Stephen A declares Kings as ‘potential sleeper’ in 2024-25 NBA season initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bay Space
Stephen A. Smith believes the Kings can shock many onlookers this upcoming 2024-25 NBA season.
Talking on “The Stephen A. Smith Present” on Tuesday, the brash analyst revealed why a revamped Sacramento – not the New Orleans Pelicans or the Houston Rockets – could make the largest leap subsequent season.
And, no, Smith didn’t hassle mentioning the Kings’ addition of star guard DeMar DeRozan to again his declare, which as an alternative was centered round an attention-grabbing Magic Johnson-De’Aaron Fox anecdote.
“You realize who I believe the potential sleeper is?” Smith requested. “The Sacramento Kings. This brother De’Aaron Fox.
“Now, I like my man Magic [Johnson], who we talked about earlier. The one basketball argument we ever obtained in was pushing him to draft De’Aaron Fox.
“He drafted Lonzo Ball. As a result of I noticed what De’Aaron Fox did to Lonzo within the NCAA match.”
If that had been the case, Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers certainly missed out on a power in Fox.
The Kings’ star level guard has been the epitome of a cornerstone participant for Sacramento after being chosen No. 5 general within the 2017 NBA Draft.
In 74 video games performed final season, Fox averaged 26.6 factors per recreation, a career-high for the 2023 NBA All-Star, who has confirmed to be a way more productive NBA participant than an injury-riddled Ball.
“And I knew what he was going to do on a professional degree, and Lonzo Ball hasn’t been wholesome,” Smith added.
“However even wholesome, he ain’t had that kind of recreation that Fox obtained on him.”
Other than Fox’s inarguable elite play, certainly Smith was additionally factoring within the addition of DeRozan to a lineup boasting the likes of Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Malik Monk, who’ve made the Kings a playoff-contending staff for the previous two seasons.
“So, I’m of the mindset Sacramento,” Smith concluded. “I’m considering alongside these traces. I might be incorrect, however I’m considering Sacramento.”
