National Basketball Association

Sacramento Kings: Small Forward Rankings

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:33 p.m. ET

foxsports

Feb 26, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) dribbles the ball around Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Clippers won 117-107. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

This article takes a glimpse into the small forward depth chart for the Sacramento Kings. This is the third installment in our positional rankings series.

The small forward position on the Sacramento Kings is a veteran group that brings a lot of talent and experience. The starter and reserve small forwards return from last season. The Kings brought in Matt Barnes this summer to complete the position. They have three proven players and this could the Kings easiest position to project.

The monkey wrench that could be thrown into this entire position would be the Kings trading away Rudy Gay. Gay recently informed the Kings that he will opt out of his contract at the end of the season and he is not looking to re-sign in Sacramento. That is a situation to monitor, but as of right now let us move forward and discuss their current roster heading into training camp.

Next up: Starting Small Forward

Feb 10, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) dunks against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Starting Small Forward- Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay returns as the starting small forward for the Kings. He will be entering his third full season with the Kings. He was acquired in a midseason trade during the 2013-2014 season.

Gay is a versatile and often underrated player. For his career, he averages 1.0 3 pointers, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks, 2.4 turnovers, and 18.4 points per game in 35.7 minutes. I don’t think any NBA franchise would scoff at that production.

On the court, I expect Gay produce similar numbers to last season. Interestingly, Gay saw a dip in his minutes and production last season. Gay is 30 years old now and has logged over 25,802 NBA minutes. With the depth behind him, I could see the Kings knocking down Gay a few more minutes this season. I suspect he settles in around 30-32 minutes a night. The decrease in minutes could make Gay a little more productive per minute and hopefully keep him healthy for the lengthy NBA season. That probably puts the traditional stats on par with last season even with the decrease in minutes per game.

To Trade or Not to Trade?

Clearly, he is not happy with the direction of the franchise with the news he is opting out and has no intentions of re-signing. It basically leaves the Kings with two options. Option one, trade him away before the deadline and get something in return. Option two, play out the season with Gay and then let him walk in free agency. There is the potential that they could do a sign and trade next offseason, but it is not something I would be counting on if I was a member of the Kings front office.

If the Kings think they are going to be a competitive team the return received for Gay will likely not match his production. The problem with trading him right now is the only other players you hear about on the trading block are big men. As you will see in the coming days the Kings have a nice crop of big man talent. This is one the top storylines to watch heading into training camp. Stay tuned to A Royal Pain for more on this topic in the future.

Next up: Backup Small Forward

Mar 17, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes (22) reacts as Milwaukee Bucks forward John Henson (31) is ejected from the game in the fourth quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks beat the Grizzlies 96-86. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Backup Small Forward- Matt Barnes

In free agency, the Kings signed Matt Barnes to a contract for 2 years and $12 million. I wrote a lengthy article deep diving if Mister Barnes was worth that contract here if you care to read more about that topic.

More from A Royal Pain

Barnes is 36 years old and there is some risk that he reaches the end of playing career in the near future, but Barnes fills some needs for the Kings. He brings consistent and increasing volume 3 point shooting. Barnes shot 4.9 3 pointers a game the last 2 seasons and the Kings were in the bottom third of the NBA in 3 point attempts last season. He, also, brings experience and familiarity with Coach Joerger’s system having played for him last year in Memphis.

I expect Barnes to settle in around 20-22 minutes a night and sink about 100 3’s for the season while playing solid defense. The defense will be perhaps the biggest boost to the Kings because of their recent struggles in that area.

I personally believe Barnes was a good addition by the Kings and I expect him to play hard, hustle, and overall make the Kings a better team even if you look at the box score and his numbers don’t fly off the page.

Next up: 3rd String Small Forward

Nov 27, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Omri Casspi (18) gestures from the court against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

3rd String Small Forward- Omri Casspi

Omri Casspi is coming off a career year and is entering the final season of a very team friendly contract. Casspi earned 27.2 minutes per game last season and produced career-high averages in 3’s, rebounds, steals, and points. Below is a highlight video from last season if you enjoy watching Casspi’s play as much as I do.

I think Casspi’s minutes get reduced a little bit this season with the addition of Barnes. I suspect he settles in around 20-22 minutes a game and produces a fair amount of highlight plays further endearing him to Kings fans.

One last Casspi note, I think non-Kings fans would be surprised that Casspi rates as well as he does in the advanced metrics. After being cast aside by a few teams and signing the contract he did with the Kings I think he gets viewed as replacement level player, but according to the advanced metrics that isn’t the case. He has a positive value over replacement player (VORP) in 5 of his 7 seasons. He also rates just below league average in win shares per 48 at 0.092 (0.100 is league average). All stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference. Omar Casspi is a little underrated by the average NBA fan.

Next up: Summary

Summary

The Sacramento Kings small forward position is of strength and solidity for the team. The Kings have three veteran players who are productive and predictable. The only question mark is what happens with Rudy Gay after he informed the Kings he plans to leave?

Either way, I think the Kings are on the solid ground at this position. The Kings keep Gay, probably their 2nd best player, and they stand to be a more productive and compelling team this season. If they can find a good package in return, the Kings can fill the small forward minutes with Barnes, Casspi, and chip in a few from Tolliver, McLemore, and Afflalo. This position should be a steady, stable, and productive position for the Kings. Here is to hoping Coach Joerger can change Rudy Gay’s mind early in the season and he leads the Kings small forward group into their first playoff appearance since 2006.

This article originally appeared on