2015 Draft Prospects:

[bajaden]

Speaking for myself, I like Lyles more than the other two. Lyles would seem to have the most limited athleticism, but I think he has the best talent baseline. He was forced to play SF at Kentucky a lot of the time, but I think he's better as a PF with limited stretch potential - good jumper but not too deep right now, definitely able to play in the post. His defense will never touch WCS's, but he'll be a better offensive creator. Turner has the top ceiling here, tons of athleticism, but he's really raw and got jerked in and out of the game by Barnes in Texas. Again I think people like his offensive potential - he could be a better defender than Lyles but WCS should still come out ahead on that end. For Lyles/Turner it's the age-old dilemma - lower ceiling/high floor vs higher ceiling/potential bust. Portis comes in at least a tier lower for me - a solid guy, but never seemed to be a game-changing talent.

As I've stated before, Lyles is one of my favorite players in the draft. I looked at him as one of those glue guys that held everything together. Good size at 6'10" with a decent wingspan. A good athlete, but not an elite athlete. Good at everything, but not great an anything. Good BBIQ, player who made good plays at the right time. Unfortunately he got overshadowed by Stein and Towns. Turner is the dark horse. Wasn't used properly at Texas, and I question his athleticism. He doesn't get up and down the court that well, and he's not an explosive leaper. But he is a very very good shotblocker with good instinctive timing. He has good shooting touch inside 20 feet, but he only shot a shade over 27% from the three. And were talking about the college three. But with a lot of work, I can see him becoming a pretty good three point shooter. Cauley-Stein is the best athlete of the three, and might be the best athlete in the draft. Lyles is the most skilled of the three, but doesn't excell in any one thing. Turner could end up being the best player of the three, but he's shown less on the court of the three. He's the mystery man.

 

[Gilles]

Should've known better by now, than to look at reach numbers, before verticals are in: most guys with short arms yesterday suddenly started flying today. Anderson, Connaughton, Young and a few others in more subtle way.

 

[Tetsujin]

It will come down to draft order: Nuggets, Pistons and Hornets are not taking WCS for sure.

Which is utterly ridiculous because the Hornets seriously need size after Noah Vonleh crapped out immediately upon being drafted and WCS is a great compliment for Al Jefferson.

 

[Gilles]

It's not that they don't need size, but they are dying without shooting. They might jump through hoops to acquire Hezonja and put him next to MKG in a couple of years. Winslow and Johnson can play next to MKG as well. Plus Vonleh isn't dead as he had some burn late in the season. Hornets have Zeller as well.

 

[Gilles]

lol

Scott Howard-Cooper @SHowardCooper
Robert Upshaw told me he is a "die-hard Kings fans until the day I die.”

 

[206Fan]

Which is utterly ridiculous because the Hornets seriously need size after Noah Vonleh crapped out immediately upon being drafted and WCS is a great compliment for Al Jefferson.

I wouldn't count them out, but the last 2 drafts, they've drafted a PF. Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh. They do need PF help, but they also need help elsewhere. They need shooters on that team.

 

[206Fan]

lol

I really like him. I think had he not been suspended, he's probably a mid 1st round pick. I wonder if he'll be able to drop to the 2nd round? I don't think so, but it would be pretty amazing.

 

[Hallama]

My feeling is Krispy will rise into the top 5 after teams see him. You don't find that length, coordination, shooting ability, and defensive potential often at his age. This is the NBA Draft after all, and all it takes is one GM...

 

[funkykingston]

I really like him. I think had he not been suspended, he's probably a mid 1st round pick. I wonder if he'll be able to drop to the 2nd round? I don't think so, but it would be pretty amazing.

I think a playoff team at the end of the 1st round will take a chance on him. Even though it's a guaranteed contract, at that point of the draft it's a low cost risk, especially with the salary cap about to balloon. I think Dallas has a lot of work to do this offseason and won't be gambling on him but beyond their pick I could legitimately see anyone from Chicago at #22 to Golden State at #30 taking a flyer on him.

Unless teams really get bad vibes from his predraft interviews I think he'll be a first rounder and if he can stay on the straight and narrow, a pretty effective backup center and spot starter.

 

[funkykingston]

My feeling is Krispy will rise into the top 5 after teams see him. You don't find that length, coordination, shooting ability, and defensive potential often at his age. This is the NBA Draft after all, and all it takes is one GM...

As I mentioned in another thread, NBA.com has an article where they claim to be hearing that he will go top 5 and possibly top 3.

If he were to reach his ceiling he seems like an ideal fit next to Cuz, but (1) I have serious doubts about whether he'll reach his ceiling (2) his body, especially those narrow shoulders, concerns me and (3) I think he'll take a few years to develop regardless and we have an unhappy Boogie right now.

Unless Vlade & co are thinking about moving Cousins (and they shouldn't be) then I don't think you can afford to draft Porzingis.

 

[LPKingsFan]

As I mentioned in another thread, NBA.com has an article where they claim to be hearing that he will go top 5 and possibly top 3.

If he were to reach his ceiling he seems like an ideal fit next to Cuz, but (1) I have serious doubts about whether he'll reach his ceiling (2) his body, especially those narrow shoulders, concerns me and (3) I think he'll take a few years to develop regardless and we have an unhappy Boogie right now.

Unless Vlade & co are thinking about moving Cousins (and they shouldn't be) then I don't think you can afford to draft Porzingis.

The upshot for me is that a rising Porzongis makes it more likely that one or both of WCS or Winslow is still available when the Kings draft.

Or maybe some other team desperately wants him and is willing to trade up to the Kings pick to get him.

Lots of possibilities

 

[Gilles]

WOW at Devin Booker!!!
Killed in mobility drills. Will have to learn, how to actually defend, but at this point he's likely going top-10.

 

[miltonap]

I didn't care for Devin Booker during the tourney. All I saw him do well was shoot threes and run in transition. He looked not top 10 worthy but that's just me

 

[206Fan]

I didn't care for Devin Booker during the tourney. All I saw him do well was shoot threes and run in transition. He looked not top 10 worthy but that's just me

It just shows you kind of how weak the SG position is becoming. Also tells you that this SG class is kind of weak.. Even with that being said, Booker has potential to be a lights out shooter like Klay or just a role player like Reddick(first few years). Any team that needs a SG should probably draft him or RJ Hunter no matter where they're drafting(except inside*of top 5).

I think a playoff team at the end of the 1st round will take a chance on him. Even though it's a guaranteed contract, at that point of the draft it's a low cost risk, especially with the salary cap about to balloon. I think Dallas has a lot of work to do this offseason and won't be gambling on him but beyond their pick I could legitimately see anyone from Chicago at #22 to Golden State at #30 taking a flyer on him.

Unless teams really get bad vibes from his predraft interviews I think he'll be a first rounder and if he can stay on the straight and narrow, a pretty effective backup center and spot starter.

I agree, I think a playoff team will take a flyer on him. However, I don't think that team will be Dallas. They have way too many needs on that team to be taking a defensive C. I think if he reaches 2nd round, we should trade for him.

 

[funkykingston]

It just shows you kind of how weak the SG position is becoming. Also tells you that this SG class is kind of weak.. Even with that being said, Booker has potential to be a lights out shooter like Klay or just a role player like Reddick(first few years). Any team that needs a SG should probably draft him or RJ Hunter no matter where they're drafting(except outside of top 5).

To be fair, very few people had Klay Thompson pegged as a future star. Booker is probably the one sweet shooting SG with the most potential to be more than a role player. Hunter's mechanics and his frame concern me.

I agree, I think a playoff team will take a flyer on him. However, I don't think that team will be Dallas. They have way too many needs on that team to be taking a defensive C. I think if he reaches 2nd round, we should trade for him.

And that was my point. Dallas won't gamble. But after that there's a run of 9 teams that all could be willing to gamble on him in the first round.

 

[bajaden]

Should've known better by now, than to look at reach numbers, before verticals are in: most guys with short arms yesterday suddenly started flying today. Anderson, Connaughton, Young and a few others in more subtle way.

Connaughton is an interesting player. Very good shooter. He definitely has NBA talent, and now has proven he has elite athleticism, although anyone that watched him play already knew that. I just didn't know he had that good of hops. In the games I saw him play it was hard to get a read on him because they had him guarding everyone and thing except the kitchen sink. But I think his handle is a little suspect. Tough kid though. He's the kind of player that if you had a 2nd round pick you'd have to consider.

I've liked Justin Anderson for a long time. The question looming about him, as you probably know, is which Justin Anderson is the real one. The one that shot 33% from the three his first two years, or the one that shot 44% from the three his past season? Finally, whats not to like about Mighty Joe Young. I always thought he should have gotten a little more press, but I guess his age, and the question of what position does he play are factors.

 

[bajaden]

I didn't care for Devin Booker during the tourney. All I saw him do well was shoot threes and run in transition. He looked not top 10 worthy but that's just me

Booker is a good defender, and for a huge part of Kentuckys season, he was their best offensive player. He might be the best shooter in the draft. Trust me, he has a very good mid-range game. A lot of scouts compare him to Klay Thompson. I can see a little bit of that. It remains to be seen if he can defend at the NBA level, but he just set the all time record at the combine in on of the agility drills.

 

[funkykingston]

This is the type of draft where I'd love to see the Kings pick up another pick in the first round.

I like Booker but what I'd really love to see (well, other than a #1 pick courtesy of the lottery gods) is the Kings coming out of this draft with WCS and Cameron Payne.

 

[Gilles]

With Justin Anderson getting his hype train going by slouching a bit, he might take a place, that was "reserved" for RHJ before. Given that Rondae only talked about his defense in the interviews, I guess, he hasn't started hitting outside shots just yet. Looks like excellent time to steal one of the best athletes in this draft, who can actually play.

 

[bajaden]

This is the type of draft where I'd love to see the Kings pick up another pick in the first round.

I like Booker but what I'd really love to see (well, other than a #1 pick courtesy of the lottery gods) is the Kings coming out of this draft with WCS and Cameron Payne.

If not that, then acquire a 2nd round pick from Philly. There's no way in hell they use all those picks. Then use the pick on someone like Connaughton who is a terrific athlete and a very good outside shooter. Or, if take a shot at Jefferson if he slides to you. There are going to be some players with upside in the second round. Hell, even Upshaw might be there. I wouldn't have a problem taking him in the 2nd round. Right now, I think his future is iffy. Some playoff team might gamble on him at the bottom of the first. But its more likely that he'll get taken in the 2nd round where there's no guaranteed contract.

 

[bajaden]

With Justin Anderson getting his hype train going by slouching a bit, he might take a place, that was "reserved" for RHJ before. Given that Rondae only talked about his defense in the interviews, I guess, he hasn't started hitting outside shots just yet. Looks like excellent time to steal one of the best athletes in this draft, who can actually play.

It would be a surprise if Jefferson is taken in the 2nd round, but I guess his damm outside shot is coming back to haunt him. I'd grab him in a second in the 2nd round. The 2nd round is starting to get crowded, with players like Christmas and Connaughton making their case. There's been a little talk about Dawson as well, but I'm not very high on him. Another player that should be considered in the 2nd round is the french kid Jaiteh. He's really improved his body. Still raw, and needs at least another year in europe, but he has a lot of upside. I was disappointed in Qualls. Great athlete, but he didn't show much in the games. Christmas impressed me with his newly found outside shot. I wonder if he can continue to shoot like that. He's a little slow on the release, but hey, he hit all of them. Kudo's to him.

 

[bajaden]

This is the type of draft where I'd love to see the Kings pick up another pick in the first round.

I like Booker but what I'd really love to see (well, other than a #1 pick courtesy of the lottery gods) is the Kings coming out of this draft with WCS and Cameron Payne.

I think Payne is one of those guys that a lot of teams are going to regret passing on. It's interesting when you think about some of the top PG's in the NBA, and where they went to school. A lot of them have come from mid-major schools, and yet, the continue to get overlooked to some extent. All of a sudden the world discovered Dellavedova the other night. But anyone that watched him play at St. Mary's knew what a tough kid he was, and if anyone was paying attention this past summer when the USA team was playing the Aussie team, Dellavedova did a great job guarding anyone the US put on the floor.

Anyway, I used a lot of words to say I agree with you. Coming away with both WCS and Payne would make me very very happy. Payne had a great interview by the way for anyone who didn't see it.

 

[Gilles]

RHJ is not going to drop into 2nd round, but I think, he might end up #6 SF on many team's boards, so he likely isn't cracking top20. And there are two teams (Toronto and Dallas) at #21, 22, who under pressure to get contributors and might not want a rookie, who needs to be developed.
Once people realize, that Tyus Jones is the second-coming of Trey Burke, Payne will move to the fringe of the lottery by default, so it will be pretty costly to acquire him.
Qualls is not a good lateral athlete. Anyone picking him in the first round is making a mistake.

 

[bajaden]

RHJ is not going to drop into 2nd round, but I think, he might end up #6 SF on many team's boards, so he likely isn't cracking top20. And there are two teams (Toronto and Dallas) at #21, 22, who under pressure to get contributors and might not want a rookie, who needs to be developed.
Once people realize, that Tyus Jones is the second-coming of Trey Burke, Payne will move to the fringe of the lottery by default, so it will be pretty costly to acquire him.
Qualls is not a good lateral athlete. Anyone picking him in the first round is making a mistake.

Naw, I've never had Qualls in the first round. He's a good athlete, but on a team where he was the second option, he never really made a case for himself. I think Jones will be a nice solid backup PG for somebody, but I don't see him as a starting PG. So I agree with you. The question is who will be the third PG taken, Payne, or Grant. I like both, but I have Payne ahead of Grant. Just my personal taste. Like I said, I'd be surprised if Jefferson slides into the 2nd round. But that's the rumor I'm hearing, for what that's worth.

 

[funkykingston]

I think Payne is one of those guys that a lot of teams are going to regret passing on. It's interesting when you think about some of the top PG's in the NBA, and where they went to school. A lot of them have come from mid-major schools, and yet, the continue to get overlooked to some extent. All of a sudden the world discovered Dellavedova the other night. But anyone that watched him play at St. Mary's knew what a tough kid he was, and if anyone was paying attention this past summer when the USA team was playing the Aussie team, Dellavedova did a great job guarding anyone the US put on the floor.

Anyway, I used a lot of words to say I agree with you. Coming away with both WCS and Payne would make me very very happy. Payne had a great interview by the way for anyone who didn't see it.

Yeah, the really intriguing thing with Payne is that he is a good shooter who also has good court vision/passing. Most PGs come in with one or the other and here he's got a great foundation for both which also happen to be two areas that the Kings need a lot of improvement. He'd also have a shot at my ideal scenario of a young PG to groom behind DC for a season or so before he supplants Collison and makes DC an elite backup PG. The biggest knocks on Payne are level of competition (which doesn't bother me in the slightest) and his body/athleticism. As for his frame, he's built almost exactly like Jeff Teague when Teague came into the league so I'm not all that worried there. But of course he doesn't have the rocket boosters that Teague does and he's not a blow by athlete but then neither are Curry or Lillard. He's certainly not at the level Curry was coming out of school as a shooter or a scorer and he's probably a step down from Lillard as a shooter and not quite the athlete either. But he's a better and more natural passer than either of those guys. Outside of Russell he's my favorite PG in this draft, especially in terms of how he'd fit on the Kings.

Unfortunately I don't think the Kings have the assets to get the second pick to get him. Not unless they get lucky in the lottery with the 2nd or 3rd pick and Towns is off the board. Then I'd try to do some wheeling and dealing.

 

[Gilles]

Payne is not a clearly better prospect, than Darren was, let alone replacing Collison after 1 year in the NBA. Even elite talents at PG take time to adapt to NBA, and Payne is not an imposing player - really improved as a sophomore, just like Darren, but still he's not drawing fouls or shooting really well, and he was relying on 3s more than guys like Collison or Teague did in college.

Rondae still on the board past #25 is just stupid: his ability to cut, drive, draw fouls and pass is enough to find minutes off the bench, even if he was an average defender - comparable to first half of last season Casspi - and he will be above average towards the end of his rookie season already. Can defend both swing positions, some combo-guards and stretch 4s. And shot will come in 2-3 years - at least up to 33-35%, where Kawhi's is hovering right now.

Btw just noticed the fact, that Arizona was ridiculously good at drawing fouls. It was obvious watching them, but I didn't think numbers were this good - their FT rate was .471. Even Kentucky was not close at .439, while Duke was at .398 and other elite schools closer to .350. Point is assist numbers of Arizona players were suppressed by lack of shooters and abundance of transition points and FTs, which makes TJ McConnells numbers 11 assists/4 TOs, plus 7 steals over 41 minutes of play during Combine look not that surprising. His per 100 possessions numbers of 20.5 points, 12.4 assists, 4.3 steals and 4.0 TOs, plus career .380 from 3pt rather impressive even for 23 y.o. senior. Given his defense I would definitely take him as 3rd string PG over the other 2 youngsters under contracts with Kings - simply an excellent floor manager.

 

[macadocious]

LOL @ Jason Jones. It's not the picks that are funny, it's the reasoning.

6. Kings, KristapsPorzingis, 7-0, PF, Latvia: The Kings’ quest to add more shooting continues. Though Porzingis might not help immediately, his size, shooting and athleticism are qualities the Kings want as they remake the roster again.

8. Pistons, Willie Cauley-Stein, 7-0, C, Kentucky: The junior’s game on the defensive end already might be ready for the NBA. If the Pistons lose Greg Monroe in free agency, Cauley-Stein could fill a need immediately.

http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-blog/article21204156.html

 

[Dreadnought]

LOL @ Jason Jones. It's not the picks that are funny, it's the reasoning.

6. Kings, KristapsPorzingis, 7-0, PF, Latvia: The Kings’ quest to add more shooting continues. Though Porzingis might not help immediately, his size, shooting and athleticism are qualities the Kings want as they remake the roster again.

8. Pistons, Willie Cauley-Stein, 7-0, C, Kentucky: The junior’s game on the defensive end already might be ready for the NBA. If the Pistons lose Greg Monroe in free agency, Cauley-Stein could fill a need immediately.

http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-blog/article21204156.html

Seems like for the better part of a decade, anyone with an internet connection and a pulse can be a Bee writer.

 

[Gilles]

How did he failed to mention Vlade's "international connection" as the reason?

 

[bajaden]

Seems like for the better part of a decade, anyone with an internet connection and a pulse can be a Bee writer.

Your a little loose with the word writer. How I yearn for the days of Sam Amick..... Now we have a beat writer that reads Amick for his information.