Fansided

NBA Season Preview 2018-19: Every team’s biggest question

By Ben Ladner

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 16: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Miami Heat in Game Two of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 16, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 16: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Miami Heat in Game Two of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 16, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SACRAMENTO, CA – JULY 5: Harry Giles #20 of the Sacramento Kings boxes out Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat during the 2018 Summer League at the Golden 1 Center on July 5, 2018 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – JULY 5: Harry Giles #20 of the Sacramento Kings boxes out Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat during the 2018 Summer League at the Golden 1 Center on July 5, 2018 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Sacramento Kings: Do they prefer Harry Giles or Skal Labissiere going forward?

The Kings have plenty of questions to address, but the frontcourt, where the front office is banking on someone to develop into a star, will most heavily influence the future of the team. The selection of Marvin Bagley III with the second pick in the draft seemed to indicate that only one of Giles, who will be a rookie next year after sitting out last season to rehab his knee, or Labissiere, who showed promising flashes last season, will make it through Sacramento’s long rebuild. (That, or the Kings are actually going to play Bagley on the wing, which is… not advisable.)

Labissiere has a bright future ahead of him, in Sacramento or elsewhere. The Kings’ strange assortment of big men has left Labissiere in a suboptimal situation to fully showcase his game, but he has made strides nonetheless. He shot well in his second year and garnered more playing time down the end of another ugly Kings season. Labissiere has real stretch-5 potential on offense, where he usually played the four next to Kosta Koufos or Willie Cauley-Stein. Playing time at center could be slightly easier to come by this year if Sacramento plays a younger rotation with Bagley, Giles and Labissiere as its nucleus, but Labissiere may need a more trustworthy defensive partner in the frontcourt. It also may not matter; the Kings will be bad no matter what, and their youngsters will benefit from making mistakes in the short term.

Giles is the more difficult prospect to project. If fully healthy, he may have the highest upside of anyone on Sacramento’s roster. The Kings allowed him to take his entire first season after college off to rehab from ACL surgery, and he looked strong and springy in Summer League. He profiles as a better and more versatile defender than Labissiere or Bagley and showed more utility as a playmaker in high school. His knees remain major questions moving forward, though. Building around a player with more ACL tears than NBA games played is a risky proposition, even if Giles still possesses a high ceiling. How he holds up over a full season playing against NBA big men will be among the few reasons to watch the Kings this season.

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