It is understandable for basketball fans to focus on the dysfunctional Brooklyn Nets and how that team managed to permit an astronomical 153 points in Tuesday's embarrassing loss to the Sacramento Kings, but can we give credit to the Kings, too?
After all, this team that somehow has avoided the playoffs since the Reagan administration (OK, some exaggeration there) has a winning record because it is finally being coached well, features strong depth, pays attention on the defensive side and is led by a more mature PG De'Aaron Fox.
Fox didn't need to do too much versus the Nets, scoring 14 points in 24 minutes, but he and PF/C Domantas Sabonis are the top fantasy options on the emerging club and solidifying their place as players to build around in fantasy.
I admit I thought the Kings should have kept the younger PG Tyrese Haliburton instead of trading him to the Indiana Pacers in the Sabonis deal, and found a taker for Fox, but each is thriving. The thing is Fox can still improve.
When I checked the points leaders and Player Rater (for roto) on Wednesday I expected to see Fox doing better than only 20th on the former and 19th on the latter. He's averaging 24.6 PPG, a career-best 5 RPG, 6.3 APG, plenty of steals and 3-pointers and he's shooting better from the field and line than ever before. I suppose he could score a bit more, as he did in 2020-21, but these Kings are deeper and don't need him to take every shot. Fox is capable of more 3-pointers, bouncing back from his horrid shooting from range last season. Perhaps we shouldn't focus on what Fox isn't doing. Isn't this enough?
It is enough and we should appreciate it, for Fox has never been a better offensive player than he has been so far this season, with his highest offensive rating and efficiency, and perhaps he owes this not only to the unselfish Sabonis, who creates offense without demanding shots, but also the reliable SG Kevin Huerter.
The former Hawk is second in the league in 3-point shooting at .526, but attempting far more 3-pointers than No. 1 Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Huerter is younger and better than former Kings SG Buddy Hield, still (for now) a Pacer.
Now is a good time to invest in Kings, from Fox to Sabonis and Huerter, but also rookie PF Keegan Murray, who surely is capable of better scoring and rebounding figures, but he has been inconsistent and perhaps compromised by a back injury.
Underrated SF/PF Harrison Barnes surely will shoot better than 25% on 3-pointers, and he is a picture of consistency through the years.
Well-traveled SG/SF Malik Monk is, all of a sudden and without notice, a solid distributor, at 4.4 APG, easily outshining 2021 top pick PG Davion Mitchell, who has little offensive game but defends well.
And then, on Tuesday, reserve SG Terence Davis drained seven 3-pointers. Deep leaguers take notice.
Perhaps Fox cannot average more points with Huerter and the bench contributing, and Sabonis gets just as many assists as Fox does, but that's OK. It wasn't too long ago that we wondered what the future would hold for Fox, as the team drafted Haliburton and Fox started slowly last season.
Fantasy managers were concerned. Critics pointed to Fox's selfishness and lack of commitment to defense, and fantasy managers yearned for the 2020-21 numbers again. These current numbers are better because of the shooting. These current Kings are better, too. It's all happening in Sacramento!
Other random thoughts
-Nobody should feel sympathy toward the Nets, who keep getting in their own way when it comes to decision making, but at least play defense, right? Perhaps the 153 points in California's capital were aberrant. The Nets had played better defense since Jacque Vaughn became coach. Starters Kevin Durant, Royce O'Neal, Nic Claxton, Joe Harris and Edmond Sumner were the ones gouged on plus-minus, which brings up the point why defensive-minded PG Ben Simmons doesn't play more. He remains rostered in 76% of ESPN leagues but does he deserve it? He has little fantasy value today, though we know what he is capable of. Such an odd situation and one we'll surely explore more in the future.
-Two Detroit Pistons to keep an eye on this week include PF Marvin Bagley III and PG Killian Hayes. I hate that emerging PF/C Isaiah Stewart is out at least two weeks with a toe sprain, but it gives Bagley a chance to play more and contribute his standard 14 PPG and 7 RPG, which we always whined about but really, when you think about it, isn't so bad. Yeah, so Bagley can do better, but 14 and 7 is fine. Hayes, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 draft, had a recent stretch in which he scored, rebounded, passed, stole and actually hit a decent percentage of field goals. Who knew? He can't start when Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey are healthy, but the former is not healthy today, and Hayes can matter in deeper formats.
-Perhaps I'm alone on this one, but I stashed Los Angeles Lakers PG Dennis Schroder in a deep league because I really need the assists, and he figures to provide some when he returns to full health and plays, perhaps this weekend. Schroder averages 4.7 APG for his career, and 5.8 APG during the 2020-21 season with the Lakers and LeBron James getting 7.8 APG that season. It can be done! Schroder averaged 15.4 PPG that season, so he seems rather underrated and under-stashed to me right now! The Lakers may also get the services of C Thomas Bryant this weekend. Bryant will matter when PF/C Anthony Davis needs to miss pockets of games, and, unfortunately, that will occur.
-I activated several San Antonio Spurs in deeper leagues that I may not ordinarily have for this week because they play five games, including C Charles Bassey (probably a mistake) and SF Doug McDermott (definitely a mistake) and I'm now openly wondering which player is the team's top full-season fantasy option. You may assume it's SF/PF Keldon Johnson, because he averages a hearty 22.7 PPG. Well, C Jakob Poeltl has more fantasy points, and SG/SF Devin Vassell and PG Tre Jones aren't far behind. This intrigues me, and not only because I invested heavily in Poeltl, despite his free throw brickwork. He scored a career-high 31 points Tuesday! And did you know Jones, who is doing pretty much what he's supposed to as the third/fourth point guard for fantasy teams, is shooting better from 3-point range than 2-point range? Why? Who does this? So many questions.
-As a Mike Conley investor enjoying the 8.1 APG, it only makes sense to be concerned about his recent drop in shooting and scoring numbers and wonder if last season's version was more valuable. Again, we love the assists. Nobody pegged Conley for the top 5 in the league in assists. He's also shooting 39% from the field this season, anchored down some by hitting only 7-of-31 field goals over the past four games, scoring 23 points in that lowly span. Conley averaged more than 21 PPG only four seasons ago! Must it be all or nothing now? Can Conley maybe average 12 PPG and 7 APG, meet in the middle? Thanks, Mike, that would be appreciated.