Probable Lottery picks in the 2021 Draft:

[bajaden]

The kings are just the team to take a guy with potential and ensure he squanders every last bit of it too. Sorry, I don’t have much faith in us helping young talent find their way and I’m pretty sure that’s where a lot of us are at this point.

It's easy to always look at the negative side of things. But the people that are running the Kings now aren't the people that were running the team 2 years ago, or 5 years ago, or 10 years ago. I think we can safely say that Fox has developed into a better player since he was drafted by the Kings. The Kings just drafted Haliburton, which some people can say was a no brainer, but tell that to the 11 teams that passed on him. So far it looks like Woodard is developing into a good player.

I know some people are disappointed with Bagley's development, but one does have to consider the injuries he's had and the time lost on the floor. Things aren't simply black and white. There's circumstances involved. From my point of view, McNair has done a pretty good job so far. I had Haliburton as the best player in this draft, and McNair jumped on him in a heart beat when he fell to us. I had Woodard as one of my top choices in the 2nd rd, and McNair grabbed him. So from my point of view, he's done a good job so far. What he does going forward will determine the rest of his resume.

 

[sactowndog]

When I said that Garuba was a better defender than Barnes, that was not to imply that Barnes was a bad defender, only that Garuba was better. I also said that I thought that Garuba might be the best defender in the draft. Barnes is by no means my first or second or etc choice for the Kings, but I think you have to consider him depending on where were picking. But he would be one of many.

yeah sure if you are in the 6-10 range I think he has to be considered.

 

[Reverend]

Kuminga is the one I’m really hoping falls to us, I really like what he can do for our roster

 

[KaiJonesBall]

Been waiting for these tourney games to see who shows up and Keon Johnson is REAL — tough dude, D is top shelf, strong on the glass, can pass, steady pushes the pace. His shot is coming along nicely of late also.

This team is in desperate need of intangibles, mainly TOUGHNESS — ATTITUDE —CONFIDENCE. They need dudes that are so hungry out on the court that it’s infectious. Right now we have one of those guys and it’s Halliburton. Fox has it in waves but not consistently. Obvi a coaching change would help that shift but ultimately it has to come within and usually you got it or you don’t. Keon and guys like Bouknight, Barnes, Kai Jones, Wagner all have qualities that I believe should be prioritized in this draft to shift our culture on the court and probably in the locker room as well. Outside of Cade I wouldn’t be upset with McNair picking any of those guys, consensus 2nd tier be damned.

 

[Tetsujin]

Cade is a beast and more importantly an absolute winner. At this point, I am almost completely convinced that the dude is going to be a Luka-esque instant franchise changer, play style differences excepted.

crazy thing is I think there’s a chance that Mobley, Kuminga, or Green end up being even BETTER than him once it’s all said and done. Mobley was ridiculous tonight

 

[206Fan]

I think Cade will be the #1 pick, and if the Kings get the 2nd overall pick, I'd think very long and hard about Jalen Green. We haven't talked much about him because he's a SG.

6'6 180lbs. In 15 games he led the team with 17.9pts 4.1rebs 2.8asts 1.5stls 2.7tos on 46.1/36.5/82.9.
Here's a well done scouting report:

In short, he's an athletic and talented shotmaker.

 

[206Fan]

Cade and Mobley both had big games recently for their team and secured wins.

This is an elite draft class

 

[sactowndog]

Cade is a beast and more importantly an absolute winner. At this point, I am almost completely convinced that the dude is going to be a Luka-esque instant franchise changer, play style differences excepted.

crazy thing is I think there’s a chance that Mobley, Kuminga, or Green end up being even BETTER than him once it’s all said and done. Mobley was ridiculous tonight

yeah I watched Mobley and just thought wow.... the chasm from the top 5 in this draft to 6 is immense.

 

[Tetsujin]

I think Cade will be the #1 pick, and if the Kings get the 2nd overall pick, I'd think very long and hard about Jalen Green. We haven't talked much about him because he's a SG.

6'6 180lbs. In 15 games he led the team with 17.9pts 4.1rebs 2.8asts 1.5stls 2.7tos on 46.1/36.5/82.9.
Here's a well done scouting report:

In short, he's an athletic and talented shotmaker.

Man, I'd be all over Green if he weren't sorta playing the same role/position as our two current young studs. I still wouldn't take him over Mobley or Kuminga though.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Man, I'd be all over Green if he weren't sorta playing the same role/position as our two current young studs. I still wouldn't take him over Mobley or Kuminga though.

I'd take Green #1 overall, regardless of the team makeup. It's not that I don't like the other guys in the top 5, but Green is special, and you can't pass on him. Figure the rest out later.

 

[Tetsujin]

I'd take Green #1 overall, regardless of the team makeup. It's not that I don't like the other guys in the top 5, but Green is special, and you can't pass on him. Figure the rest out later.

And I can see why you'd think that. The absolutely crazy thing is that all five of the top guys have legitimate arguments for being the first overall pick and that may be underselling their potential as players.

 

[sactowndog]

And I can see why you'd think that. The absolutely crazy thing is that all five of the top guys have legitimate arguments for being the first overall pick and that may be underselling their potential as players.

yep it’s why I don’t care about top pick odds. I look at top 4 odds because any of Kuminga, Mobley, Cunningham or Green would be like Christmas came early.

 

[sactowndog]

It's easy to always look at the negative side of things. But the people that are running the Kings now aren't the people that were running the team 2 years ago, or 5 years ago, or 10 years ago. I think we can safely say that Fox has developed into a better player since he was drafted by the Kings. The Kings just drafted Haliburton, which some people can say was a no brainer, but tell that to the 11 teams that passed on him. So far it looks like Woodard is developing into a good player.

I know some people are disappointed with Bagley's development, but one does have to consider the injuries he's had and the time lost on the floor. Things aren't simply black and white. There's circumstances involved. From my point of view, McNair has done a pretty good job so far. I had Haliburton as the best player in this draft, and McNair jumped on him in a heart beat when he fell to us. I had Woodard as one of my top choices in the 2nd rd, and McNair grabbed him. So from my point of view, he's done a good job so far. What he does going forward will determine the rest of his resume.

I’m pretty sure Vivek is still running the team.

 

[whozit]

I’m pretty sure Vivek is still running the team.

I liked but I hate.

 

[bajaden]

I’m pretty sure Vivek is still running the team.

Come on, you know what I meant!

 

[sactowndog]

Ziare Williams: SF, 6'8", 185 Lbs, 6'10.5 wingspan, Freshman, Stanford.
30.4 mpg - 12.1 ppg - 36.8% fgp -31.1% 3pp - 83.7% ftp - 5.5 rpg - 2.6 apg - 1.0 steals.

I really like Williams and think he can be a special player. I think he's definitely a lottery pick, probably late in the lottery between 10 and 14. His draft status might have been hurt a bit by his slow start with his shooting. He couldn't shoot a pea into the ocean for the first few games. Some of it was poor shot selection and probably some if it was rust from the long layoff. In truth, he's a little on the raw side offensively and tends to play at warp speed a little too much. However, he's a very good athlete and that tendency to hustle all the time translates well to the defensive side of the ball, where I think he could be a lock down defender in the future.

Williams has decent form on his shot and a quick release, and when you consider his 83.7% freethrow percentage, it bodes well for the future. He's a good passer and a decent to good rebounder despite his rather frail looking body. He definitely needs some time in the weight room. He has good handles, but gets a little loose with the ball at times. I think he has a very high ceiling and in time could be one of the better players in the NBA. I admit that I'm biased, but my gut tells me this kid could be special.

He's likely a one and done player, but you never know with Stanford players. Over the years some very good players have opted to stay for more than one year at Stanford. However, it's been a while since Stanford has had a 5 star, blue chip player on their team, so who knows? Williams is a talented kid. If he can become a consistent shooter and get stronger, the sky's the limit for him.

Heard an interesting set of reviews on him and it basically comes down to a significant lack of strength. Could it be fixable? Absolutely but I would definately look at his frame with questions of how much muscle could he put on. If he struggled being too weak in college then NBA could be way worse. But if he can add significant strength he could be a steal.

 

[bajaden]

Heard an interesting set of reviews on him and it basically comes down to a significant lack of strength. Could it be fixable? Absolutely but I would definately look at his frame with questions of how much muscle could he put on. If he struggled being too weak in college then NBA could be way worse. But if he can add significant strength he could be a steal.

Oddly enough, thin players like Williams tend to have a easier time of it in the NBA than in college. Mainly because of college having no 3 second defensive rule in the lane. As a result most teams plant a big under the basket, sometimes two depending on who they're playing, and that makes it difficult for players like Williams to finish at the basket. You can't do that in the NBA where the emphasis is on spacing the floor. Not saying he doesn't have to get stronger. I'm saying his game fits the NBA better than college.

 

[sactowndog]

Oddly enough, thin players like Williams tend to have a easier time of it in the NBA than in college. Mainly because of college having no 3 second defensive rule in the lane. As a result most teams plant a big under the basket, sometimes two depending on who they're playing, and that makes it difficult for players like Williams to finish at the basket. You can't do that in the NBA where the emphasis is on spacing the floor. Not saying he doesn't have to get stronger. I'm saying his game fits the NBA better than college.

yeah though they pointed out he struggled to run dribble hand offs because he would get knocked off balance with the slightest bump.

 

[bajaden]

yeah though they pointed out he struggled to run dribble hand offs because he would get knocked off balance with the slightest bump.

Not denying that he needs to get stronger, and I'm sure he will. I think the player that was impacted the most by lack of strength is B J Boston. The slightest bump would cause him to miss his jump shot, or at the basket where he struggled to finish. If you look at his skill set, he has good handles and is a good passer. He's also a good athlete. But his jump shot, which was good in high school, wasn't there in college. Simply because of the physicality. So I'm still fairly high on him. I doubt he'll be a lottery pick, but he could have some value at the lower part of the 1st rd. Which might be a blessing in disguise. There would be no pressure on him to immediately contribute, and he would be on a contending team.

 

[sactowndog]

Not denying that he needs to get stronger, and I'm sure he will. I think the player that was impacted the most by lack of strength is B J Boston. The slightest bump would cause him to miss his jump shot, or at the basket where he struggled to finish. If you look at his skill set, he has good handles and is a good passer. He's also a good athlete. But his jump shot, which was good in high school, wasn't there in college. Simply because of the physicality. So I'm still fairly high on him. I doubt he'll be a lottery pick, but he could have some value at the lower part of the 1st rd. Which might be a blessing in disguise. There would be no pressure on him to immediately contribute, and he would be on a contending team.

yeah if we traded Barnes to Boston, BJ Boston might be whom i target with that pick.

 

[Tetsujin]

Not denying that he needs to get stronger, and I'm sure he will. I think the player that was impacted the most by lack of strength is B J Boston. The slightest bump would cause him to miss his jump shot, or at the basket where he struggled to finish. If you look at his skill set, he has good handles and is a good passer. He's also a good athlete. But his jump shot, which was good in high school, wasn't there in college. Simply because of the physicality. So I'm still fairly high on him. I doubt he'll be a lottery pick, but he could have some value at the lower part of the 1st rd. Which might be a blessing in disguise. There would be no pressure on him to immediately contribute, and he would be on a contending team.

Boston is a guy who has gotten so lambasted over the season that he’s gone from being an overrated prospect to possibly the most underrated guy in the draft. Vecinie had Boston falling to the second round, which is so low that it’s hard to imagine considering he started the season as one of the top seven or eight prospects of the year. He also had us taking Kuminga at 5 and Roko Prkacin at pick 36, which I would enjoy.

 

[iowamcnabb]

It’s not likely that Cade, Evan, Suggs, Green and Kuminga all become stars. At least one of those guys will Underwhelm. Who will it be?

 

[Capt. Factorial]

It’s not likely that Cade, Evan, Suggs, Green and Kuminga all become stars. At least one of those guys will Underwhelm. Who will it be?

I'd go with Mobley and Kuminga, with honorable mention for Cade.

Mobley is wonderfully mobile but far too passive for me to think he's going to be an alpha dog. Combine this with the league still being in a guard/wing dominated mode, and I think Mobley's potential to be a franchise player isn't as high as the other guys.

Kuminga just plain can't shoot. He'll need to fix that in order to justify the top-5 pick. He'll get his chance, because he can do everything else, but right now that shot is ugly.

Cade won't fail, by any means, and he's a great offensive player, but he doesn't seem to play at speed, which may hold him down a bit. I remain unconvinced by assertions that he is a great defender. He's probably got the highest floor in the top 5, but he may underwhelm in the sense that people seem to think he's going to be the next Face Of The League but right now I think he'll eventually settle in more at a top 10-20 player.

 

[ESP47]

I'd go with Mobley and Kuminga, with honorable mention for Cade.

Mobley is wonderfully mobile but far too passive for me to think he's going to be an alpha dog. Combine this with the league still being in a guard/wing dominated mode, and I think Mobley's potential to be a franchise player isn't as high as the other guys.

Kuminga just plain can't shoot. He'll need to fix that in order to justify the top-5 pick. He'll get his chance, because he can do everything else, but right now that shot is ugly.

Cade won't fail, by any means, and he's a great offensive player, but he doesn't seem to play at speed, which may hold him down a bit. I remain unconvinced by assertions that he is a great defender. He's probably got the highest floor in the top 5, but he may underwhelm in the sense that people seem to think he's going to be the next Face Of The League but right now I think he'll eventually settle in more at a top 10-20 player.

I agree with this although I'm a bit more bullish on Cade. If he "disappoints" in the way Zion has, I'll be perfectly happy with that.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Seems reasonable enough, now for the flip side. Which player taken outside the top ten becomes one of the best players in the draft?

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Seems reasonable enough, now for the flip side. Which player taken outside the top ten becomes one of the best players in the draft?

I've got two for you, based on current mock projections.

Isaiah Todd: Athletic, skilled big who can play in the post, shoot out to the three, and is super engaged on defense. He has a repertoire of ridiculous-looking baseline turnarounds that seem to usually go in. Moves on the court like Chris Bosh, but is probably an inch shorter. I have him under consideration at #6, most mocks have him undrafted or in the second round.

Jared Butler: When I watch him play, I see Lillard. Just straight up Lillard with pretty good defense. Seems to be sitting in the 20s in the mocks, I start looking at him at #8.

There are some guys who are longer shots (e.g. Greg Brown) or guys who look to me like solid players who may not be superstars (Franz Wagner, Corey Kispert - both of whom have a shot at top 10 depending on how things go) but Todd and Butler are the guys I think everybody asks why they passed on them.

 

[SacTownKid]

I've got two for you, based on current mock projections.

Isaiah Todd: Athletic, skilled big who can play in the post, shoot out to the three, and is super engaged on defense. He has a repertoire of ridiculous-looking baseline turnarounds that seem to usually go in. Moves on the court like Chris Bosh, but is probably an inch shorter. I have him under consideration at #6, most mocks have him undrafted or in the second round.

Jared Butler: When I watch him play, I see Lillard. Just straight up Lillard with pretty good defense. Seems to be sitting in the 20s in the mocks, I start looking at him at #8.

There are some guys who are longer shots (e.g. Greg Brown) or guys who look to me like solid players who may not be superstars (Franz Wagner, Corey Kispert - both of whom have a shot at top 10 depending on how things go) but Todd and Butler are the guys I think everybody asks why they passed on them.

I've seen Wagner go deep in the 1st of next years draft on NBAdraft.nets recent mock. They are usually pretty good callers early. He reminds me a bit of Joe Ingles. Kispert, eh, solid handling skills and pretty sturdy, Pat Connaughton with a little bit of Buddy in there. Hard to watch him and not think "Nik rocks!" lol. Greg Brown I like a lot. He's raw but those athletic tools he's got going for him or super valuable in the modern game.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I've seen Wagner go deep in the 1st of next years draft on NBAdraft.nets recent mock. They are usually pretty good callers early.

Not that I want to start an argument, but I would say that NBADraft.net is the furthest thing from "good callers early". We can go back to January 21st, and they've got David Duke, Taevion Kinsey, Charles Bassey and Josh Christopher in the lottery, they still seemed to think that Allen Flanigan was a draftable player (at #16, no less!) and their draft was entirely missing Jalen Johnson, Isaiah Todd, the aforementioned Wagner, Isaiah Jackson, Jaden Springer, Keon Johnson, Kai Jones...I have more complaints but I'll leave it at that.

If Franz Wagner enters the draft and isn't a first rounder this year, I'll eat...I'm not eating a hat...I'll eat TWO DOUBLE western bacon cheeseburgers for lunch and have a really, really, bad afternoon and evening.

 

[SacTownKid]

Not that I want to start an argument, but I would say that NBADraft.net is the furthest thing from "good callers early". We can go back to January 21st, and they've got David Duke, Taevion Kinsey, Charles Bassey and Josh Christopher in the lottery, they still seemed to think that Allen Flanigan was a draftable player (at #16, no less!) and their draft was entirely missing Jalen Johnson, Isaiah Todd, the aforementioned Wagner, Isaiah Jackson, Jaden Springer, Keon Johnson, Kai Jones...I have more complaints but I'll leave it at that.

If Franz Wagner enters the draft and isn't a first rounder this year, I'll eat...I'm not eating a hat...I'll eat TWO DOUBLE western bacon cheeseburgers for lunch and have a really, really, bad afternoon and evening.

By early I mean prior to the draft. Going off high schoolers or at the start of the college season is a total crap shoot anyway. They tend to be one of the better ones as the draft draws near. Also their player comps are usually pretty good. They've had Wagner in the lotto the last few weeks then pushed him over to 2022 last I checked but they moved him back to this year at 22 right now. I think he was around 20 or so in 2022 before.

 

[dude12]

Having watched Cade and Suggs in the tourney, and it’s really the only time seeing them play except for watching Suggs a bit early in the season, my short/small sample size, I think I liked Suggs better but both are certainly worthy top picks.......franchise changing talents? Not sure about that.