Sacramento currently sits in a playoff spot with a record of 12-14, yet they've been missing their star point guard for over a month. De'Aaron Fox made his name known last season. Following up his solid rookie season, the sophomore guard finished top 50 in scoring and top 10 in assists during the 2018-19 campaign.
Last year, the Kings' net rating was 5.9 points better with Fox on the court vs off. Fox was also 2nd on the team in offensive box plus-minus, and 3rd in VORP. He was a key cog to their offense and clearly makes them a better team. He looks to make a similar impact as soon as he comes back.
In his absence, the Kings have performed surprisingly well, getting upticks in production from some unlikely sources.
Veteran journeyman Richaun Holmes has been nothing short of fantastic for them. He's averaging career highs across nearly every box score statistic and he's shooting a ludicrous 67% from the floor.
Nemanja Bjelica has also been having a career year averaging a solid 11.3 PPG and 6.4 RPG. He's also had some explosions such as his 30-point performance with a game-winner against the Dallas Mavericks.
Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes have been leading the team as expected, and 2nd year big man Marvin Bagley III just returned from his own injury and has posted some very solid stat lines.
The Kings are finally gelling as a team under coach Luke Walton. After a dismal 0-6 start (and people calling for Walton's head), Sacramento has turned it around and are ready to solidify themselves as a true playoff team in the West. They already have wins against strong playoff teams such as Houston, Denver, Dallas, and Boston.
Imagine what they can do with Fox and Bagley back full-time.