconsistency has plagued him throughout his career. Rookie Tyler Honeycutt is an option as well, but he'll need to be eased into the role after averaging under three minutes a game. The Kings are stuck with Salmons here.

Power Forward: Jason Thompson

As much as I like J.J. Hickson, I'd be fooling myself if I told you he was a better fit at the 4 than Jason Thompson. Thompson has paid his dues in Sacramento. In the playing time he's received, he's been reliable on both ends.

He's not an All-Star caliber player, but he is a hard worker who goes against what the Kings have been doing as of late. That, of course, would be nothing.

Center: DeMarcus Cousins

A lot of people, including Keith Smart, are proposing that DeMarcus Cousins is a better fit at the 4. I kindly disagree.

Cousins has the big, bruising body that makes a great center. He's a force in the paint, and if he could improve his low post game on both ends, there's no reason he can't be exactly what Andrew Bynum is for the Lakers.

Lost amidst personal opinions of his role as a 'distraction' is how amazing he's been. Cousins is averaging 16.7 points per game, along with 11.3 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals. With his ability to dominate the paint, it would be foolish to put him anywhere but at the 5.