LeBron James, Lakers Earn Tight Win over Kings in Preseason Without Lonzo Ball
The Los Angeles Lakers earned their first NBA preseason win Thursday, defeating the Sacramento Kings 128-123 at Staples Center.
LeBron James saw limited action, but the four-time MVP finished with 18 points, three rebounds and four assists in 15 minutes.
Brandon Ingram (31 points) was the game's leading scorer. Kyle Kuzma had 17 points, the last two of which helped seal the win after Ingram missed a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining.
Marvin Bagley III posted a double-double (19 points, 10 rebounds), and De'Aaron Fox scored 18 points and dished out four assists.
The Lakers' Lonzo Ball did not play, with the team perhaps being careful with the point guard's recovery from offseason knee surgery.
De'Aaron Fox's Hot Shooting a Great Sign for Kings Offense
More important than his point total, Fox hit four of his six three-pointers. He showed a lot of confidence in his long-range jumper, spotting up from the perimeter when the Lakers defense sagged off to protect against his drives.
Fox shot 30.7 percent from beyond the arc as a rookie, which was an improvement over his one season at Kentucky (24.6 percent).
ESPN.com's Mike Schmitz argued Fox needs to become a more consistent shooter off picks on the perimeter to maximize his offensive potential. Especially if Sacramento goes with its big-heavy lineups, Fox won't have much room to operate inside.
The Kings offense would look a lot different if Fox can add an effective three-point shot.
Sacramento is still years away from contending for the playoffs, so the next few seasons are about identifying franchise cornerstones.
Fox's rookie year wasn't the kind of campaign that raised red flags regarding his long-term viability. However, he plays for one of the NBA's worst teams in terms of player development, which led to broader questions about whether Fox can become the best version of himself in Sacramento.
Yes, it's only preseason and he played against a Lakers team that's still finding its footing after a busy offseason. But Fox's performance should have Kings fans excited for the start of 2018-19.
Josh Hart Cementing Place in Lakers' Starting Five
For the second game in a row, Josh Hart started at shooting guard ahead of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Hart did little to warrant a demotion, scoring 17 points and grabbing five rebounds. Caldwell-Pope, meanwhile, had nine points and six rebounds.
More than anything Hart did Thursday night, the biggest revelation about him came from the recently retired David West:
To some extent, Hart's usage will be a litmus test for Lakers head coach Luke Walton.
By signing James, the franchise became a title contender overnight. Walton has to balance that with the development of younger players such as Hart, Ingram, Kuzma and Ball.
Caldwell-Pope is a special case, since he and James share an agent. ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin reported last September that Caldwell-Pope's connection to agent Rich Paul was "a major motivating factor" when the Lakers signed him. Los Angeles was already planning for the LeBron sweepstakes.
That shouldn't impact Walton's final decision. Caldwell-Pope doesn't bring as much to the table as Hart.
Caldwell-Pope is a shooter who has only hit 40.9 percent of his field-goal attempts and 34.5 percent of his three-pointers over five seasons. He's also averaging 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per 36 minutes, according to Basketball Reference.
Hart shot 39.6 percent from three-point territory as a rookie while averaging 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per 36 minutes.
If Walton is viewing the preseason as an audition for Hart in a starting role, then he's proving himself worthy to be in the lineup to open the year Oct. 18 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
What's Next?
The Kings will head north to Seattle for their next game. They'll play the Golden State Warriors on Friday at KeyArena. Having already opened the preseason in San Diego, the Lakers will embark on another neutral-site trip Saturday when they play the Los Angeles Clippers in Anaheim, California.
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