Players likely to be in the 2nd round:

Capt. Factorial · May 9, 2022

Houstan is another guy who would be tempting if he were available at #49. I like Walker too, but I'm pretty sure he's a PF in the end, that's not a knock but it may not be the position we're trying to hit a home run on.

I really don't think Keels lasts that long, and probably not Ingram either. Some mocks I've seen have Max Christie down in that range as well, but he seems like a guy who would be gone by then.

I haven't seen enough of Williams or Lee to have a great take on them. Mayer doesn't really float my boat, and Juzang is pretty one-dimensional and he took a step back on that dimension this year. I do think Juzang's ceiling is that of a role player - he's the kind of guy that could be a good draft for a team in the luxury tax looking to round out their roster on the cheap, probably more or less ready to step in and contribute off the bench, but I think the home run potential isn't too high.

Jaquez did not enter his name in the draft this year and is returning to UCLA.

funkykingston · May 9, 2022

Capt. Factorial said:

Ah, I didn't know Jaquez was going back to school.

If the benchmark is a home run 2nd rounder in the Draymond Green, Nikola Jokic, Isaiah Thomas mold, I'd agree. But to me, just getting rotation players in the 2nd round is a success. McNair so far has yet to do that.

kb02 · May 9, 2022

funkykingston said:

Peyton Watson declared. He came off the bench, but started getting more minutes later in the year. Would take some conviction and a whole lot of projection, but physically, has all the tools to be in the same group as Davis, Griffen, etc. Probably a better long term defender than either. Better driver and facilitator as well. Shooting is a tick worse than either.

pdxKingsFan · May 9, 2022

funkykingston said:

In a perfect world we wouldn't have had to cut our 2nd round picks midway through their second year and should have been able to keep them in Stockton. Maybe nothing pans out but having 2 seconds every year like Vlade set us up with just means these guys never get a full development plan that long term projects need. I'll be sad if we give up on Queta to make room for one of these two picks on the main roster if they also fizzle. I do hope Queta gets some time with Brown and the first team, but I'd also expect him to spend most of the year in Stockton and maybe be able to join the team regularly in year 3.

funkykingston · May 9, 2022

pdxKingsFan said:

As the roster stands the Kings have Sabonis, Holmes, and Len under contract with Metu (who can play some 5) signed to a non-guaranteed deal. They could also choose to bring back Damian Jones since he played well down the stretch. Even with some trades I don't see minutes for Queta next year.

But he's shown enough flashes that I hope the Kings give him a QO and hang on to him to let him develop next season.

steelevt · May 11, 2022

https://twitter.com/statuses/1524113221279358976

https://twitter.com/statuses/1524130451652186112

https://twitter.com/statuses/1524140483953393664

Keon Ellis getting some attention on kings Twitter. Any chance he can be a steal in the second like Herb Jones was? @kb02

kb02 · May 11, 2022

steelevt said:

I watched only two Bama games this year, so I don't have a strong opinion. The ones that I did, he didn't pop like how Jones popped. I had an unfair advantage with Jones, because I've been tracking him since his Freshman year. He played four years. I thought he could've gone pro after year one.

That said, from film, I don't think Ellis is in the same tier as Jones. He's not as tall, not as long, not as fluid, and not as flexible as a defender. Will be a good defender based on hustle alone, but I don't know if he'll be able to defend 4 and 5s like Jones. Better shooter. Worse handles and driver.

macadocious · May 11, 2022

who does the Kings Film Room twitter account?

ESP47 · May 11, 2022

steelevt said:

Defends like Davion's twin out there.

Nbadraft.net has him mocked at 53. His numbers look good across the board. Has a better chance of being a shooter than a handful of the lottery picks. Looks like a no brainer 2nd round pick to me. Only issue I can see is Monte not going for him because he has DDV but I think you just BPA with a 2nd rounder, regardless of what position they play. It's hard enough to find one that turns out to be a rotation player, let alone one that is a rotation player and fits your roster perfectly.

I wouldn't pass up on a player like this unless Liddell or someone fell to us.

bajaden · May 11, 2022

Jake LaRavia: SG/SF, 6'9", 228 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Junior, Wake Forest.
31.6 mpg - 14.6 ppg - 55.9% fgp - 38.4% 3pp - 77.7% ftp - 6.6 rpg - 3.7 apg - 1.7 stl's - 1.0 blk's

LaRavia is similar to a few other players that I'm not sure where they'll go. A lot of mocks have him going in the 2nd rd, but after his workouts, he might have a team fall in love with him. I really like him. He's a very skilled player who can score from anywhere on the floor. He has an effortless looking 3pt shot. He has great footwork around the basket, where he likes to play bully ball on occasion. He has a nice step back fade away mid-range shot. He played his first two years at Indiana St. before transferring to Wake Forest. What sets him apart offensively, especially at his size, is his passing. He essentially played point forward at times. When doubled, he always found the open man on the floor.

While he was listed as a guard for Wake Forest, I don't see that happening in the NBA at 6'9". But who knows? He's a smart basketball player who knows when to cut to the basket, or move to the open spot if his defender starts ball watching. He's a good athlete, but not an elite athlete. He's more than capable of playing above the rim. LaRavia is also a good and willing defender. Once again, he's smart and makes good reads defensively allowing him to grab more than his share of steals. He has good lateral quickness, and even when beat off the dribble, he pursues and many times blocks the shot from behind. I'm not saying he'll be a lock down defender, but I think he'll definitely be a plus defender.

In short, LaRavia is a very talented player who knows how to play the game, and you can't have too many of those on your team. If he were a Freshman, I have no doubt he'd be a top 20 player. But because of his age, and sort of being a late bloomer, he's likely to go somewhere between 31 and 45. Unless, as I said, some team falls in love with him late in the 1st rd.

bajaden · May 11, 2022

Jalen Williams: SG, 6'6", 190 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Junior, Santa Clara.
34.8 mpg - 18.0 ppg - 51.3% fgp - 39.6% 3pp - 80.9% ftp - 4.4 rpg - 4.2 apg - 1.2 stl's

Jalen is another player that I think has 1sr rd talent, but will slide into the 2nd rd. Like LaRavia, he's a Junior and a little older. Plus he's not an explosive athlete, just a very crafty and skilled one. In many ways, he's a similar player to LaRavia just 3 inches shorter, and not quite as good an athlete. He makes up for any lack of athleticism with skill and craftiness. He's a very good 3 pt shooter out to NBA range. He's also a good mid-range shooter who can created his own shot with great foot work, spin moves and step backs. When attacking the basket, he can score with either hand and has good touch around the basket. Like LaRavia, his overall shooting percentage is in the 50 percental.

Defensively he's better than you would think. He has good instincts and makes good reads on the defensive side. He also has quick hands, and appears to have a plus wingspan. I would probably take LaRavia over him in the 2nd rd purely on upside and athleticism, but I think Williams can play in the NBA. He's smart and highly skilled, and those kind of players always seem to find a home. One of his best attributes is his passing. He averaged over 4 assists a game, and could be the secondary ball handler on the floor. He's a player that the Kings would have to consider if he's sitting there when they pick.

Noble · May 11, 2022

bajaden said:

Kind of reminds me of Bjelica.

bajaden · May 12, 2022

Noble said:

Better athlete than Bjelica! Also a better passer..

serbiangoat · May 13, 2022

bajaden said:

If true how is he not a 1st round pick?

Tetsujin · May 14, 2022

https://twitter.com/statuses/1525273185301635072

Telemachus · May 14, 2022

serbiangoat said:

Sam Vecenie has him as a first round pick.

bajaden · May 14, 2022

serbiangoat said:

Well, if you check some of the mocks, he is a first rd pick. It's all in the eye of the beholder. I think he's first rd talent, which is why I did the write up. All the players that I'm posting could or should be first rd talent.

bajaden · May 14, 2022

Dalen Terry: PG/SG/SF, 6'7", 210 Lb's, 7'1" wingspan, Sophomore, Arizona.
27.8 mpg - 8.0 ppg - 50.2% fgp - 36.4% 3pp - 73.6% ftp - 4.8 rpg - 3.9 apg - 1.2 stl's

Terry is a PG hiding in a SF's body. He didn't get the press that Mathurin and Koloko got, but whenever he entered a game I couldn't help but notice him. He brought an energy that was that was hard to miss. He has a non stop motor on both ends of the court. As a Freshman he weighed 195 Lbs but has added 15 Lb's of muscle since then. His 3 pt shot is a work in progress, but he improved this year to 36.4%, which is respectful. Because of roster considerations, he was forced to play off the ball a lot, which is probably a good thing for the future.

Terry is one of those players where you watch a team to see the Mathurin's and the Koloko's of the world, and suddenly your looking at his kid causing havoc on the defensive side, and making ridiculous passes on the offensive side, and your asking yourself, who the hell is this kid? Terry is another player that I think is a first rd talent, but will likely go in the top of the 2nd rd. But don't rule out some team falling in love with him after the combine and some workouts. He did leave the door open to return to Arizona, and he might just do that.

Defensively, he reeks havoc on the other team. He's a terrific defender and he uses his huge wingspan to poke balls away or reach into the passing lane for a steal. He's also a good weakside help defender and shot blocker. Offensively, as I already stated, his 3pt shot showed improvement. He has a decent to good midrange game. He doesn't shy away from contact when attacking the basket, which has improved from his Freshman year. In short, if you can nab a player like Terry in the second round, you might have a huge steal. This kid is talented, and I think he has a lot of upside. He can shoot, he has good handles, he's an excellent passer, and he's a very good defender. He's also a good athlete.

He's a player that's capable of playing the point, or shooting guard, or small forward. He can easily be the secondary ball handler. I think playing off the ball a lot this season helped his game.

bajaden · May 14, 2022

In case your wondering why I'm spending so much time on 2nd rd picks, it's because I don't know where were picking in the 1st rd. After Tuesday, when we know exactly where were picking, I'll start concentrating on who might be available at that pick. I'm hoping we move up, but if we end up at seven, or possibly 8, please no, then we'll see who we might consider. Some of these picks could slide into the 1st rd, but when you sit and try to do a mock draft, you start to run out of spots for players you think should be in the last ten picks of the 1st rd.

Wendell Moore is an example of that. I definitely think Moore is a 1st rd talent, but there are several mocks that have him in the top of the 2nd rd. Christian Braun is another one. I love Braun's game, and I would be shocked if he slides into the 2nd rd, but there are mocks that have him going in the early 40's. Blake Wesley is another player who has been all over the draft boards. I saw one mock that had him in the lottery, and another that had him going around 34. This is an interesting draft to say the least. In the meantime, I'm just enjoying myself watching film...

Kingster · May 15, 2022

funkykingston said:

Holmes needs to be traded for a piece that fits on this team. I still expect that to happen this summer. I don't see how he fits in with either the 1st or 2nd unit. He was gawdawful last year when he played with Sabonis.

Queta has shown zero aptitude to be an NBA player. I won't be unhappy if they draft a center in the 2nd round again and say bye bye to Queta. His reaction to the ball is very subpar and I don't see how a big like him can survive with such poor quickness to the ball. Queta was picked 39th and I hope the Kings can do a lot better with their 2nd rounders in this draft. As far as I am concerned, the Kings did a bad job scouting him. The Kings should resign Jones to sub for Sabonis and then use Len for trade fodder if need be.

bajaden · May 15, 2022

Kingster said:

The first thing I would ask you is whether you saw Queta play in the G-League. He looked entirely different down there, and his defense was excellent. I have no idea how you can pass judgement on a player on such a small sample size. He should have been getting minutes much sooner so he could adjust to the speed of the NBA. The old adage is, that big men, especially centers take longer. I thought Queta's reaction time to the ball improved with every minute he played. He just needs more minutes on a regular basis.

I agree on Jones. He proven to me that he'a legit NBA player, but once again, look how long it took him to reach the level he's at. This stuff doesn't happen overnight. Anyway, let me see Queta with the parent team where he gets legit minutes for a whole year, and then I'll give my opinion on his future. By the way, Queta twice was defensive player of the year in his conference in college.

bajaden · May 15, 2022

Collin Gillespie: PG/SG, 6'3", 195 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Senior, Villanova.
34.2 mpg - 15.6 ppg - 43.4% fgp - 41.5% 3pp - 90.5% ftp - 3.8 rpg - 3.2 apg - 1.0 stls - ORtg-124.8 - DRtg-101.9 - 23.0 USG%

Collin is a different player in that he's a five year player. In his real Senior season he tore his MCL which ended his season. Because of the injury, and the Covid rule they put in he was eligible for another year, and so he took it. Right now, it's hard to find his name in any of the mocks, which I can't figure out. Especially if your looking for a player that can come in and hit shot's. Gillespie can shoot the ball. He's an expert at using picks, and you go under that pick at your peril. He can get his shot off in a heartbeat and doesn't need much space. Almost every time Villanova needed a basket this season, they went to Gillespie, and he seldom let them down.

He shot 41.5% from three this season, and he took over 7 a game, so he's legit. He'll be 22 years old in June, so that might be an issue to some teams, but to a team like the Kings, he's exactly what they're looking for. He's not a one trick pony either. He's very smart and crafty, and does attack the basket with excellent touch. He's a very good ballhandler who uses sidesteps, head fakes and hesitation moves to get where he wants. He's basically a plug and play player. He is a good passer, but I'm not going to blow smoke and tell you he's the next Haliburton. He's capable of entry passes and running called plays. But he's mostly a scorer who can shoot the three, pull up in the midrange, or finish at the basket. About the only thing I can think of that I've never seen him do is shoot a floater.

I'm sure someone is going to watch the video and say that he reminds them of Jimmer. I would agree on the shooting aspect, but Gillespie is a better ball handler, he's more athletic, and a more physical player than Jimmer. They may look alike, but they don't play alike. Gillespie is a much better defender than Jimmer as well. I won't call him a great defender, but he's far from a liability. He's a very pesky defender who is pretty good at keeping his man in front of him. I'll say this. If you don't defend at Villanova, you don't play! End of discussion.. Villanova is one of the best team defensive teams in college year after year, and they continue to produce good NBA defensive players. It's sad to see Jay Wright retire. He's one of the best!

kingdivac · May 15, 2022

bajaden said:

Collin Gillespie: PG/SG, 6'3", 195 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Senior, Villanova.
34.2 mpg - 15.6 ppg - 43.4% fgp - 41.5% 3pp - 90.5% ftp - 3.8 rpg - 3.2 apg - 1.0 stls - ORtg-124.8 - DRtg-101.9 - 23.0 USG%

Collin is a different player in that he's a five year player. In his real Senior season he tore his MCL which ended his season. Because of the injury, and the Covid rule they put in he was eligible for another year, and so he took it. Right now, it's hard to find his name in any of the mocks, which I can't figure out. Especially if your looking for a player that can come in and hit shot's. Gillespie can shoot the ball. He's an expert at using picks, and you go under that pick at your peril. He can get his shot off in a heartbeat and doesn't need much space. Almost every time Villanova needed a basket this season, they went to Gillespie, and he seldom let them down.

He shot 41.5% from three this season, and he took over 7 a game, so he's legit. He'll be 22 years old in June, so that might be an issue to some teams, but to a team like the Kings, he's exactly what they're looking for. He's not a one trick pony either. He's very smart and crafty, and does attack the basket with excellent touch. He's a very good ballhandler who uses sidesteps, head fakes and hesitation moves to get where he wants. He's basically a plug and play player. He is a good passer, but I'm not going to blow smoke and tell you he's the next Haliburton. He's capable of entry passes and running called plays. But he's mostly a scorer who can shoot the three, pull up in the midrange, or finish at the basket. About the only thing I can think of that I've never seen him do is shoot a floater.

I'm sure someone is going to watch the video and say that he reminds them of Jimmer. I would agree on the shooting aspect, but Gillespie is a better ball handler, he's more athletic, and a more physical player than Jimmer. They may look alike, but they don't play alike. Gillespie is a much better defender than Jimmer as well. I won't call him a great defender, but he's far from a liability. He's a very pesky defender who is pretty good at keeping his man in front of him. I'll say this. If you don't defend at Villanova, you don't play! End of discussion.. Villanova is one of the best team defensive teams in college year after year, and they continue to produce good NBA defensive players. It's sad to see Jay Wright retire. He's one of the best!

Gillispie is a better looking shooter than Fredette - his form looks better, and his play looks similar - but one thing that Fredette really was unmatched at in College was his absolute insane range. He'd make 6 feet off the ark look effortless. Still Fredette was yet another bust for long list of the Kings. Are the Kings really going to draft another 1 guard?

Kingster · May 16, 2022

bajaden said:

G league? I saw a few clips. But I don't base any of my opinions of players on G league. Reaction to the ball is a God-given attribute. You don't get appreciably better reacting to the ball at age 22, certainly not to the degree that Queta has to improve to be just an average NBA center. If they want to keep him in G league for another year and hope for a miraculous improvement in quickness to the ball, fine, but he absolutely should not be sitting on the bench with the big club. There should be nobody on the bench next year getting charity minutes to better himself for the 2024 season and beyond; if they sit on the bench they need to be able to play well enough to help this team win now.

As for Defensive Player of the Year Awards for the Mountain West Conference, has Dakairi Allen (2017) or Skylar Spencer (2015 AND 2016) done anything of note in the NBA? Answer: No. Add Queta to the list.

funkykingston · May 16, 2022

Kingster said:

I'd be upset if the Kings drafted another center in the 2nd round. Sabonis needs a good primary backup and then the 3rd string C can be any warm body essentially. This team needs help on the wings much more and there WILL be wing players taken in the 2nd that will have decent to good NBA careers. If Kofi Cockburn goes undrafted then sure, sign him to a 2-way deal to be the throwback big on the roster. Otherwise I think you roll with Sabonis, Len, and Jones. Or Sabonis, Len, and Queta. Or my preferred option, Sabonis, Hartenstein and either Len or Jones as the 3rd string center and Queta signed to another 2 way deal.

That said, I like Queta. In terms of measurables, he was 6'11.25" barefoot, 248 lbs, and had a 7'4" wingspan and a 9'4" standing reach. He hit 71% of his FTs his final year in college and showed good passing touch and of course, good shotblocking instincts and fundamentals. He's the kind of player that will get run off the floor when teams go small, but he's low cost and offers size and rim protection, which the Kings otherwise lack.

If the Kings keep him on a 2-way deal along with either one of their two 2nd rounders this year or an UDFA (I'm still high on Jordan Hall who could well go undrafted at this point) I don't see the harm in seeing if he develops.

Kingster · May 16, 2022

funkykingston said:

I'll assume, funky, that you wouldn't be opposed to the Kings drafting Jokic II if he were available.

I really don't care what positions they draft in the 2nd round. I just want them to finally get a 2nd rounder that's worth a damn. I see other teams get gold in the 2nd round and the Kings get dog poopoo. It makes you wonder whether McNair has enough scouting support and budget to look at all these lower tier prospects. The reason I brought up the Kings possibly getting a center is that I've heard/read there might be some solid centers available in the 2nd round. And as I've said to Baja, I'm very skeptical of Queta's long term NBA future. Maybe another season in the G league will double his reaction speed to the point where he can play in the NBA, but I'm not close to banking on that.

Telemachus · May 16, 2022

Kingster said:

Sometimes I wonder if you have any practical knowledge of playing the game. Reaction time is always poor when adjusting to the speed of the game. For instance, Queta looked out of sorts his first game and a half in the G League, then he adjusted to the speed and looked like the player he was in college. He started to show the same adjustments in his last game with the Kings. Unfortunately, he didn't get enough playing time to see. I do know this, there have been a lot of players that didn't look great in their first games in the NBA that turned into good players.

funkykingston · May 16, 2022

Kingster said:

Sure, but when I look at the centers in this draft, the guys likely to be available in the 2nd round are:

Christian Koloko
Ismail Kamagate
Ibou Dianko
Kofi Cockburn
Khalifa Diop

They are pretty much all traditional bigs without defensive versatility or the ability to stretch the floor on offense.

By and large, center has become a devalued position unless you are a big that brings additional skills to the table - playmaking, shooting, switchability etc.

IMO, there will be guards and wings available in the 2nd that can add more value to the Kings than any of these centers will. ESPECIALLY if you want immediate production that will help the Kings win next season.

SacTownKid · May 16, 2022

Kingster said:

Jokic 2 would be eventually cut and become Jokic 2 on another team, lol. With where this team is at the 2nd rounders won't probably have much of a shot if recent history is any indication. Unless they rebuild of course. I've seen players like Keels, Moore and McGowens in the 2nd on some mocks. If that's the case, wow, there are some serious options there. Keels or Moore would probably fight their way into Browns rotation with their defensive abilities.

Kingster · May 16, 2022

funkykingston said:

Sure, but when I look at the centers in this draft, the guys likely to be available in the 2nd round are:

Christian Koloko
Ismail Kamagate
Ibou Dianko
Kofi Cockburn
Khalifa Diop

They are pretty much all traditional bigs without defensive versatility or the ability to stretch the floor on offense.

By and large, center has become a devalued position unless you are a big that brings additional skills to the table - playmaking, shooting, switchability etc.

IMO, there will be guards and wings available in the 2nd that can add more value to the Kings than any of these centers will. ESPECIALLY if you want immediate production that will help the Kings win next season.

Well then hopefully there is a guard or wing that the Kings draft in the 2nd round that can make a contribution.

Players likely to be in the 2nd round:

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