What do you do when your most versatile position on the floor becomes a weak point? You have to be creative.
Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton has depth all over the floor, but centrally he typically has three very different players, each with their own unique skill.
With Richaun Holmes locked up in his room for 10 days for violating the bubble rules and Alex Len still in Sacramento in the coronavirus protocol, that group is now only a Harry Giles player.
To increase his position, Walton turned to second-year great man Marvin Bagley for a few minutes of free practice and on Wednesday the Kings coach even asked veteran striker Corey Brewer to help fill the void.
Brewer, who joined the team as a late free agent signer, has been familiar with players since his time in Sacramento last year. He also played for Walton during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“It felt like everyone had a great level of comfort with Corey,” said Walton. “Everything we’ve asked him to do since he’s been with us – he played the three, he played the four and today when Harry or Marvin needed a diver, we even got him at five and it was fantastic.”
NBA's restart." data-reactid="22">It’s unlikely that Brewer will ever see real game time at the center, but at least Walton knows he has other bodies that can help in a pinch, especially with so much uncertainty surrounding the reboot of the NBA.
Bagley started the season as the initial power of kings forward, but a broken thumb cost him time, followed by a number of foot problems. He has only played 13 games this season and Walton has used him mainly in the center when he was healthy.
“We want it to do both, but for now, with the bodies we’re in, we’re playing it mainly at five,” said Walton. “When we sit with him and teach with him, he will become someone we will play in both positions. But in the limited time we have been here on the bubble, most of his representatives have been at five.”
Holmes will be released from quarantine on July 22, the day the Kings open their scrimmage program against Miami Heat. The kings filled his room with training equipment, but he is inside a much smaller bubble inside the Orlando bubble.
“It’s different for everyone, we’ll see what it looks like,” Walton said if Holmes can get back to action right away. “That much free time wouldn’t be put directly into contact drills, but we’ll see what kind of shape it is, how it moves and then make the decision.”
While the central position is less than full strength, Walton brought Buddy Hield and Jabari Parker back into the mix. Hield went through two-on-two contact drills and passed approximately 75 percent of the practice.
basketball in a while and it's going to take some time," Walton added. "He's one of those rare athletes that he can play all day long without getting tired. He's not back to that level, but because of that, he'll be back quicker than most people who have been out as long as he has."" data-reactid="28">“He looks good, but he hasn’t played basketball in a while and it will take some time,” added Walton. “He is one of those rare athletes who can play all day without getting tired. He has not returned to that level, but because of this he will return faster than most people who have been out for as long as he has.”
Parker has also gone ashore, but he is not as far away as Hield and has played in one game since he arrived from the kings from the Atlanta Hawks at the commercial deadline.
The Kings have a lot to understand between today and July 31 when they open the sprint to eight games towards the finish line against the San Antonio Spurs. This is a fluid situation. Players will come and go. The team that can keep him together longer has the best chance of advancing to the playoffs.
