Do The Sacramento Kings Regret Drafting Marvin Bagley?
Marvin Bagley will miss 4-6 weeks with a right thumb fracture. That’s probably some of the worst news Sacramento Kings fans could have heard, especially coming after an embarrassing loss to the Phoenix Suns. This has led many to question whether Bagley was the right choice for the team at number 2 in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Spending a lot of time on the injury list, Bagley gets his fair share of injuries. He missed 20 games during his rookie season. These frequent trips to the trainers room have made him a real liability for Sacramento. He’s got the skill, although, it’s tough to rely on him to be a consistent option when injuries are constantly a thing.
One of the brightest young players in the NBA, Bagley is an All-Star talent. It really is sad that he can’t stay on the court. The Kings have a lot invested in their second-year player. Luke Walton seemingly believes in him too, starting the Duke alumni for the opener. That’s one thing former head coach, Dave Joerger failed to do.
Like most NBA talents, a starting role usually means much higher production. Last season, in the 4 games Bagley started he averaged 20 points and 11.5 rebounds. Compare that to his bench numbers of 14.5 points and 7.3 rebounds. That should give you an indication of how good he can be as a starter and why Walton was right by starting him.
When putting up numbers like he did during his rookie season, it can be very hard to question the Kings decision to take Bagley over Luka Doncic. While debating that issue has been overdone, it still lingers on the mind of many Sacramento Kings fans, especially with the injury track record of Bagley.
There are many (including myself) that think Bagley could be the best player out of the 2018 Draft Class. If he was at full health, we are talking a 20 and 10 guy every night. Had the newest injury not occured, nobody in Sacramento would be questioning the choice of Bagley (despite a poor game against Phoenix). At the onset of the season, some had said he was the best player on the Sacramento Kings roster.
Whatever your take on Marvin Bagley, he’s talented enough to be an NBA superstar. With the injuries, he’s not been able to get in a groove. Assuming Bagley can stay on the court, the Kings should have no regrets. Still, with the constant injuries it’s easy to see why they could.
Image Source:Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
