Where Davis fits in Sydney

The Sydney Kings once again added to their successful start to free agency by signing one of the biggest names of last season – Kendric Davis.

Davis was nothing short of sensational last season, putting up historic numbers for a first year player and finishing runner-up in the MVP.

The Kings now add Davis to a star-studded roster, which includes two-time Olympian Matthew Dellavedova.

Here's our analysis of what Davis' signing means for the Kings in NBL26.

Face value: It cannot be overstated that this is a monster signing for the Kings ahead of next season, with Davis a proven superstar after his debut season in the league.

It had been widely reported that Adelaide had a desire to retain Davis, offering him a multi-year deal in recent weeks, which Olgun Uluc noted the 25-year-old guard declined.

Davis’ signing now makes a three-headed monster for Brian Goorjian, alongside Dellavedova and former MVP Xavier Cooks.

Fit: The fit is an interesting one, because on paper there is no denying the talent on this roster. Former MVPs, former Olympians, the Best Sixth Man from last season and much more ... Sydney is loading up.

Davis now slots into the backcourt with Dellavedova and there will no doubt be some growing pains as they figure out the best way to play alongside one another. Both were sensational last season for their former teams, but both were the primary ball-handler in those situations.

Davis will likely play off the ball initially, allowing Dellavedova to run the show and let their newest signing be the electric scorer that he is.

Both guards are two of the best decision-makers with ball in hand coming off screens, which should make a lethal combination with the Cooks and Noi. When Davis becomes the primary playmaker, it will be Dellavedova who will be spacing the floor and the Kings will be hoping he can improve on his 33 per cent from last season.

Missing pieces: There’s one common question around the Kings, for the second year in a row, and that is ‘are they big enough?’

As their roster currently stands, the simple answer is no they’re not. With Xavier Cooks (204 centimetres) their tallest rotational player, it’s Jason Spurgin (210cm) who is their biggest piece, but he only managed to feature in eight games last season. Keli Leaupepe (198cm) was the prominent starting center for the Kings last season, before a season-ending hamstring injury.

With all their success so far this off-season, the Kings still look poised to add to their big man depth. Uluc reported on The Marketplace that they would be looking for a ‘Marcus Lee-type’, which would be the perfect missing piece if they could make that happen.

A big rim protector who is athletic enough to play with the pace that the Kings want and someone who can finish above the rim off lobs from their elite passing guards.

X factor: The x-factor with this signing is undoubtedly the coaching staff of the Kings and how they can make all this work, both on and off the floor. Having Brian Goorjian is one thing, but Sydney adding Andrew Bogut to the staff this off-season now becomes more important than ever.

Bogut is one of the brightest basketball minds Australia has ever seen and what he will now be able to bring the Kings team will be immeasurable. 

Last season the Kings had the best defensive rating in the league and now add more offensive firepower to their roster in an effort to be contenders once again. 

The biggest task for the coaching staff now is to find a play style that helps each of them thrive individually, which will then collectively bring together a super-talented team and help them reach their full potential.