The Sacramento Kings Need To Use Caleb Swanigan During Marvin Bagley’s Absence
Caleb Swanigan should be on the court for the Sacramento Kings. If the team’s loss to the Clippers on March 2nd was any indication, the Kings can use all the help try can get down low. Swanigan can help the team in many areas of need.
Marvin Bagley III is out with an injury. The Kings decided to bring up Swanigan from the G-league. He’s a 6’9 force to be reckoned with. While a tad undersized, Swanigan has a knack for physical play. That’s a trait which the Kings desperately need out of their bigs, especially with Bagley being out.
The Portland Trail Blazers selected Swanigan with the 27th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. The team didn’t use him as frequently as they could have, mostly due to the team having gluttony of big men. Swanigan did have his moments, though.
Just this season, he put up an 11 point, 10 rebound performance against the Indiana Pacers. Swanigan recorded 4 offensive rebounds.
The Clippers manhandled the Sacramento Kings on the offensive glass 16 to 8 during a crucial March 1st battle with playoff implications. Yes, Swanigan could have played a role in that game.
The proof is in the pudding with Swanigan. When he’s given minutes, he’ll produce. There have been 9 instances of him getting 10-19 minutes in his career. In those games, Swanigan has averaged 14.8 minutes played, 6.2 points, and 5.6 rebounds. He also has a 98 defensive rating in these scenarios.
Dave Joerger, who gets a lackadaisical effort from Willie Cauley-Stein, might benefit from putting Swanigan on the court. He’s proven to be very effective as a bench big. Swanigan will come in, grab big rebounds, and won’t negatively affect the defense. It’s a win-win scenario. Not entirely sure why Joerger hasn’t figured this out yet.
The Sacramento Kings acquired Caleb Swanigan for a reason. He’s on the roster, so you might as well give him time to showcase his talents. It makes little sense for him to be in the G-league at this point. He’s got NBA experience. The Kings need to play him and see what they’ve got. What do they have to lose?
Image Source: Sean Meagher
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
