5 Possible Starting Lineups For Sacramento
The Sacramento Kings' starting lineup this season could look significantly different than last season.
With all of the change in the roster, as well as the head coach, the Kings have the option to completely change things up with the starters.
It's fairly safe to say that DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay will be in the starting lineup, barring any injuries or trades.
The other three starting positions can rotate through a number of players.
The start of the season is just about two months away and the signing of Ty Lawson should be the last move of the off-season.
With that said, here are five possible starting lineups you could see at the first game in the Golden 1 Center. (Vote for your favorite below)
Starting Lineup 1: The Returners
PG - Darren Collison
SG - Ben McLemore
SF - Rudy Gay
PF - DeMarcus Cousins
C - Willie Cauley-Stein
"The Returners" consist of all players who were on the team last season. While Darren Collison and Willie Cauley-Stein weren't starters last season, they both have the potential to be quality starters in the league.
McLemore may have burned through his chance to be a starter, but this lineup is an option if head coach Dave Joerger wants to bring in some of the veteran players off the bench.
With this lineup, Cousins can focus primarily on the offensive end, while Cauley-Stein provides the rim protection on offense.
Starting Lineup 2: The New Guys
PG - Ty Lawson
SG - Aaron Afflalo
SF - Matt Barnes
PF - Rudy Gay
C - DeMarcus Cousins
Along with Gay and Cousins, the three "New Guys" were all brought in through free agency during the off-season.
Aaron Afflalo and Matt Barnes are both defensive players, but this option would leave the Kings with a small ball lineup on the floor.
Having Lawson start does allow for the Kings to bring in Collison off the bench as the sixth man, which is a role he's had success with in the past.
Starting Lineup 3: The Young Guys
PG - Darren Collison
SG - Malachi Richardson
SF - Rudy Gay
PF - Skal Labissiere
C - DeMarcus Cousins
"The Young Guys" feature two of the Kings' first round picks from the last draft.
If Coach Joerger wanted to focus on developing the young players with an eye on the future, and not the present, this may be the best line up.
Even if Richardson and Labissiere don't play an overwhelming number of minutes, giving them an extra boost by putting them in the starting lineup could benefit both players.
Starting Lineup 4: The Vets
PG - Darren Collison
SG - Aaron Afflalo
SF - Omri Casspi
PF - Rudy Gay
C - DeMarcus Cousins
There are a handful of other names which can be thrown in "The Vets" lineup. Sometimes experience is the best thing for a team and the Kings have quality veteran players.
Lawson, Kosta Koufos, Garrett Temple, and Anthony Tolliver can also be switched in for any one of these players, other than Cousins and Gay.
The only issue with starting all of the veteran players is that it leaves a lot of young players coming off the bench.
Starting Lineup 5: Two Guards/Two Big Men
G - Darren Collison
G - Ty Lawson
SF - Rudy Gay
PF - DeMarcus Cousins
C - Kosta Koufos
This lineup is a bit unorthodox. It's probably the starting lineup which is least likely to happen, but it's a combination you may see at times throughout the game.
The Kings used Rajon Rondo and Collison together during certain points of the game last season and they may be able to do the same thing with Lawson.
The defense may be slacking with this lineup on the floor, but scoring shouldn't be an issue at all.
