Should Gonzaga's Drew Timme have a chance on an NBA roster?

Bulldogs legend is thriving in the G League ecosystem, but will it lead to Timme earning a call-up from the Sacramento Kings (or another NBA franchise) soon?

Former Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme. / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

When NBA scouts and general managers watched Drew Timme take college basketball by storm during his time at Gonzaga, they took note of his footwork on post-ups, drop-steps and spin moves on the low block, along with his soft touch around the rim and competitive spirit. But as he's proven early on in his G League stint with the Stockton Kings, there's more to the 6-foot-10 All-American than meets the eye.

With Stockton, Timme has essentially been placed in the Domantas Sabonis role, which entails setting up teammates and orchestrating the offense through the high post area much like the All-NBA forward and fellow former Gonzaga star does on the franchise's main Kings team. Timme became a more well-rounded passer as he faced more and more double-double teams during his college career, but that aspect of his game is heightened at the NBA level given there's more space to work with on offense compared to the NCAA level, which still favors traditional back-to-the-basket big men. Not only does Stockton's offense put Timme in a position to make decisions, it also frees up more one-on-one opportunities with little to no help on the backside.

Other times, Timme is fine to run the show by himself like he did against the San Diego Clippers on Sunday night in Oceanside, California. As the Kings looked to close out their third win in the last four games, they put the ball in Timme's hands down the stretch, letting him operate on the low block and find his teammates on the perimeter if the defense collapsed in on him. After converting a tough layup to help make it a double-digit lead for Stockton, Timme put the moves as he spun around his defender near halfcourt, accelerated down the lane and stuffed home a two-handed dunk while three Clippers challenged him on the play.

Those two points were part of an 18-point outing for Timme, who also went 8-of-14 from the field and grabbed nine rebounds. He also recorded four assists and was +17 on the court, which was the second-highest on his team behind Isaiah Crawford (+23).

Through six games, Timme is averaging 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 23 minutes per game off the bench. He's knocking down 51.6% of his field goal attempts despite being 0-for-8 from 3-point range, though much like Sabonis, the lack of a 3-point shot hasn't impacted his ability to navigate and guide the Kings' offense from the post position.

Speaking of Sabonis and company, who currently sit in 12th place in the Western Conference standings, they might be looking for some help in the frontcourt while they await the status of 6-foot-9 veteran Trey Lyles, who suffered a grade 1 right calf strain last week and will be re-evaluated in the next few weeks. The injury leaves the Kings without much size up front other than Sabonis, who had a 25-point, 13-rebound and 6-assist night on Sunday in Sacramento's 125-117 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Having lost six of the last seven heading into Tuesday's game against the Houston Rockets, the Kings are in need of a jolt and more specifically, another skilled offensive big to come off the bench behind Sabonis. One in particular who already has an understanding of the offense and has proven to be a solid fit with the organization's G League affiliate. Yes, Timme time in Sacramento could be worth trying out for both sides at some point. Perhaps sooner rather than later.

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