With Z-Bo playing over the kids, what is Joerger's vision for the Kings?

For the first time in his head coaching career, Dave Joerger is tasked with overseeing a true youth movement. But don't fret; he's still found a way to play old friend Zach Randolph 24.5 minutes per night - even if it means keeping young talent glued to the bench.

The Sacramento Kings signaled a full-scale rebuild when they traded DeMarcus Cousins last February. To their credit, the Kings did exactly what pundits had clamored for during phase one of the Philadelphia 76ers' "Process" - they surrounded their kids with veteran mentors. Namely, they signed George Hill and Joerger's old Grizzlies graybeards Randolph and Vince Carter. (Yours truly was bullish on the Kings' offseason.)

It hasn't worked as planned - far from it. The Kings' most-used lineup - Hill, rookie Bogdan Bogdanovic, Garrett Temple, Randolph, and Willie Cauley-Stein - has an offensive rating of 91.6 and a defensive rating of 112.7 over 98 minutes. If that lineup was a team, it would rank dead last on both ends of the floor.

With two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract, what exactly is Joerger's goal? Is he committed to a long-term rebuilding effort - one that could likely extend past his current contract - or is he trying to fast-track growth by leaning too heavily on short-term veterans?

Based on his recent decisions, it's tough to argue that the Kings' current rotation is optimized for youth development. Down 29 at the half against the woeful Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, Joerger still hadn't found a single second for second-year big men Skal Labissiere and Georgios Papagiannis. Both would eventually check in for a combined 17 minutes in the second half; Cauley-Stein - arguably the most important young player on the team behind 2017 lottery pick De'Aaron Fox - finished with just 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, Randolph logged 24 minutes in a game that was decided midway through the second quarter. Here's what Joerger had to say about that distribution of playing time after the blowout loss:

There is no pair of Kings players that includes Randolph that boasts a positive net rating. He needs to be hidden on defense and despite taking more 3-pointers, his offensive game is outdated. While the intangible impact of his presence is valuable, it's hard to see how Z-Bo's "toughness" is moving the needle.

If you're going to allow a league-worst point differential of minus-13.6 per game, you may as well let the kids gain some crucial in-game experience. The alternative is 36-year-old Z-Bo taking shots like this with the Kings down 26:

Randolph only has $11.7 million remaining on his deal for the 2018-19 season; Sacramento's commitment to the veteran is minimal in both price and duration. Unfortunately, the opportunity cost of playing Z-Bo comes at the expense of the Kings' stable of recent first-round draftees.

This team was built to struggle this season, en route to an impact selection near the top of the 2018 draft, but the disheartening way the Kings have struggled so far this year leaves much to be desired. With the future in mind, it's time for Joerger to shake things up. It's hard to see the on-court product getting much worse than the status quo.