Trey Lyles has been a pleasant surprise since the Sacramento Kings acquired him at the trade deadline. The 26-year-old power forward has filled a void nicely as a consistent piece who can grab rebounds and knock down shots next to Domantas Sabonis.
While he isn’t the most flashy and athletic guy, he plays his role well, and with more opportunity, he could end up being a nice piece for the team long-term on a relatively cheap deal.
“I’ve been really proud of him because I think what he’s done is that he’s really helped us on the boards, but just his presence out there. I think he as he plays more minutes, he’ll understand that we would like for him to take some of the shots that he’s passing on,” Alvin Gentry recently said about Lyles. “You add six new guys to your team and they’re trying to find themselves and I think he doesn’t want to step on any toes or anything, but we continue to tell him that one of the things that I think he can help us with even more is that I think he’s a good enough shooter that those shots, the opportunities that he’s had or will have, I think we’d like to see him take those.”
And when you look at the numbers, you can see how there is some potential that could be unlocked. His career average from the field is 44%. He is inching toward a double-digit scoring average in his Kings tenure – he’s up to 9.6 points per game now, to go along with 5.3 rebounds. Since March 9, he is averaging 30 minutes per game.
He is shooting 84% from the line with the Kings, which highlights his shooting efficiency. Earlier this season with the Detroit Pistons, he had a three-game stretch in which he averaged 12.7 shot attempts per game and averaged 18.7 points, 7.3 rebounds on 50% from the field and 38% from three.
Here are some standout stat lines with the Kings so far:
- Feb. 28 against the Oklahoma City Thunder – 10-14 for 24 points and 6 rebounds in 30 minutes
- March 9 against the Denver Nuggets – 6-12 for 14 points and 9 rebounds in 34 minutes
- March 16 against the Milwaukee Bucks – 5 of 10 for 12 points and 12 rebounds in 33 minutes
- March 18 against the Boston Celtics – 5 of 9 for 19 points and 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 31 minutes
His Per 36 with the Kings right now is 16.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 54% from the field and 41% from three.
In the 2017-18 season, the 6’9” Lyles had a 9-game stretch of double-digit attempts – in those games he averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds on 55% from the field and 42% from three. So, when the attempts are there, he usually produces, and he is efficient. He just hasn’t seemed to get much of an opportunity in his career. His career field goal attempts is 6.4 per game and he has never averaged more than 20 minutes per game (and that was only one time) before arriving in Sacramento. He is at 21 minutes per game now with the Kings.
Here is what Donte DiVincenzo recently had to say about Lyles: “Versatility. I think he can guard a lot of different positions and offensively, it’s that matchup thing. They have to respect him, and if they don’t, he’s going to make them pay. I think that is what he has been doing recently and his confidence is going to keep building.”
On Sunday against the Phoenix Suns, Lyles went 3-8 from the field and 2-4 from three, for 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block in 33 minutes. Not huge production, but he was a +5 for the game.
All of this isn’t to say that Lyles is a part of the core for this team. If they find an upgrade in the offseason the Kings should certainly go for it, but Lyles could be a serviceable piece that fits next to Sabonis should the team find a way to improve shooting at other positions. Lyles’ contract runs through next season at $2.6 million with a team option.
Ultimately he’d be a nice bench piece. He has been a pleasant surprise.
2022 statisics: PTS< TRB< AST< FG%< FG3%. Using these stats above I rated these four players below giving a 1 as the best and 5 as the least best. Adding up these stats I came up with this: #1 Pascal Siakim with a 10. Tied with a 12 was Collins and Randle an Portis a 14. Collins is the youngest at 24 and the other three are 27 Just some statistics to look at.
I also have a trade idea. Appreciate some comments.Draft either Murray or Griffin. Trade Holmes to the Hornets for PJ Washingon. Trade Barnes, Washington the 2023 first round and a second round for Pascal Siakim. This could be a three way deal if possible. Pick up Malik Monk in FA. Starters: Fox, Monk, Murray/Griffin, Siakim and Sabonis. Bachups would be Mitchell, DDV, Davis, Lyles/Metu and Jones/Queta.
Jack- love your Kings enthusiasm. Hornets got Harrel, so not interested in Holmes.
Toronto not interested in trading Siakem.
Monk- hot/cold/hot/cold/cold
FWIW, I think Harrell is a UFA this summer.
Harrell is UFA.
Do not think Raptors would trade Siakim or Hornets for Holmes ( got Harrell at deadline) . Like Murray for the draft .
Whats the obsession for PJ Washington?
I was trying to get the best trade for Holmes and thought that Washington was a good one. Also thought as a trade chip Washington could help us out.
I am genuinely curious why PJ Washington is the best trade for Holmes though. I really don’t see him as a needle mover. I understand Holmes’ value is low right now but I don’t understand the amount of interest in Washington from some around here.
He’s a young stretch 4 that has shown some defensive chops. He would fill a position of need by trading out a player that is redundant.
We absolutely do not need Monk with Davion, TD and DD as guards 2-4.
I like everything else though.
I watched Lyles shooting threes with DC an hour before the game. Just those two. He seems serious about taking his game to another level. And it’s happening…
You reach this conclusion from watching an NBA player shooting threes pregame?
How?
Keep. Great contributor on both ends.
If Trey is your best player, you have a shot at your state’s high school championship or an NCAA tourney bid. If Trey is your sixth best player, that’s adding value to a good NBA team. Hope Trey Lyles continues to improve.
Trey should be one of the Kings easier decisions to re-sign. He’s a good bench piece as others have mentioned, with maybe a potential for more. We need better players, period.
Plus he fits the age group the Kings should stick with. With only being 26, Lyles has room to grow and improve, which it looks like he’s doing now. He could be just hitting his stride now, and I expect the Kings to capitalize on that.
Trey is a keeper for sure. He’s already exponentially better then MBIII even if the numbers don’t necessarily show it. He has BBALL IQ, he plays hard, he has an outside shot with good mechanics, he can actually play defense, he is ok with fitting in and finding a role and I have no clue who his dad is.
At his price tag next year he is an absolute steal!!! Trey is a must keep in my opinion. His current game combined with his clear potential to improve plus the tiny tiny contract is the exact type of piece that makes shitty teams get better. Our GM did a good job of getting him in the trade that brought him here. Sneaky good move. Makes me feel like he really does know how to evaluate players and he hasn’t just got lucky with Haliburton and Mitchell.
Do you think Lyles would be a good trade chip to put together say to get a better power forward like Collins or Randle?
Hell yes I do
Trey Lyles screams to me as the player who is going to do JUST enough that I want him to come back next year, and then I’ll spend the next year and a half blaming him for why the Kings are losing
Jokes aside, I think the above statement is only true if the Kings ask, yet again, another role player to act like a starter. If he’s coming off the bench the Kings are in a good spot.
Sadly, this sounds like every player who has been under contract during the last 16 years.
I said a few days back that he reminds of Nemanja and his tenure with the Kings. He can knock down the three to the point where he at least keeps defenses honest. He can rebound better than you think. He’s not a total liability on defense. He moves about as fast a Sl-Mo in Memphis, and he does a bunch of little things that down’t show up in the boxscore. He does nothing exceptional but everything ok. He’s the Kosta Koufos of stretch 4s
Do you want him as your starter? No, but he could be a perfectly fine bench piece in an 8-9 man rotation. He also has a ridiculously cheap contract for next season, if Monte picks it up.
Hopefully he continues to develop into an ok rotational PF. Unfortunately, he’s hitting his prime, so it’ll need to happen pretty quickly, if it’s going to.
I wasn’t at all familiar with Lyles before he got here, knew his name, and little else. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from him in Sacramento.
Lyles plays a smart and aware brand of basketball, a bit like our dear HB, but a little bigger to deal with larger PFs & centers. He can score at three levels, moves his feet well on defense, and just seems to understand where he needs to be as the offense and defense operate.
I hope Gentry tells him to get up eighteen shots a game if he gets good looks, so I can see how that shakes out statistically. I doubt he’d lose efficiency on higher volume, since he rarely takes bad shots. If he’s able to ramp it up, you could do worse as a starter, although I certainly agree that pursuing an upgrade at the stretch four is worth doing.
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