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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Just when it started looking as though Jimmer Fredette was beginning to comfortably find his way around the court, he has played only a total of 23 minutes and scored just three points in the Sacramento Kings' last two games.
Wednesday night, Fredette played just seven minutes against the Detroit Pistons as the Kings lost 124-112. Fredette took only one shot from the floor, a three- pointer, and missed it.
Previous to Sacramento’s last couple of games, it appeared as though Fredette was starting to find his groove. He scored 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting in a 106-99 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
The most consistent part of Fredette’s rookie season has his inconsistent playing time under Kings head coach Keith Smart. Many fans are fed up and want to see Fredette freed. Whether that means free from the bonds of the Sacramento Kings or free to play his game on the floor, they want him let loose.
Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle touched on the subject that fans want to see more Fredette.“Sacramento head coach Keith Smart is starting three guards, and none of them is named Jimmer Fredette. It's a strategy that is frustrating to Fredette's vociferous flock and maddening to his family, but Smart promises that his plan ultimately is the best move for the rookie and the team.”
Meanwhile, Trevor Jefferson from the Bleacher Report already has a trade drawn up that would send Fredette and two teammates to the New Jersey Nets.
“Jimmer has great trade value, however, as he is a knock-down shooter on a super-cheap rookie contract and should only get better as he learns the game and adapts to NBA defenses. This is a deal that both the Nets' and Kings' general managers may not have even considered yet, but they should both pull the trigger on this deal.”
It didn't happen and won't, at least not this year, as the trade deadline has come and gone. But Smart is enjoying coaching Fredette and trying to mold him into an NBA player for years. The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones and Ailene Voisin compiled some of Smart's thoughts on the matter.
"That young man is coming along. If everybody in the world would just leave me alone and let me develop this kid, he's going to be OK. This young man is developing the right way to be a player in the NBA for a long time. … He understands and sees the floor, but there's other things he doesn't understand yet because he doesn't have the experience yet. I have the experience, so let me do my job."
It’s apparent that Fredette won’t be cut free anytime soon.
Andrew Devey is a senior at BYU studying communications. You can read more of his work at adevey.com or following him on Twitter @adevey.
