The KINGS also had the 5th or 6th worst record the year they moved up to #2 and should have drafted #77 — the best player in that draft.
Gotta take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. Unfortunately they rarely have.
Until proven otherwise, I’d fully expect them to pass on the right player even if they did end up top 2 or 3 this upcoming draft.
i'm not sure this has been mentioned (regarding the luka/bagley draft):
i could buy vlade not wanting luka because he feared "parental influence" (luka's dad was a "coach")
but what i cannot forgive is vlade's seeming indifference to that draft.
as we recall, phoenix committed early to ayton, so, vlade had his choice.
he did not "guard" (the info) as to who he would select - he simply said, "it's bagley"
what he SHOULD have done is put his ear to the ground and know in advance that the mavs were looking to trade up (with atlanta) and ACTED LIKE he was still "deciding" (mind NOT "made up" - on his pick).in fact, he should have said (which would have been true), "we have some people in the 'take luka' camp and an equal number of people in the 'take bagley' camp, so, we have a big decision to make".
then wait for the mavs to call and seek a trade up to the #2 spot in return for a future FRP (AND a #2?), and if they decline, you draft luka and make them PAY for Luka - after vlade drafts luka second, i'm guessing dallas is on the phone to him asking, "who do you want us to draft for you at #5"?
you trade down to #5 and you STILL likely get bagley AND a future first.
OR (and i almost ALWAYS take this option): continue trading down and select someone in the 10-15 range (in our "economic ballpark")
vlade was a "lazy" GM.
but he wasn't the WORST GM - that designation goes to whoever was running the suns at the time.
in 2016, they drafted fourth and selected "dragon bender" (ouch)
in 2017 they had the fourth pick again and left fox on the table for vlade with a major blunder, drafting josh jackson ("double J" - double "ouch")
in 2018 they had the first pick and prematurely selected d'andre ayton (could have been worse - they could have selected bagley)
three high lottery picks in successive years and they really squandered their chance(s)
who COULD they have drafted (in those years):
2016: jamal murray (#7), domantas sabonis (#11) or trade down and select pascal siakim (#27)
2017: d'aaron fox (with #4 pick) - thank you, phoenix for leaving fox at #5 - or laurie markonnen (selected #7)
2017 other choices phoenix could have made: malik monk (#11), luke kennard (#12), donovan mitchell (#13), bam adebayo (#14)
(in that draft, the kings traded the #10 pick for #15/#20 BUSTS instead of selecting ANY of 11-14 picks
2018: suns pick first and select d'andre ayton: COULD have selected Luka (#3), jaren jackson jr (#4), trae young (#5), , #'s 10-12 were the Bridges brothers with SGA in between.
so, there were PLENTY of good choices, but the suns always picked the wrong guy(s).
there were plenty of good choices, even late in the first round.
the #27 picks in those three years were Pascal Siakim (2016), Kyle Kuzma (2017) and Robert Williams (2018), all starters eight years into their careers.
the draft is a crapshoot - unless you select well.
