Welcome to the return of our Season Review series! We will do a brief (and sometimes no-so-brief) review of how the season went for each member of the Sacramento Kings. We’re kicking things off with Damian Jones!
The Sacramento Kings found Damian Jones on the 10-day contract market last season, and he was solid enough to land a full contract and enter this season as the Kings third-string center. Despite the presence of Richaun Holmes, the offseason signing of Alex Len, and the trade deadline acquisition of Domantas Sabonis, Jones still managed to stand out, earn playing time, and have a better season this year than last.
Despite playing fewer minutes per game this year, Jones still increased his scoring (6.9 PPG to 8.1 PPG), improved his efficiency (.664 eFG% to .677 eFG%), and managed to keep his rebounding, assists, blocks, and steals all essentially level.
But where jones really shined was the end of the season. With Richaun Holmes mostly unavailable at the end of the year, and with Domantas Sabonis missing time with a knee injury, Jones stepped up. In the final 10 games of the season (with the understanding that this was a weaker part of the schedule and the games were mostly meaningless), Jones averaged 16.6 points, 7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. In that stretch he made a compelling case that he should be the primary backup center for the Kings next season.
There are roadblocks that could prevent that. The Kings still have Holmes and Len on the books for next season, both at cap hits that exceed their current productivity. The Kings will presumably try to move one or both this offseason, but we all know that sometimes trading a player is easier said than done.
The other question is if Jones would even want to return, as Jones enters this offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The Kings will have his Early Bird rights, but that simply gives the Kings the ability to re-sign Jones. This year’s free agent class is chock full of capable backup big men, so who knows how much of a market there will even be for Jones. All of this is simply to say that there are scenarios where Jones could return and be the Kings backup center next year, or there are scenarios where he walks for greener pastures.
Personally, I hope the Kings can clear their center logjam and bring back Jones on a reasonable contact with the promise of a defined role as the backup center. But we’ll have to wait and see.
Jones is hard for me to evaluate.
He does some good things and yet I have no clue if he is just a guy that just puts up some NBA level production on a bad team or if he is really good enough to be a solid addition to a decent team.
This is such a reusable comment; you just have to change the name for 4 or 5 others.
Every year…. This is what I like to call the Skal article.
Last years winner Terence Davis.
Probably have to wait until after the day of the draft to decide on Jones.
I think that Jones has the potential to be a reasonable backup to Sabonis – I don’t see them playing side-by-side. But with $15m tied up in Holmes and Len and very limited prospects of moving either one, Jones may be a bench luxury that this roster cannot afford.
Pretty much this. There are a lot of obstacles in the way to re-sign Jones, and that of course assumes he wants to return to the Kings.
I give it a slim to none chance of the Kings brining him back next year as signing a backup center is the absolute bottom of the offseason priority list.
Just wondering, why do you consider moving on from either or both as “very limited prospects”?
I’m not speaking for Rob, but I think the market if very limited for Holmes. Not too many teams need a starting center, and he’s far too expensive to be a backup. Dallas and the Hornets are the only teams that come to mind.
Len is jut a vet minimum/bench big type of guy that any team can find in free agency. There is no need to trade for him unless he’s needed in some larger package.
That’s a fair point, but in addition to DAL and CHA I’d also add a few other teams to the list of teams that could potentially use/need a big-man like Holmes.
I believe IND is a potential landing spot due to his favorable historical pairing with Hali and decent potential fit next to Turner if they decide to go dual-bigs like Cleveland (Mobley and Allen).
NYK will see Mitchell Robinson’s contract come to end while retaining N. Noel and 67-old Taj Gibson.
BRK will see every C on the team have their contracts expire in Drummond, Aldridge, & Claxton. Blake Griffin’s contract is also coming due this year leaving the only other big-men on the roster as Durant and rookie Day’Ron Sharpe.
POR’s J. Nurkic is the only Center on the roster and his contract is up this year.
OKC’s D. Favors contract is coming to end leaving only M. Muscala (contract also ends this year, but there is TO for $3.5M 2022-2023) and the rookie J. Robinson-Earl as the remaining big-men, depending on which position you think Poku should play.
I assume PHX will retain Ayton. With that said, Holmes returning to the Suns should Ayton leave is decent fallback option for PHX if they’re not be able to/desire to retain Ayton.
Not everyone of these teams will be interested in Holmes, but the number of teams that could use/need a center is a good deal more than just DAL and CHA, at least IMO.
I think Holmes’ value is Reggie Bullock (Dal). And with FAs like Mitchell Robinson & Harrell out there, the market is not in the Kings’ favor.
Bottom line, I do not foresee a robust market for Holmes. They didn’t/couldn’t move him at the deadline, and his value has taken a hit since then, both on and off the court.
Prove me wrong, Monte.
Off the court, I would suspect Holmes becomes untradeable the moment criminal charges get filed. Until then, he stands accused only in the court of public opinion and nowhere else. Teams will do their due diligence, though, as they generally do.
Regarding on court value, I think he definitely dipped some in total value in part because his play dropped off a lot under Alvin Gentry. But there’s plenty of reasons for that between the eye injuries, COVID and the off court battle we are now aware of.
Chicago is a team that makes sense, IMO, for Holmes in part because he could play behind and with Vucevic. And there’s nobody else there better than him (Patrick Williams included). Bottom line for me is that absent criminal charges, I highly doubt Holmes will be on the roster moving forward. Holmes value remains what it is. A highly efficient offensive player with an unique profile, defensively capable of switching onto the perimeter, gets a few blocks here and there and and is an okay defensive rebounder. He just gets hurts a lot which is why, IMO, his deal was so low last summer to begin with.
Did Holmes value dip a lot? Maybe. But I doubt it. I think the main complication with trading him this summer is the potential for a criminal charge at some point. The other issue is how you see him fitting in with your other bigs.
We’ll know more in June at draft time, that’s about all I can say definitively at this point.
You’re right,except…………..Len’s contract is roughly $3.3 mil per year, well above the vet minimum. Call it the King’s premium where we have to pay more to bring in less. If Len had played more he may have regained some of the magic he showed the here in his first go ’round with the Kings as a reserve but something tells me………………………no
Found another good player that might be available in the 7/8 range: Jeremy Sochan. He’d improve the team from day one.
He’s a guy I definitely want the Kings to work out. I’m a bit concerned about his outside shooting but he definitely brings it on the defensive end. He may be a reach at #7, but still may make the lottery.
In addition to his defense, his IQ, motor, handles and playmaking are all above average for a PF. His rebounding and physicality might also be above average for a PF.
Sochan feels like a development piece off the bench that you think can start for you in a couple of years. Once he gets going, he could be incredible for you.
I get a Shawn Marion type vibe from him, which is a good thing, but I agree he may take a year or two.
Thats a good comp Adam
He really does feel like a guy who can help at both ends, and may legitimately be able to defend 1-5. I’ve not seen him slotted in the top ten, but if the Kings stay put or drop, I’m glad that McNair and his crew will be doing the evaluating on guys like Sochan, Mathurin, and other players that may be ranked a bit low.
He’s in my top 12. I wouldn’t have a wtf moment if the Kings wound up taking him.
Would be something if Monte drafted another Baylor Bear. One should also note that there are rumors that coach Scott Drew may be looking to move on from Baylor this summer. Maybe he’d be interested in making the jump to the pros?
This draft is loaded with PF’s.
And the Kings desperately need one. I still have Eason higher than most and currently want him going to the Kings at #7 if Murray is gone.
Eason is a sleeper. Murray will be gone. Then a bunch of wings. If Murray and Mathurin are gone, Eason is a possibility
Good on D. Outside shot questionable.
A reach at #7. Lottery pick but around 11-12. I would take Griffin, Davis, Sharpe, Mathurin, Duren and Eason above him.
If Sharpe is in, then the 7 spot looks better. Top 5 well set. Intrigue starts at 6.
of your group, Sharpe sounds intriguing, although there’s no game film of him available online for me to make my own opinion. I have Sochan, Jovic and Daniels ranked over all the other guys you mentioned.
Has anyone heard any updates regarding Holmes and the child abuse charges?
There were a couple articles in the Bee about Holmes’s ex-wife and child a week or two back that (I think) KH didn’t cover. Assuming you saw those.
Holmes has not been charged with anything, child abuse or domestic violece for that matter, by the legal system. Holmes has only been accused by his ex wife in the midst of their custody battle and through the lone source of those columns and editorial (which was almost certainly written by the same writer). As far as I can tell.
IMO, Jones should be brought back with Holmes and Len being moved out. Both are on reasonable deals and despite his recent play Holmes is an asset. I’d consider buying Len out if he can’t be moved this off-season.
Jones can do everything we need from a backup center and he’s still improving. If the team wants to improve, keeping rostered players who are on an upward trajectory is key.
Count me in the keep Jones camp. Athletic, takes and can make a 3. Doesn’t need the ball fed to him to be effective. Len has peaked. Holmes looks like he’s checked out.
Jones is a player who competes for his spot. It is refreshing to see that on this team. Jones is a guy who can work himself into spot in the NBA.
Maybe he does it here?
He is a joy to watch play the game because he gives it everything he has.
Oh, how I dearly wish this was true.
“Why wasn’t Hield traded last year at the deadline? Why hasn’t Fox been traded? Why is Holmes still here? And don’t get me started on Barnes!”
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