Marc Spears on how the Kings live up to their ‘heightened expectations’
Dec 5, 2023, 3:13 PM | Updated: 3:17 pm
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 04: Brandon Ingram #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans shoots over Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter of an NBA In-Season Tournament Knockout Round game at Golden 1 Center on December 04, 2023 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
ESPN’s Marc Spears joined “The Drive Guys” Tuesday to discuss the state of the Sacramento Kings a quarter of the way into the season.
On Monday, the Kings were eliminated from the NBA’s In-Season Tournament with a 127-117 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. Nineteen games into the season, Spears says he hasn’t seen the progression from Keegan Murray that many were projecting the second-year forward would have following the Kings’ summer league.
“I’m expecting a 20-point scorer that lightens the load on Fox and lightens the load on Sabonis. And he hasn’t been that,” Marc Spears said about Keegan. “I keep hearing about how amazing an offseason Davion Mitchell had, I don’t know that I really see it. The guy that’s really been impressive to me has been Malik Monk, he’s been sensational. Who else on the bench is living up to the expectations, the heightened expectations?”
To live up to those expectations, Spears believes the Kings “need more patience with Keegan and perhaps, need to make a move because now they have heightened expectations, to perhaps get a player in they can be confident can be that elite third scorer.”
Additional topics discussed include:
- Should Kings fans be down on Harrison Barnes?
- When the Pelicans are healthy, they look like they are capable of “winning the whole thing.”
- If the recent losses to the Pelicans exposed a weakness in the Kings
- Do the Kings have the right players to play the kind of defense Mike Brown is trying to instill
- How De’Aaron Fox reminds Spears of Carmelo Anthony “in Denver”
Click here to watch and listen to the full interview with Marc Spears.
Listen to The Drive Guys with Kevin Gleason and Kyle Draper from 2 – 6 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140. Subscribe to their podcast here. Follow us on Twitter and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
