This is the kind of lineup tweak that tells you a coach sees something worth rewarding. Leaky Black is in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Spurs, and that makes this his first start of the season. Simple as that: the Kings have decided the third-year forward deserves a bigger stage.
The move is not coming out of nowhere, either. Before Friday, Black had logged 20-plus minutes off the bench in back-to-back outings, so this is not a random throw of the dice. He has already been part of the rotation, and now the Kings are giving him a chance to do it from the opening tip instead of as a second-unit option.
Why the promotion makes sense
There is a clear basketball logic to this. Black has been an asset from long range, and the numbers from his three appearances this season support that idea. He went 4-for-11 from three-point range, which is enough to suggest the shooting is not a fluke and that he can stretch the floor in a way the Kings value.
Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento reported that Black is in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Spurs, and that is the key detail here. It is not a season-defining statement, but it is still a meaningful one. Lineup changes usually tell you something about trust, and this one says Black has done enough recently to earn a look with the starters.
A small move with a real meaning
For Black, this is a chance to turn a useful run of bench minutes into something more permanent. For the Kings, it is a chance to see whether his shooting and energy translate when the game starts with him on the floor rather than waiting for his turn off the bench. Whether Black can turn this into a longer-term role is the next question. For Friday, at least, the answer is already clear: he is in.
