Why the Kings Might Have a Three-Point Shooting Problem
The Sacramento Kings enter this season with heightened expectations, but a growing concern could hinder their progress: their three-point shooting. We saw signs of this issue late last season when their efficiency and volume from deep began to decline, allowing defenses to sag into the paint and limit their offensive rhythm. Unlike some of the league’s top offenses, Sacramento’s current roster and core rotation simply lack consistent perimeter threats. In the starting lineup alone, there is realistically just one above-average three-point shooter right now, Zach LaVine, and even though he’s been reliable in the preseason, he can’t carry that responsibility alone. If the Kings want to maintain their high-powered offense, they must address this flaw before it becomes a defining weakness.
The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that both Dennis Schröder and DeMar DeRozan, two key starters, are not high-volume or particularly efficient shooters from beyond the arc. Both prefer to operate in the mid-range or attack the basket, which is effective individually but can shrink the floor when paired together. Keegan Murray, once expected to be the Kings’ premier catch-and-shoot option, has yet to return to his rookie-season form from beyond the arc. Last year and so far in the preseason, he’s struggled to consistently hit open looks, which is a significant issue given how few attempts the team gets overall. However, Sacramento is already a low-volume three-point team; they don’t have the luxury of missing clean opportunities.
One of the few bright spots has been Keon Ellis, who has quietly emerged as the Kings’ second-best shooter, hovering around 40 percent from deep. His development is encouraging, but relying on a role player to be the team’s secondary marksman is not an ideal formula. Sacramento must find more ways to generate rhythm looks for shooters rather than relying solely on isolation creation. This is why their identity has to shift toward defense, transition, and pace. If the Kings can get stops and run more, they’ll naturally generate cleaner, early-clock threes where shooters don’t have time to second-guess.
Even in the half-court, Sacramento would benefit from playing faster within its sets, allowing LaVine, DeRozan, and Schröder to get downhill and collapse defenses. Paint touches create kick-out threes, and for a team without elite pure shooters, manufacturing rhythm and confidence is essential. Ideally, the Kings should work their way up to at least 40 three-point attempts per game, a benchmark most modern contenders aim for. Yet, hitting that number isn’t enough on its own; they’d need to connect on at least 15 per night to keep pace with elite offenses across the league. Until then, Sacramento risks becoming predictable, leaning too heavily on mid-range creation and individual scoring.
In conclusion, the Kings don’t just have a shooting slump; they may have a structural issue with their three-point shooting. The roster, as currently constructed, does not possess enough high-level perimeter threats to consistently space the floor, which puts pressure on every shooter to perform with little margin for error. Keegan Murray must rediscover his confidence, and role players like Keon Ellis must stay sharp. More importantly, the Kings must create an offensive system that prioritizes rhythm threes over contested isolations. Their path forward lies in defense leading to transition, tempo within the half-court, and paint attacks that force rotations. If Sacramento can blend its scoring talent with smarter shot distribution, it can overcome this flaw. If not, their offense may stall before the season even hits full stride.
