By Morris Phillips

SACRAMENTO — The Kings have the league’s shiniest arena, enthusiastic fans, promising, young talent, and they play a pleasing, break neck pace. What’s not to like?

According to ESPN NBA journalist Zach Lowe, a bunch. Simply based on their youthfulness, and lack of proven NBA performers, most prognosticators have pegged the Kings as the league’s 30th (out of 30) most talented team.  But that doesn’t make them the least appealing to watch as well, does it?

Lowe thinks so, right down to iconic broadcaster Jerry Reynolds stepping away from his position as television color analyst after 20 seasons, replaced by Doug Christie. Sacramento basketball without Reynolds’ folksy analysis? Not good, says Lowe.

In fact, according to Lowe, only one thing can save the Kings from such a lowly distinction: De’Aaron Fox flying up and down the court at warp speed gives Sacramento basketball one, pleasing dimension. And beyond that?

Well, the Kings have the intriguing duo of Marvin Bagley III and Harry Giles, the Duke big men that possess positionless attributes. Play the pair together, Lowe says, and the Kings might have something.

In fact, in the Kings’ 132-100 wipeout of Maccabi Haifa, Giles flashed into the lane, received a pass, and seamlessly laid a no-look, behind the back pass to Bagley for the dunk. The Golden 1 Center roared its approval at the sequence.

Willie Cauley-Stein is another piece the Kings possess with appeal. But could this be tatooed, big man’s last year in Sacramento? As a restricted free agent, Cauley-Stein could be more sought after by another team seeking his size and activity in the lane.

The Kings have committed fully to their youth movement, so George Hill, who often seemed disinterested, isn’t around to drag things down. And Zach Randolph is comfortably set in his player emeritus role, so the Kings’ ball movement among the youthful core should be fluid and in keeping with how the NBA does things these days.

Iman Shumpert hasn’t recovered from injuries that have shelved him since his acquisition from the Cavaliers mid-way through last season. But he’s a welcome presence for no other reason than his wife, Teyana Taylor, is hotter than any other player’s wife. Have you seen the video vixen’s explosive performance in Kanye West’s video for his song “Fade”? Can’t label that unappealing, that’s for sure.

Ultimately, what will make the Kings appealing is winning ballgames. Too often, last season, Sacramento games played out like exhibitions with the Kings falling behind, and playing little or no defense. Close, competitive games will make the Kings watchable without a doubt.

GAME NOTES: Buddy Hield led the Kings with 22 points in 27 minutes in their win over Maccabi Haifa. Seven Kings finished in double figures with Giles (16 points, seven rebounds) and Justin Jackson (18 points) the next, most prolific performers. The Kings’ issues with opponents’ physicality disappeared for a night as Sacramento outrebounded Maccabi Haifa 47-36 while totaling a whopping 64 points in the paint.

Maccabi Haifa was paced by former Stanford star and Atlanta Hawk Josh Childress, who had 18 points. Kennedy Meeks (North Carolina) and Scott Machado (Iona) chipped in 17 and 15 points, respectively.

UP NEXT: The Kings wrap up pre-season action with Thursday’s home game against the Utah Jazz at 7:00 pm PT followed by a trip to Portland to face the Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on Friday at 7:00 pm PT.

Th Kings’ regular season opener is set for October 17 at 7:00 pm PT against the Jazz at the Golden 1 Center.