Trey Lyles was brought to the Sacramento Kings almost as an afterthought in the trade that sent Marvin Bagley to Detroit as part of a deal that brought back Donte DiVincenzo. 8 players were included in that 4 team deadline trade back in 2022 but only Lyles remains with the team that acquired him. In his time in Sacramento, Lyles has emerged as a reliable bench big, able to come in, rebound, stretch the floor and play solid defense when called upon.
Lyles is now entering the final year of a two-year deal he signed last summer but seems in line for as big a role as ever. Given Sacramento’s roster makeup, Lyles is one of the few players over 6’8 on the entire roster. Able to play both Power Forward and small ball center, Lyles can play with Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray, or as the lone big in a four guard lineup. There’s even the small possibility he could be in line to start this year if the Kings opt to bring more size into the starting frontcourt to replace Barnes and have DeMar DeRozan start at Shooting Guard. Regardless of where he fits into the rotation, Lyles will likely still have a sizable role on this team, especially thanks to his ability to stretch the floor.
Last season, Lyles averaged 7.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists in 20 minutes a game. He shot 38.4% from three (close to his career high) on 3.8 attempts a game (almost 70% of his total shots came from beyond the arc). He had a positive net rating on both ends of the court during his minutes, with the Kings outscoring opponents by 8 points per 100 possessions during his minutes per Basketball-Reference. Lyles should also prove to be a nice fit with newcome DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is adept at probing and collapsing defenses, and a willing passer who can find an outside threat such as Lyles open. With all of Sacramento’s offensive weapons, Lyles could be more open than ever, and he made 40% of his catch and shoot threes last season (mostly off of passes from De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Domantas Sabonis).
Lyles most used lineups last year involved him as the Power Forward next to Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray, and that will probably be the case again this year but given Sacramento’s lack of size it wouldn’t surprise me to see them try out the small ball route a bit more this year. The Kings could try out some hyper spacing lineups with just one of DeMar DeRozan or De’Aaron Fox as the initiator/playmaker with Keon Ellis, Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray and Lyles spreading the floor out. They could also try to replicate a bit of last year’s lineup by putting Lyles in the Barnes role at times and moving Keegan down.
Lyles versatility and his size, plus the lack of overall depth the Kings have in the frontcourt make him more important to this team than ever. Lyles will almost never stand out as the best player on the floor or have the most gaudy box score stats, but to win games you need guys like Lyles who can hit timely threes, grab important rebounds or stop an opponent from scoring with a timely block. In my opinion, Lyles could be in line for his biggest year yet, especially as he sets out to earn his next NBA contract.
I think Lyles is good enough to start on a good team, but the current roster makeup seems to force him to remain a bench contributor. The Kings have too many good guards and not enough good forwards. If you start DeRozan at the 2, keep Keegan at the 3, and insert Lyles at the 4, you now have to balance bench minutes for Monk, Huerter, and Ellis, all of whom are best suited at shooting guard, and you have a glaring lack of backup forwards in that scenario.
The lack of a solid power forward has exacerbated the abundance of guards problem. The obvious fix is to deal a guard. Not a horrible problem because the solution is not super difficult. Just need the right power forward to be available. Plenty of guards to choose from. Much better than the quandary of removing a necessary guard to get a necessary power forward. Monte has options without having to gut the team to do it.
Lyles is the closest thing to an enforcer that we have. Need his heart and spirit out there. As far as backup forwards go, Jae Crowder is working out for the Kings…
Probably. Forward depth is thin, and maybe he can get some small ball stretch 5 minutes.
I dunno. Since he began his NBA journey 9 seasons ago, his time in Sac has been his longest tenure – and that is before this season, at 156 games (career 581) with never more than two seasons with Quin Snyder’s Jazz, then Michael Malone’s Nuggets and then Popavich’s Spurs before the half season in the Motor City which brought him to The City of Trees (Sacramento).
That’s a journeyman career with some of the top coaches in the League. I think to expect more is wishful, but maybe this the place that clicks. He certainly seems to have the ability but lacks the consistency – which is the hallmark of an NBA starter (or better). Sacramento has the need for him to be that guy. That we all continue to talk about the search to find a Trey Lyles (and at $8M/season) sized who can D and 3 supplies the answer – he ain’t that guy.
I’m with you right up until the end. If Trey was available from another team, we would all want to trade for him. It’s not that he isn’t good at what he does, it’s that we only have one of him.
100%
Yup. If he was a bit more consistent, that would really help the team. Having a guy his size that can shoot the 3 is always needed.
I think the injuries played a factor to his production last season. He needs to be healthy for this team. Depth at his position is very thin.
To clarify: I am not saying Trey Lyles is not good – I just don’t believe he is starter good. His role on the bench as the first big (Alex Len in certain situations, which has also been successful) is suitable, IMO.
Having another Trey Lyles… yeah, sure. A variation of the same – Isaiah (Beef Stew) Steward, Tari Eason, Bobby Portis – I like that as well – but in the case of Eason, or Jerami Grant (not at that price point), Kyle Kuzma is to possibly find a starter to move Keegan (who’s been bulking, it appears, this Summer) to the 3 spot, DeRozan to the 2. That is the bigger line up that many advocate. The Ultimate – at least for me, would be to acquire reigning 6th Man of the Year, Naz Reid and make him the 5th Man of the Year for the Kings.
None of the above options are $8M btw.
I can see that. I would be really surprised if he started. I still feel like we need a true PF starter. But I’m also interested to see what kind of offensive mismatches we can create by starting our current guys
In the current NBA, what is a “true PF starter?” There is so much variance at the position, from Porzingis, Portis, Nikola Jovic, Keegan, Jaylen Williams, and Julius Randle. All different sizes and skill sets.
Keegan is only a power forward because he has recently been anointed as one due to the lack of a power forward.
Well, that’s the ticket, isn’t it?
Who are the bigger teams? Minnesota, OKC come to mind first. What about the Pels? Lakers? Nuggets?
I’d argue that Sac fared well against those Top 2, and Denver as well (so Top 3).
The Lakers – AD, Lebron, Hachimura, Cam Reddish – no problemo.
That’s because as tough as it is for Sac to match up with that size (height, weight, strength – I am thinking Zion) those other teams have to match up to Sac’s skill and quickness. That worked for the otherwise undersized Warriors for 4 Championships. It has worked for the Celtics – they garnered a Larry O’Brien with Porzingas mostly on the bench and 38 year old 6’9″ Al Horford playing the 5. Adding DeRozan at the wing should make Sac a lot tougher, in my estimation by a lot. Remember, we are replacing Kevin Huerter’s subpar year as a starter with a guy who is coming off of a 24.0ppg/4.3 rpg/5.3 apg for the Bulls, who was an All-Star in 2023, All-NBA in 2022.
My excitement for the upcoming season is building.
I like the idea of him getting more minutes and seeing how that works along side Sabonis. This team is small and some games that is going to be burden to big over come. If Lyles is more productive and plays more that gives Brown the option to have some size in the line up to when necessary.
I think folks really underestimate Lyles’ strength and size. He’s a legit 6’9″ with a 7’2″ wingspan. You read that right… 7’2″ wingspan. For reference he’s nearly the same size as Bobby Portis and Kevon Looney and it makes him taller and longer than Draymond Green. The knock on him may be his athleticism, but he has the size and strength to play a 4/5 bruiser combo role.
Personally, I’d like to see him in the more traditional PF role on defense banging around with bigger bodies, but today’s NBA is all about switching and perimeter play. If the Kings had another legit 3/4 combo player to play behind Keegan, I’d be perfectly fine with Lyles as the primary backup 5.
Bleacher report made a trade to Portland sending Kevin Huerter and 2 seconds for Robert Williams 111 and Touimani Camara. What do you think? Backup 5 and a backup 4 who can score and play defense.
I’m not sure why the Kings would give up two second rounders AND give up the best player in the deal. I also don’t see what PDX would want with Huerter when they are loaded with young guards.
I do like Camara though.
Does Williams play basketball in between cashing paying checks?
Williams is solid IF he plays and he often does not. Camara plays D.
This is more bodies at positions of current weakness.
Bench help is good but I might be more willing to give up more players for one really good one. The second rounders- bleh
Tempting. but RW3 has to play
I think if Lyles could bring his 22/23 and 23/24 averages for a little more than 16 or 20 MPG (e.g. 24 mnutes MPG) and/or for more than 58 games (last season), then the answer to the headline queston is “Yes”. Last year he seemed plagued bylittle nagging injuries.
Lyles is a great fit on this team that seemingly often gets overlooked in fan reflections (myself included) on the rotation. He’s under valued.
One could argue (I am) that he is better than Harrison Barnes. The statistics may show Barnes as the better 3pt shooter but the difference between the two can’t be far off. And what if Lyles had as many 3pt attempts as Barnes in a season? My bet is his percentage would be higher in the end. That’s all speculative though. What is not speculative in comparing Barnes to Lyles?
Trey is a massively better defender than Barnes.
Trey is a better rebounder than Barnes
Trey is a better facilitator than Barnes
One area where I think it’s fair to say Barnes has Lyles beat is in isolation. The eye test tells me that. Although, we have never really seen Lyles in isolation down low to where he is given the ball and asked to go cook the way Barnes often was.
I do find it interesting to contemplate how the Kings are likely better this year if they simply replace Barnes in the starting lineup with Trey and run it back (no Demar). This is not to disparage Barnes, I just find the actual possibility of that interesting. I know there were many in here who were calling for Trey to become the starting PF last season.
Barnes for 18 million or Lyles for 8 million?
No Brainer. Im sure the national pundits wouldn’t agree but I think most kings fans would.
Barnes is not a power forward. Lyles is a power forward or a back up five.
Great point. On value to contract, Lyles is better at this point.
Value is great but wins are the goal.
Value contributes to wins. Your favorite player and former namesake, Marvin Bagley, did not provide value and hence did not provide wins. Pull together enough value contracts and you’ll string together wins. This concept isn’t too difficult to grasp, is it?
Value contracts are important because the star players are taking such a large portion of the salary cap. That’s where Lyles and Ellis come in.
ABB will only accept stars on big contracts and an ownership group willing to go over the second apron. Value contracts are inexplicably stupid in ABB’s world.
Unfortunately, perhaps no. It’s a matter of the rotation. We added DeRozan to the starters and removed Barnes. Barnes averaged 29 minutes per game last season. DeRozan averaged 38. DeMar will get fewer minutes than that in Sac but probably more than 29. Keegan got 33.6 and you want to keep him in that range.
If you look at PopcornMachine, of course it varied wildly, but Trey often came in for Barnes. He will simply be squeezed a little more subbing in for DeRozan or Keegan.
As I said, the actual minutes played and rotations are rarely according to plan. Trey will get more minutes than just when Keegan or DeMar sit. But it seems to me that the general conclusion would be fewer minutes per game.
Beyond his skill and smarts, Lyles makes the team tougher. Since he arrived, I can’t recall him taking any degree of shit from an opponent without making it clear that there would be a cost.
He’s been reliable (yes, I saw that “reLylsable” was right there, but I’m better than that. Not a lot better, but still.) and works hard at both ends. I expect him to see playing time with a variety of different lineups, because he’s able to be effective with whatever role needs to be played in a particular lineup.
Lyles was a lottery pick, and while the early part of his career never saw him find sure footing, I’m sure glad that McNair got him the way he did. Along with Ellis, a truly excellent value contract.
Outside of your core three is it Lyles, Derozan, or Ellis that make or break this team?
Looking forward to your unique perspective.
Why would one player make or break the team? And why, specifically, are those three names targeted here? Are Monk and Huerter chopped liver?
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