With the season officially behind us, this is about the time we would normally begin looking forward to the draft. Actually, we normally would have been looking forward to the draft starting around February. But with the Sacramento Kings lacking a first round pick this year, we can spend a little more time than normal reflecting on the past season. We’re going to do this by grading every player on the roster, one at a time. The Sactown Royalty staff will provide their grades and thoughts, and we’ll have a poll and can discuss and debate.

Today we’re discussing Kosta Koufos, who finished the year averaging 3.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game.

Grades

Greg: D-

Kosta nearly earned an F grade from me. He shot poorly to the point he essentially became unplayable. For a player who had been a reliable contributor in years past, it was a massive disappointment. On a per minute basis Kosta’s production was essentially the same as it ever was: Per 36 minutes Kosta is going to give you about 12 rebounds and 11 or 12 points. But the plummeting field goal percentages and free throw percentages meant Kosta was taking more shots to get his points and it usually felt like he was hurting the team. Kosta is really only avoiding an F because you could still count on him to play hard, be ready whenever called upon, and be a professional in his role.

Rob: K

Alright, fine. C. I give Kosta higher marks for his professionalism during his tenure in Sacramento, but this past season he seemed to be more negatively impacted by the new style of play than anyone else on the returning roster. Still a pro’s pro, he gave what he had when called upon. Thank you for your service, Kosta. Best of luck in your future endeavors.

Sanjesh: C

You knew what Kosta Koufos was going to give you when he came on the floor. He was a solid depth player for the team providing hard defense, consistent rebounding and good screens, which is an underrated skill nowadays. However, flaws like a very limited offensive arsenal took away his usefulness to the team and often stalled the offense. Kosta is a great professional and will make a solid depth addition to any team.

Tim: D+

I have been a constant defender of Kosta’s game since almost the moment the Kings acquired the lumbering big man, but his performance this year was pretty awful. On the offensive end of the floor, Koufos’ trademark shot-put hook shot abandoned him, leading to a plummeting field goal percentage, a death mark for a traditional center. His accuracy dropped form 57% last year to 47% during the 2018-2019 campaign, his lowest mark over the last eight years and the worst among Sacramento’s rotational big men, which included two rookies. Kosta’s free throw shootingHis inability to knock down basic post shots, combined with his lack of threat from three-point range or as a rim-runner suffocated the Kings’ offense when he was in the game.

Defensively, Kosta was also much less effective than in year’s past. When guarding opponents within six feet of the rim, his defensive field goal percentage dropped from -5.5% in 2017 to -4.6% in 2018 to -2.1% in 2019. He was still above-average on the glass, something that shouldn’t be overlooked on a team bereft of good rebounders, but his overall contributions were typically a net negative. Koufos is a solid locker room leader, always ready to play, and defines professionalism in an athlete, but his skill set will be much better served on a different roster.