When the Sacramento Kings traded away DeMarcus Cousins in February, it was clear (sort of) that the Kings were headed for a rebuild. The team had to decide which vets could be a valuable presence both on the court and off. They signed George Hill, Zach Randolph, and Vince Carter to help mentor the young Kings. And play a little bit of ball when required. So far, Randolph has unequivocally been the best Kings player this year.
Randolph’s Kings career got off to a rocky start after his arrest for Marijuana possession and intent to sell. It wasn’t a great look for the team whose GM said “Character Matters”.
Nevertheless Randolph has showed no signs of slowing down on the court. He leads the Kings in scoring (15.8 PPG), rebounds (7), and player efficiency rating (21.4%). He has also put up double digit points in all but two games this season.
While Dave Joerger continues to find out the best lineups, he has relied on Randolph probably more than some expected. He gets the 2nd highest minutes a game with 26.2 and continues to produce on a nightly basis. And for a player who prides himself on getting rebounds, it was a special night for him against the Nets when he grabbed his 10,000th career board.
While there are whispers that the Kings may trade vets for assets at some point, Randolph has established himself as the player with the most impact in this young season.
