Markelle Fultz: A Defensive Asset for the Sacramento Kings

When the Sacramento Kings signed free agent Markelle Fultz, it was seen as a low-risk signing to bolster the point guard and end-of-the-bench depth, but three games into his Sacramento tenure, Fultz is already showing how important the signing was for the Kings.

Sacramento's offense has the potential to be lethal, as shown by Zach LaVine's 42-point explosion last night, but their defense has left a lot to be desired since the trade deadline. But in Markelle Fultz, Doug Christie now has another defensive option off the bench to help end their defensive struggles.

When asked after the win over the Hornets what he could bring to the defensive side of the ball, Fultz explained how he can help the team.

"I feel like defensive effort at the end of the day. With my length and my energy, I think I'll be able to pick up the ball." Fultz said. "I'm just trying to disrupt the ball-handler any way I can and be there for my teammates when I'm off the ball."

Markelle Fultz talks about the impact he's having on the Kings in the short time he's been in Sacramento, happy with what he's putting on tape and the support from his fans along his NBA path. pic.twitter.com/m8u0lJ9fOO
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) February 25, 2025

Sacramento lost one of their best point-of-attack defenders in De'Aaron Fox, and while LaVine is a tremendous offensive talent, that's just not something he's going to be able to replace in Fox's production.

That is what makes Fultz's role as an on-ball defender so crucial. Outside of Keon Ellis, the Kings don't have a guard who stands out as an on-ball disruptor. And with Ellis sustaining an injury last night, Fultz filling that role could be more important than ever as the postseason looms.

Fultz was one of many players who helped shut down LaMelo Ball last night, which is no easy task. The Kings held the explosive point guard to just 13 points on 3-of-13, 23.1%, shooting from the field.

And it's not just the eye test that shows how impactful Fultz has been on defense for the Kings, but the numbers back it up.

Opponents have shot 11 times when defended by Fultz in his two games played with the Kings, and they've made only 2 of those attempts, good for an 18.2% clip. In his 28 minutes, Sacramento has a 79.4 defensive rating. For reference, the Oklahoma City Thunder lead the league with a 105.0 defensive rating.

Obviously it's a small sample size, but the early indications are that Fultz at the least deserves to be in the rotation. He not only fills a positional need at the point guard spot, but a team need of defensive tenacity, length, and athleticism. If Ellis misses time due to injury, it's easier to fit him in the lineup, but even after Ellis returns, Fultz could be a rotational mainstay.

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