Kings Biggest X-Factor for the 2024-25 Season

The Sacramento Kings' new addition of Jalen McDaniels could make a huge impact.

Apr 3, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Jalen McDaniels (2) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Sacramento Kings have very few question marks coming into the season, with the main question being who will be the fifth starter between Keon Ellis, Malik Monk, and Kevin Huerter. Other than that, the rotation seems pretty clear.

Between those three, De’Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Trey Lyles, the Kings have a solid eight players in the rotation. Throw in new guards Jordan McLaughlin and Devin Carter and the returning Alex Len, and the rotation's back end also seems set.

That leaves out a player acquired that fills an extremely high need for the Kings; a wing with size who can play defense to back up Keegan Murray.

Enter Jalen McDaniels, the Kings biggest X-Factor coming into this season.

Jalen McDaniels finding out about the trade to Sacramento 😂 pic.twitter.com/UF2FZJDADE

— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) June 27, 2024

McDaniels is a 6-foot-9 wing with a 7-foot-0 wingspan, a.k.a. the dream build for today’s NBA. At just 26 years old, he fits the Kings' timeline perfectly. The main issue with Jalen is that he shot just 34.4 percent from the field and 16.9 percent from beyond the arc last season.

Those numbers are extreme outliers for McDaniels, who holds career averages of 44.9 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from three. Hence the status of X-Factor.

If he can get anywhere near his career numbers, he goes from being a massive negative on the offensive side of the ball to an average player that teams have to at least pay attention to. Pairing that with his defense fits perfectly with the Kings' roster.

Sacramento has no shortage of offensive talent coming into the year, and there are numerous lineups they can plug McDaniels into.

The lineup of Fox, Monk, DeRozan, McDaniels, and Sabonis is a great option to have McDaniels be the defender and cutter of the group. McLaughlin, DeRozan, Keegan, McDaniels, and Sabonis would be a great lineup of defenders while maintaining offensive flexibility.

The options can go on and on. The fact that the Kings' offense should be good enough to sustain a defender-only type of player opens a path for McDaniels. Compared to last year, the Toronto Raptors had the 24th-ranked offense in the league, leaving little flexibility to struggle on that side of the ball.

The best part of it is that the Kings don’t need McDaniels to be good this year. But if he is, he raises their ceiling tremendously. If that doesn’t describe an X-Factor, I don’t know what does.

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