Players that I would target with the 9th pick:
- Thread starter bajaden
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The issue with Bamba is his lateral agility, which these playoffs has shown is a necessity for a defense-forward big man in the modern game. Gobert has all that wingspan and was getting absolutely murdered by the Clippers the second they went small.
I haven't watched much of Bamba recently so I'm not sure if he's gotten better in that area but I remember him possessing your typical classic big man gait.
I haven't watched much of Bamba recently so I'm not sure if he's gotten better in that area but I remember him possessing your typical classic big man gait.
I've feel like I've been seeing and hearing a lot of people recently talking about Bouknight being top 5 on their big boards. He and Barnes seem to keep jumping up people's boards, which leaves me wondering how far Kuminga will fall. Probably not to 9, so won't necessarily matter, but picks 5-14 could be really intriguing.
Watched Kispert in the finals - no way, no how. If the Kings pick Kispert, well, it will just be Kangz. The Kings dont need another shooter who can't/won't play defense. I didn't think Moody was an excellent athlete either. Willing to go with the pick though- he seems crafty. Kai Jones would be ok as a swing too. I like Wagner as a "safe" pick - aka higher floor, lower ceiling. HIs defense is superior to Kispert. Johnson would be fine too
I get the love for KJ, but he scares me. And from reports, he scares other GMs as well. Dude has the widest range of opinions, per the draftx guys and some of the Athletic guys. If he hits, he's elite. Dude has sudden, game changing athleticism--Baron Davis, DRose, Anthony Edwards type of athleticism. The reason why I wouldn't consider him at 9 is his handles. He's straight line. Beats players with his athleticism. He needs to develop above average handles to become elite. Right now, it's probably two ticks below average (where Benny Mac has been since he's entered the league). I said this in another post some time ago, but I tend overweight handles (including game speed, real time innovation while dribbling) and underweight shooting (most players can improve their shooting; not elite, but improve). Handles, IMO, is much harder to improve.
There is no doubt that he is a great athlete, and he uses it to his advantage on defense. On offense, he is not a good outside shooter. His handles need a lot of work and he isn't all that good at creating for others. He is a project that you hope develops in the next few years. Honestly, I would rather take my chances with his teammate Jaden Springer than with Johnson. Now I'm not advocating that we pick Springer wih the 9th pick, but I do think he will have the bettet NBA career.
And he's a gift I don't expect the Kings to be granted, but it's not outside of the realm of possibility. If Barnes and Bouknight push Kuminga out of the top 6, and the Warriors pass on him for a player ready to produce for them now, all it would take is one team (Orlando) to pass on him (again) for him to be there at 9.
I'm going to go wake up from my dream now.
I'm going to go wake up from my dream now.
The Athletics most recent mock from this morning. Jalen Johnson is still my guy. His passing and ability to facilitate the offense as a point forward coupled with Fox and Hali would be nice. Also intrigued by Giddey (see above) and Bouknights scoring ability and ball handling.
9. Sacramento Kings – Kai Jones, C, Texas, 20 years old
No change here. I’m still very high on Jones and think he’s a perfect fit here.
Previous analysis: This is probably too high for Jones, and he’s more likely to be somewhere near the end of the lottery, but I think he’s exactly what the Sacramento Kings need. He’s top 10 on my big board, and he fills a position the Kings have struggled to fill consistently, all the way back to selecting Willie Cauley-Stein in 2015. Jones can anchor a good defensive unit for extended stretches. He’s basically Bam Adebayo in terms of his versatility and effectiveness on that end.
Offensively, he’s a guy who should be able to stretch the floor some and wreck the rim when he’s around it. He was surprisingly bad as a pick-and-roll big man this past season, turning the ball over a lot. Jones doesn’t have the best hands, so that’s where a lot of the fumbles happen for him. When he has the ball, he has the ability to drive right to the basket, but there isn’t an array of moves from him. It will be a lot of attacking a closeout defender. With Richaun Holmes hitting free agency, the Kings need a new big man.
Is a trade possible? The Kings really need to keep trying to add significant players to the mix, and they can still grab one at No. 9. Maybe packaging this pick and Buddy Hield can grab them someone to help end that playoff drought, but it’s doubtful.
9. Sacramento Kings – Kai Jones, C, Texas, 20 years old
No change here. I’m still very high on Jones and think he’s a perfect fit here.
Previous analysis: This is probably too high for Jones, and he’s more likely to be somewhere near the end of the lottery, but I think he’s exactly what the Sacramento Kings need. He’s top 10 on my big board, and he fills a position the Kings have struggled to fill consistently, all the way back to selecting Willie Cauley-Stein in 2015. Jones can anchor a good defensive unit for extended stretches. He’s basically Bam Adebayo in terms of his versatility and effectiveness on that end.
Offensively, he’s a guy who should be able to stretch the floor some and wreck the rim when he’s around it. He was surprisingly bad as a pick-and-roll big man this past season, turning the ball over a lot. Jones doesn’t have the best hands, so that’s where a lot of the fumbles happen for him. When he has the ball, he has the ability to drive right to the basket, but there isn’t an array of moves from him. It will be a lot of attacking a closeout defender. With Richaun Holmes hitting free agency, the Kings need a new big man.
Is a trade possible? The Kings really need to keep trying to add significant players to the mix, and they can still grab one at No. 9. Maybe packaging this pick and Buddy Hield can grab them someone to help end that playoff drought, but it’s doubtful.
This is where I'm at with Johnson. Offensively he doesn't really have anything to hang his hat on. His best offensive move right now is cutting off ball to attack the basket or get in position for a sort jumper or turnaround.
There's a lot of upside there and I like the idea of improving team defense but he's also too undersized to swing to the 3 on a team that has (for now at least) Fox, Haliburton, Hield, and Wright as it's guard rotation.
I think it's a near lock that Cunningham, Mobley, Green, Barnes, and probably Suggs will be gone before the Kings pick.
The next five guys on my draft board (roughly in order since I keep vacillating on a couple guys) are:
Jalen Johnson
James Bouknight
Franz Wagner
Jonathan Kuminga
Moses Moody
Moody and Wagner are safer picks. Neither is guaranteed to succeed in the NBA but both have two way potential that should make them good 3&D guys.
Jalen Johnson has shooting, toughness, and turnover issues (plus the questions about leaving Duke) but he was better than advertised defensively and is an important archetype in today's NBA as a big playmaker.
Bouknight is a smooth 3 level scorer who (like Johnson) should be better in the NBA than college. He's not a great fit with Fox and Haliburton (and probably necessitates a Hield trade) but I think he's too talented to pass up. He will definitely need to improve as a playmaker in the NBA but he's a good (if not overly switchable) defender. It's those last two reasons that have Jalen Johnson above him for me.
Kuminga scares me. All the physical tools but he shot poorly everywhere (39% overall, under 25% from three 62.5% from the line) except right at the basket. He passed the ball well for a big wing, was a pretty good rebounder and flashed some two way potential due to his size and speed but he's far from a sure thing. I think I'd almost rather have him be off the board than have him fall to the Kings. IMO he's the riskiest potential top 10 pick followed by Keon Johnson.
Giddy and Sengun have some really intriguing skills but also some very noticable warts.
I'm personally not high on Kai Jones or Davion Mitchell.
I do like Ziaire Williams but he's another upside play who needs significant development to both his game and body to succeed in the NBA. If the Kings were to trade for a mid to late first (maybe Bagley to OKC for #18) I'd be onboard with grabbing Williams there.
There's a lot of upside there and I like the idea of improving team defense but he's also too undersized to swing to the 3 on a team that has (for now at least) Fox, Haliburton, Hield, and Wright as it's guard rotation.
I think it's a near lock that Cunningham, Mobley, Green, Barnes, and probably Suggs will be gone before the Kings pick.
The next five guys on my draft board (roughly in order since I keep vacillating on a couple guys) are:
Jalen Johnson
James Bouknight
Franz Wagner
Jonathan Kuminga
Moses Moody
Moody and Wagner are safer picks. Neither is guaranteed to succeed in the NBA but both have two way potential that should make them good 3&D guys.
Jalen Johnson has shooting, toughness, and turnover issues (plus the questions about leaving Duke) but he was better than advertised defensively and is an important archetype in today's NBA as a big playmaker.
Bouknight is a smooth 3 level scorer who (like Johnson) should be better in the NBA than college. He's not a great fit with Fox and Haliburton (and probably necessitates a Hield trade) but I think he's too talented to pass up. He will definitely need to improve as a playmaker in the NBA but he's a good (if not overly switchable) defender. It's those last two reasons that have Jalen Johnson above him for me.
Kuminga scares me. All the physical tools but he shot poorly everywhere (39% overall, under 25% from three 62.5% from the line) except right at the basket. He passed the ball well for a big wing, was a pretty good rebounder and flashed some two way potential due to his size and speed but he's far from a sure thing. I think I'd almost rather have him be off the board than have him fall to the Kings. IMO he's the riskiest potential top 10 pick followed by Keon Johnson.
Giddy and Sengun have some really intriguing skills but also some very noticable warts.
I'm personally not high on Kai Jones or Davion Mitchell.
I do like Ziaire Williams but he's another upside play who needs significant development to both his game and body to succeed in the NBA. If the Kings were to trade for a mid to late first (maybe Bagley to OKC for #18) I'd be onboard with grabbing Williams there.
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Maybe I'm missing something on Jones, but I'd take Sengun over him for sure. Much, much more offensive production (and more offensive potential as well IMO) and I don't see Jones as a defensive anchor. I'm not sure he's big enough to be a starting big.
He's switchable like Bam, but Adebayo came into the NBA 20lbs heavier and with a better frame. Jones looks more like a slightly taller Jerami Grant than Bam Adebayo - at least to me.
Also bigs with below average hands are always a red flag for me.
He's switchable like Bam, but Adebayo came into the NBA 20lbs heavier and with a better frame. Jones looks more like a slightly taller Jerami Grant than Bam Adebayo - at least to me.
Also bigs with below average hands are always a red flag for me.
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Kings don't need Suggs at all, and I think he's a bit overrated....I don't think he'll ever be as good as Fox. Not even sure he'll be as good as Halliburton. The Kings need a front court player. Kuminga,, Barnes, Johnson, Wagner, Jones, Moody, - any of them. Kings don't need Bouknight. - he looked ok maybe for a teens pick. Aside from Green (who won't be available and reminds me of Westbrook in tenacity), I think they should pick front court. -3 or 4.
yeah idk I am very skeptical in drafting another big but I like what I see from Jones. Then again, I liked what I saw from WCS and they said a lot of the same things about his switching ability before the draft so I am kinda skeptical to take a big if we cannot develop them properly. I’m more concerned with his attitude and personality, is he another Willie and Bagley where he is more concerned with himself or is he closer to Halliburton and Fox as a team guy who is willing to share the spotlight and do what’s best for the team
Small-ish athletes that can't shoot and don't show a great aptitude to run the show are a not something I think most GM's want to gamble on if they don't really need to gamble on that upside. For a team deeper than they should be in the lotto and starting over it might be worth the risk, but the Kings are not that team. They have a hole that has been almost an eternal bane so this is their chance. They got really lucky to come out with a chance at something useful so they better not blow it.