Luka Doncic or Marvin Bagley? Did The Sacramento Kings Make The Right Choice?
Image: James Ham NBC Bay Area
A lot has been made about the Sacramento Kings taking Marvin Bagley over Luka Doncic in the 2018 NBA Draft. Some Sacramento fans are kicking themselves over the selection. Others believe it was the right move. Regardless, the Kings are in playoff contention with Bagley but who should the Kings have taken?
It’s easy to say that Doncic has been the better player. He leads in almost every statistical category among rookies. Bagley isn’t far behind. When it comes to recent play, the Duke alum has been just as good as the international superstar.
Bagley has scored in double digits in 12 of his last 14 games. He’s grabbed 7 or more rebounds in 11 of those 14 games. Bagley has been a walking double-double. Doncic might be putting up the higher point totals, but when push comes to shove, Bagley has been just what the doctor ordered for Sacramento.
Bagley plays a position of need for the Kings. With De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, the backcourt is relatively set for the Kings. Bagley, who plays PF and C, fills a void for the current team. Willie Cauley-Stein, Kosta Koufos, Harry Giles, and Skal Labissiere, made up the uncertain frontcourt at the beginning of the season. It was unclear as to what each would bring to the table.
Turns out that Bagley’s presence down low was needed. Cauley-Stein shows a lack of effort, Koufos just isn’t that good, Skal Labissiere wasn’t ready (and was traded), leaving Marvin Bagley and Harry Giles as the Kings best bigs. Without those two on the roster, Sacramento isn’t in the playoff picture right now.
Go ahead and say Doncic would benefit the team more, though, here’s the catch. It’s unlikely Dave Joerger would be playing Doncic at his full potential in Sacramento year one. He’d be another guy in the crowded Sacramento backcourt. If he had the freedom to do what he’s doing in Dallas, of course he’d make a difference. Yet, that would cut into Buddy Hield’s production, De’Aaron Fox’s production, and Bogdan Bogdanovic’s production.
The main draw to Bagley is that he’s not hindering the play of the aforementioned big three. Even with the addition of Harrison Barnes (Who played with Doncic before he was traded to Sacramento), Bagley has thrived. His career high 32 point game came with Barnes in the lineup. The Kings won that game, and it was in large part to Bagley’s play around the basket.
Luka Doncic doesn’t play a the position the Sacramento Kings need. At the time of the draft, it was easy to say the Kings messed up. It’s easy to look at Luka’s stats and shake your head in disbelief if you’re a Kings fan. It’s easy to laugh at the Kings if you’re not paying attention to the team. Bagley provides the right fit for the Kings. He’s also shown to be a damn good player.
Sacramento doesn’t need Luka Doncic. They’ve already got Marvin Bagley III.
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
