BajaDen's preferred 2nd picks for the Kings:

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#1
After playing around with posting a 2nd rd mock draft, I decided it's almost impossible this year to post anything that I would feel confident in. I'm not sure of anything in the 1st rd once I get past the 15th pick. Second rd's are always difficult, but this year is particularly so. When your not sure who the 1st pick in the 1st rd should be, how in the hell could you feel confident as to who the 1st pick in the 2nd rd should be?

So, rather than make some feeble attempt at a 2nd rd in total, I have decided to simply list the players I would be happy with if chosen by the Kings. Even that is a little difficult since some of these players could be taken in the 1st rd. Or not!! One more thing I might add. Just because it's difficult to put players in the right pecking order, doesn't mean that there isn't any talent there. They all have some warts, but are they removable.

At this point, when there's a lot of equality in the talent, I think you start to look at need, and fit, and then let the chips fall where they may. This is also where I think knowing something about the players personality and work ethics becomes more important because that may be the one thing that separates him from the others. So, without further ado!

Tyler Bey: 6'7", 216 lb's, Colorado, SF.
My gut tells me that Bey will go in the 1st rd even though most drafts have him in the 2nd. If he does fall into the 2nd, I would trade up to get him if I were the Kings. Bey has been compared to Kawhi Leonard, and if you watch him play, you'll see why. Terrific defender with great length and athleticism. He reportedly has a 7'1" wingspan. He does most of his scoring at the basket, or from mid-range where he has a nice step back 16 footer. He shot 53.0% overall. However, unlike Leonard at the same point in time, he's a very good 3 pt shooter averaging 41.9%. Add in 9 rpg, 1.5 stl's, and 1.2 blocks, and you have yourself a hell of a basketball player. As you can see, I really like Bey.


Paul Reed: 6'9", 220 lbs, DePaul, PF.
Yes, I know I have him going in the first rd, but that's my opinion of where he should go. Many mock's have him in the 2nd rd. He is certainly a player I would grab in a heartbeat. Hustle guy who is a better shooter from beyond the perimeter than his stats would indicate. He was a double/double machine all season long. I can see him as a possible starter down the road, but definitely as a solid rotation player. He's a good defender that blocked 2.6 shots a game.


Daniel Oturu: 6'10", 240 lbs, Minnesota, C/PF.
Another fringe 1st rd pick. A big man that can step out and shoot the three a bit (36.5%), rebound (11.3 pg), and defend the basket (2.5 bpg). He definitely fits into today's NBA. Do we need another big man? Probably not, but Oturu is a very good player and he would be one of the top players in the 2nd rd, if he's there.


Immanuel Quickley: 6"3", 188 lb's, Kentucky, PG/SG.
Quickley was without a doubt the best player on the Kentucky team at times, and were talking about a very, very talented team. He was also one of the most improved players in college.. He shot the ball from the perimeter extremely well (42.8%) and I think I should remind everyone that the NCAA moved the 3 pt line out to within 2 inches of the NBA 3 pt line last year, so those stats are more credible when projecting to the NBA. Despite his low assist numbers (1.9 pg), he is a very good passer. Kentucky needed perimeter and overall scoring, and that's what Quickley was asked to do.


Tyrell Terry: 6'2", 160 Lb's, Stanford, PG.
Terry is another player that I think is a 1st rd talent, and it wouldn't surprise me to see a team at the bottom of the 1st rd nab him. He obviously needs to get stronger, and I'm sure some teams look at his frame and see limitations there. But he's very talented and brings one attribute that's coveted; He can score, and he can shoot the three (40.8%). Despite his small stature, he's not afraid to go in among giants for a rebound (4.5 pg). He's an excellent passer with very good court vision.


Zeke Nnaji: 6'11", 240 lb's, Arizona, C/PF.
Nnaji is a player that will need some development. There's no doubt in my mind that he underachieved this past season. Not sure whether to blame him, or Sean Miller and his coaching staff. Nnaji is another player that could go at the bottom of the 1st rd. He's a good athlete with length who should have blocked more shots than he did, and grabbed more rebounds. He's the kind of player that could pay dividends down the road.

https://youtu.be/AWGV7Fj_Rxw

Ayo Dosunmu: 6'5", 185 lb's, Illinois, PG/SG.
I think Dosunmu is a very talented player with a lot of potential. If you can ignore his 29.6% from the three, there's a lot to like. Terrific athlete with great length. He has a quick first step off the dribble and uses it to attack the basket. He seems to get into the lane at will. He shot over 35% from the three his Freshman year and his form looks fine. While his 3pt percentage went down, his overall percentage wen't up, (48.4%). I think he has the potential to be a very good defender.

https://youtu.be/28TYwNsf4LQ

Malachi Flynn: 6'1", 185 lb's, San Diego St., PG.
Flynn was the heart and soul of the San Diego St. team. He's a tough hard nosed player that never seems to panic, and seldom makes mistakes when the game is on the line. He wears the leadership role well. He plays both ends of the floor and won't back down from anyone. He shot a respectable 37.3% from the three while averaging 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals. I don't know if he'll ever be a starter in the league, but I see him as a solid backup PG that you can trust to make the right decisions.

Killian Tillie: 6'10", 220 lb's, Gonazga, PF/SF.
Make no mistake, Tillie should be a lottery pick. He's one of the most talented players in this draft. He can score from anywhere on the floor. 44.4% from the three, 54.8% overall are his four year averages. He's a terrific weak side shot blocker and a very good passer. So why you ask is such a good player in the 2nd rd? Injuries! Tillie has been plagued by injuries all four years, so there is definitely some risk to picking him. But we have 3 second rd picks, so why not take a risk? When healthy, he's as good a player as anyone else you could put on the floor.

https://youtu.be/lRiyOu5ffIc

Desmond Bane: 6'6", 215 lb's, TCU, SG.
Bane was the best player on the TCU team. He comes with an NBA body and is a very good athlete. He has the entire tool box when it comes to scoring. floater's, mid-range pull ups, finishing at the basket, and also shot 44.2% from the three. He has good handles and is an excellent passer who is capable to playing the point if needed. He also pulled down 6.4 rebounds this past season. Bane is one of my sleeper picks who I think will surprise people. Not sure why he's projected as a 2nd rd pick, other than his age.

https://youtu.be/jK4I299PZx4

Isiaha Mike: 6'8", 215 lb's, SMU, SF.
Mike is a good athlete with an NBA body. I look at him as a potential 3&D player. He's a very good catch and shoot player who is almost automatic from the corner. Off the dribble, you can bet he's headed to the basket where he has a variety of shots, pull ups, floaters etc, or he'll dish the ball. He shot a very good 48.1% overall, and 37.7% from the three. He's a very good rebounder grabbing 6.3 game. He has a good nose for the ball and he gets a lot of put backs. I see him as a potential rotation player who can score a some points, defend, and grab some boards off the bench. Or he could be more than that.

https://youtu.be/_YNdmqOLtvY

Robert Woodard: 6'7", 235 lb's, Mississippi St., SF.
Woodard is another dark horse candidate that I like. Good athlete who plays both ends of the floor. Reportedly has over a 7 ft wingspan. Has a nose for the ball and gets a lot of put back points. Good rebounder averaging 6.5 per game. He's an efficient scorer who shot 49.5% overall, and 42.9% from the three. He's strong enough to play some small ball PF especially with his length.

https://youtu.be/485b77YChlo

That's the last of my group and in no particular order, although there are some I like better than others. We have three picks and I feel confident that some of these players will be available. Some also ran's are Makur Maker, Cassius Stanley, John Petty, Ashton Hagins, Payton Pritchard, and Corey Kispert.

Isiaha Mike has decided to drop out of the draft and return for his senior year.
 
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#3
There's a guy I mentioned earlier in the year (been watching ABA League a ton with no NBA) and that's Montenegrin Marko Simonovic (not to be confused with the older Serbian one). He's 6'11 wiry strong (likes contact/and mixing it up) PF/C with great hands and really solid athletic ability. He's shown on a limited sample good touch from the outside/the potential for it. Could develop into a really nice player.

 
#4
The other one I would also mention is Dalibor Ilic he offensively atm is a work in progress but reminds of of a young AK47 (offensively but not defensively), he's a 6;8/6'9 SF who while skill developing body wise loves the tough/physical stuff, he's a solid athlete and can make smart nifty drop off passes. His best ability atm is moving without the ball and he's only actually started shooting 3's (taking them) recently.
 
#5
The other one I would also mention is Dalibor Ilic he offensively atm is a work in progress but reminds of of a young AK47 (offensively but not defensively), he's a 6;8/6'9 SF who while skill developing body wise loves the tough/physical stuff, he's a solid athlete and can make smart nifty drop off passes. His best ability atm is moving without the ball and he's only actually started shooting 3's (taking them) recently.
did they both declare?
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#7
The other one I would also mention is Dalibor Ilic he offensively atm is a work in progress but reminds of of a young AK47 (offensively but not defensively), he's a 6;8/6'9 SF who while skill developing body wise loves the tough/physical stuff, he's a solid athlete and can make smart nifty drop off passes. His best ability atm is moving without the ball and he's only actually started shooting 3's (taking them) recently.
I think these are the kind of players that you pick and stash for a year or two in Europe. I would add Auturs Kurucs a 6'4" PG to that list as well. He's the brother of Rodions Kurucs, so he has the gene pool going for him, but I don't think he's quite ready to play in the NBA yet.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#8
What are your thoughts on Sylla?
Sorry to get back so late to you, but I had some medical issues that had to be dealt with. Sylla is a terrific athlete, but extremely raw in my opinion. I think he's a couple of years away from being a rotational NBA player. I'm sure there are some who would disagree with me. There are some mocks that have him going undrafted, and others that have him as a high 2nd rd pick. To be honest, I don't even know if he's thrown his hat in the ring.
 
#9
lol l
Sorry to get back so late to you, but I had some medical issues that had to be dealt with. Sylla is a terrific athlete, but extremely raw in my opinion. I think he's a couple of years away from being a rotational NBA player. I'm sure there are some who would disagree with me. There are some mocks that have him going undrafted, and others that have him as a high 2nd rd pick. To be honest, I don't even know if he's thrown his hat in the ring.
Hope you are feeling better. I recently learned Sylla pulled out of the draft.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#11
Zeke Nnaji: 6'11", 240 Lbs, C/PF, Arizona.
30.5 mpg - 16.1 ppg - 57.0% fgp - 29.4% 3pp - 76.0% ftp - 8.6 rpg - 0.9 Bpg

It's possible that someone at the bottom of the 1st rd takes a chance on Nnaji, but my gut tells me he'll slide into the 2nd rd. He's an interesting prospect who could have great value as a 2nd rd pick. I think he has a lot of upside, and in my opinion, it could be argued that he was the best player on the Arizona team, which also had Nico Mannion and Josh Green. I'm sure I'll get some argument on that comment from those that are in love with Green, who I like by the way, and who may have the highest upside. But as far as who played the best, I'll go with Nnaji.

He's a very good athlete who runs the floor well. He's not afraid to get in and bang for boards and he has excellent hands. His handles are OK to decent for a big man and he has good touch around the basket. As shown by his percentages he has some work to do on his perimeter shot. However, he has a very good mid-range shot, which he shoots without hesitation. He's also a decent to good free throw shooter at 76%. Both his mid-range and free throw shot bode well for him being able to eventually move out and shoot the three.

The downside other than his poor 3 pt shooting is that he turns the ball over more than he should. He seldom passes the ball, and at times he gets caught standing around on both offense and defense. At times it appears to me, to be more of a lack of knowing what to do, than lack of effort. I say this because I see a lot of effort in other areas where he seems to be more comfortable. Other than that, there are times when you watch a player and something just clicks, even though his stats may not add up to your feeling about him. Nnaji is one of those players for me. I wouldn't use a 1st rd pick on him, but I'd definitely take him in the 2nd rd, depending on who else was sitting there.

 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#12
Corey Kispert: 6'7", 220 Lb's, SF/SG, Junior, Gonzaga.
33.0 mpg - 13.9 ppg - 47.4% fgp - 43.8% 3pp - 81.0% ftp - 4.0 rpg - 2.1 apg - 0.9 spg.

Kispert is another player who could have value as a 2nd rd pick. Offensively he very efficient and has a complete game. He can attack the basket but is mostly a straight line driver. He's an outstanding 3 pt shooter with great elevation on his jumpshot, and a very quick release. I don't think he'll have any trouble getting his shot at the NBA level. He's capable of creating off the dribble as well. He plays off the ball as well, constantly in motion. I have no doubt that he can play a role on some NBA team.

I don't know if he will ever be a starter, due to his defensive liabilities, but I certainly see him as a solid contributor coming off the bench. There's always a place for players that can shoot the ball. He's a good passer, but sometimes tries to make the impossible pass, causing a turnover. He needs to get to the line more, and he needs to rebound better. The fact that he's a junior, and has some some defensive liabilities, is the reason he's a 2nd rd pick. That said, there was a time when many scouts doubted that J.J. Redick would ever be a starter.

Given some time in the G-League, who knows, he might turn into a decent defender. If so, then it's a new ball game. He's a feisty player who plays with a lot of aggression, which helps make up for his lack of elite athleticism.


Edit: Kispert has decided to return school for his senior year:
 
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bajaden

Hall of Famer
#13
Killian Tillie: 6'10", 230 lb, PF/C, Senior, Gonzaga.
24.7 mpg - 13.7 ppg - 54.8% fgp - 44.4% 3pp - 75.0% ftp - 4.6 rpg - 1.9 apg - 1 spg.

Tillie is one of my favorite players in this draft and I would be tickled pink if the Kings were to take him in the 2nd rd. He's one of the most talented players in the draft, and if not for his age (22 years old), and the injuries he suffered the last two years, he would definitely be a 1st rd pick, and possibly a lottery pick. He was born in France and had offers from several schools, Virginia for one, but decided on Gonazga because of their ability to develop foreign players.

Both Tillie's parents were professional volley ball players, a direction he once considered for himself. after having a terrific sophmore season it looked like he was on his way to a big leap his junior season, but instead ended up missing 8 weeks with a stress fracture in his ankle. He started his senior season nursing a knee injury, but came back, and was having a great season, when on Jan 20th, he left a game with another ankle injury. According to all reports, he's once again healthy.

The thing is, when Tillie is healthy, he's a difference maker. He has terrific BBIQ and offensively, has every tool in his bag. He runs the pick and roll as well as anyone, and is particularly dangerous in the pick and pop, which is his favorite. He has a deadly mid-range shot which includes a drive and stepback fade away. He has the floater, and is a good post player with excellent footwork. The only knock on him in the post is that he tends to be a little too right handed at times.

His rebounding numbers don't look that great, but when you consider he plays away from the basket a lot in the Gonzaga system, it's more understandable. He's a very good help defender, and seems to instinctively know where and when to switch. He gets a lot of weakside blocks. He's also a very good passer. Some have called him the French Kevin Love. He's a fun player to watch. It's my opinion that once he gets into a NBA system with NBA trainers, he'll be able to stay healthy and take his game to a higher level. If he can stay healthy, he could be the biggest steal in the 2nd round, because he's definitely 1st round talent.

 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#14
Sam Merrill: 6'5", 205 Lbs, SG/PG, Senior, Utah St.
34.9 mpg - 19.7 ppg - 46.1% fgp - 41.0% 3pp - 89.3% ftp - 4.1 rpg - 3.9 apg - 1 stl.

Merrill is another that has value in the 2nd rd. He's a very efficient scorer who averaged 42.0% from the three for the four years he was there. He's quite capable of getting his own shot, and is almost as efficient off the dribble as he is in the catch and shoot. Give him a lane and he'll take you to the rim. He's an excellent passer with good court vision, however, I see him more as a SG than a PG. I might compare him to our own Bogdanovic, a player that can handle the ball and take some of the pressures of the PG.

All the question marks are on the defensive side of the ball. That's not mean't as a criticism, but more as a I don't know. He's not an elite athlete, but he's certainly a good athlete, and his lateral quickness seems to be adequate. My guess is that he won't be anything close to a lock down defender, but he won't be a liability either. I see him potentially as a solid rotation player that can come off the bench and put points on the board. He's one of those players that's more ready to step in and contribute right away, but without some of the upside that some others might have. If I had to pick a comp, I'd probably say Joe Harris.


Missing out on the tournament was a huge disappointment to Merrill, especially since he hit that big shot at the end of the game to get Utah St. into the tournament. It's been reported that he's been working out hard in preparation for the draft and has already lost 10 Lb's.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
#16
And, while you're at it, Baja, which mock drafts (if any) do you use as a vague gauge of who is likely to be drafted, and thus who to pay attention to in college hoops. I used to like Givony's work, but now it's behind a paywall. NBADraft.net doesn't seem very reliable. Several of the more analytically-oriented sites don't really do full mocks and sometimes have only a handful of evaluations. Do you have some secret sauce sites, or do you just watch 12 hours of college ball a day and do it all yourself. (Well, I know you watch 12 hours of college ball a day...but do you do it without cheat sheets?)
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#17
And, while you're at it, Baja, which mock drafts (if any) do you use as a vague gauge of who is likely to be drafted, and thus who to pay attention to in college hoops. I used to like Givony's work, but now it's behind a paywall. NBADraft.net doesn't seem very reliable. Several of the more analytically-oriented sites don't really do full mocks and sometimes have only a handful of evaluations. Do you have some secret sauce sites, or do you just watch 12 hours of college ball a day and do it all yourself. (Well, I know you watch 12 hours of college ball a day...but do you do it without cheat sheets?)
Well I do subscribe to ESPN along with The Athletic. But in general I watch a lot of basketball and follow some individuals whose judgement I trust. I'll send you a PM...
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#18
I've spent the last few days watching a bunch of Gonzaga games, some that I had already watched and some not. Mostly to take another look at both Kispert and Tillie. The Gonzaga/North Carolina game really stood out for me. I've revised my opinion on Kispert's defensive abilities. He's a better defender than I thought, and a smart basketball player. He's an outstanding offensive player that's a bit too unselfish at times. He would be a terrific pickup in the 2nd round. He can score from anywhere on the floor while shooting 43.8% from the three on 5.3 attempts a game. He's very good at playing without the ball, constantly moving and running backdoor plays.

 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
#19
I've spent the last few days watching a bunch of Gonzaga games, some that I had already watched and some not. Mostly to take another look at both Kispert and Tillie. The Gonzaga/North Carolina game really stood out for me. I've revised my opinion on Kispert's defensive abilities. He's a better defender than I thought, and a smart basketball player. He's an outstanding offensive player that's a bit too unselfish at times. He would be a terrific pickup in the 2nd round. He can score from anywhere on the floor while shooting 43.8% from the three on 5.3 attempts a game. He's very good at playing without the ball, constantly moving and running backdoor plays.

Gotta say, that shot is quick and smooth. Kispert led Gonzaga in minutes this year, led in threes taken and made by a large margin, and led in 3PT% among Zags who took an appreciable number of threes (also, his 3PT% has gone up each year in college). Plus, he can get to the rim with both hands and has a nice floater. Sure, he's a bit older at 21, but at 6'7" he's got enough size to play the three - certainly off the bench - as long as he doesn't have T-Rex arms. If he can indeed handle D at the NBA level, he looks like a nice role player at the least, able to give you some floor spacing off the bench. Maybe we shouldn't talk too loud about this kid. :)
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#20
Gotta say, that shot is quick and smooth. Kispert led Gonzaga in minutes this year, led in threes taken and made by a large margin, and led in 3PT% among Zags who took an appreciable number of threes (also, his 3PT% has gone up each year in college). Plus, he can get to the rim with both hands and has a nice floater. Sure, he's a bit older at 21, but at 6'7" he's got enough size to play the three - certainly off the bench - as long as he doesn't have T-Rex arms. If he can indeed handle D at the NBA level, he looks like a nice role player at the least, able to give you some floor spacing off the bench. Maybe we shouldn't talk too loud about this kid. :)
I went and did a little more digging and found his offensive and defensive ratings. He has 126.1 ORTG and a 98.1 DRTG. That defensive rating is very good and the differential is outstanding. His defensive rating is probably inflated a little by playing on a very good defensive team, but he hardly looks like a liability.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
#21
I went and did a little more digging and found his offensive and defensive ratings. He has 126.1 ORTG and a 98.1 DRTG. That defensive rating is very good and the differential is outstanding. His defensive rating is probably inflated a little by playing on a very good defensive team, but he hardly looks like a liability.
It's probably important to look at the entire Gonzaga squad when looking at things like DRTG - it turns out that Kispert has the second-worst DRTG on the team, and the only player he was in front of played 27 minutes on the season. His ORTG was near the top of the team, but the DRTG probably looks good partially because of playing in the WCC. For cases like this, I'd probably prefer the eye test on D.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#22
It's probably important to look at the entire Gonzaga squad when looking at things like DRTG - it turns out that Kispert has the second-worst DRTG on the team, and the only player he was in front of played 27 minutes on the season. His ORTG was near the top of the team, but the DRTG probably looks good partially because of playing in the WCC. For cases like this, I'd probably prefer the eye test on D.
Yeah, don't disagree,which is why I brought up Gonazga being a very good defensive team overall, which would certainly help Kispert's defensive rating. However, WCC or not, I watched them give North Carolina fits on the defensive side of the ball. Of course Cole Anthony was out with an injury, but he did nothing to impress me this season.

I think the player that impressed me defensively was Tillie, and that's despite him having all those injuries. He has good defensive instincts. He's good at keeping his man in front of him. As I've said before, if Tillie was injury free and came with a guarantee, he would probably be a lottery pick.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
#23
Gotta say, that shot is quick and smooth. Kispert led Gonzaga in minutes this year, led in threes taken and made by a large margin, and led in 3PT% among Zags who took an appreciable number of threes (also, his 3PT% has gone up each year in college). Plus, he can get to the rim with both hands and has a nice floater. Sure, he's a bit older at 21, but at 6'7" he's got enough size to play the three - certainly off the bench - as long as he doesn't have T-Rex arms. If he can indeed handle D at the NBA level, he looks like a nice role player at the least, able to give you some floor spacing off the bench. Maybe we shouldn't talk too loud about this kid. :)
Maybe we should have talked a little louder - he's going back to school for another year.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#24
Maybe we should have talked a little louder - he's going back to school for another year.
Well, too bad. Interesting choice on his part. I doubt he'll fare any better in next years draft since it's a far better draft and fairly deep. But I wish him well. I'm sure Mark Few is a happy camper. Gonzaga looks like a favorite to win it all next season, if there is a season.