I love the draft, I hate the amount of losing it takes to get a top 5 pick. It's incredibly unfortunate that PDA's antics have (intentionally or not) completely blown any chance of making the playoffs this year. The choice now is whether playing for pride and aiming for 35-40 wins and no draft pick is better than staying the course and backing into the lottery again. There are certainly some really nice pieces there in the top 10. It's time for the cycle of losing to end though.
Even before the start of the season, I expected our team to win 40+wins. I was perfectly fine with us winning 40+ games and barely missing out on the playoffs, PLUS losing our pick.
You fast forward 20+ games into the season and it looks like we'll be nowhere near 40 wins, and we're nowhere near the playoffs. PLUS we lose our pick.
Right now, everything is in shambles for the franchise. I'd rather us just take 20wins and the draft pick rather than us get 35wins and losing the draft pick.
This season is a lose-lose situation all around.
Like you, I'm tired of the endless losing cycle and gambling on the draft for the last 7-8 years, but it looks like that's where this season is headed after the firing of Malone. Very sad and depression for us, but I feel like this draft pick will make a huge difference next year. WCS, Winslow, Johnson, and Oubre can be game changers to our team next year and actually make us relevant again.
I do believe that the Kings are a few pieces away from legit 8th spot contenders.