Baja Den's final 2020 mock draft:

[bajaden]

After going through every teams roster, and noting players that are on the final year of their contract, I made my best guess as to who that team would pick. I must say that watching the playoff's has helped in that regard as well. Of course the mystery at the top of the draft is what will the Warriors do. My gut tells me that they'll trade the pick for a veteran player, and if so, that could affect some of the picks below them. So without further ado, and an occasional comment.

1. TimberWolves: Anthony Edwards. SG, 6'5", 225 Lb's, Freshman, Georgia. 33:0 mpg - 19.1 ppg - 40.2% fgp - 29.4% 3pp - 5.2 rpg - 2.8 apg - 1.3 stl's per game.
I'm not a big fan of Edwards. He seemed to have no interest in playing defense and took a lot of highly contested shots. He lost interest when he didn't touch the ball. I think he has the highest ceiling, but also the a chance to be the biggest bust.

2. Warriors: James Wiseman. Center, 7'1", 240 Lb's, Freshman, Memphis. 23:0 mpg - 19.7 ppg - 76.9% fgp - 00.0% 3pp - 10.7 rpg - 1.0 stl's per game - 3.0 blk's pg.
The Warriors have been getting by with undersized centers for some time, so if they keep this pick, Wiseman makes sense for them. Very good athlete with great length who comes with a decent mid-range game and runs the floor well.

3. Hornets: LaMelo Ball. PG, 6'7", 185 Lb's, International. 33.3 mpg - 17:0 ppg - 37.5% fgp - 25.0% 3pp - 7.6 rpg - 6.8 apg - 1.6 stl's per game.
The Hornets need a star, and I think that Ball could be the best player out of this draft, if he can fix his jump shot. Other than that, he's by far the most talented player in the draft.

4. Bulls: Deni Avdija. SF/SG/PG, 6'9", 215 Lb's, Maccabi Tel Aviv. 19.8 mpg - 7.7 ppg - 51.4% fgp - 33.6% 3pp - 4.1 rpg - 1.7 apg.
If you just looked at the numbers and didn't see him play, you'd think there's no way he would go this high. And, there is a bit of bust in this pick, but I think his talent and leadership qualities will win out in the end.

5. Cavaliers: Obi Toppin. PF, 6'9", 220 Lb's, Soph, Dayton. 31.7 mpg - 20.0 ppg - 63.3% fgp - 39.0% 3pp - 7.5 rpg - 2.2 apg - 1.0 stl's pg - 1.2 blk's pg.
Toppin is one of the most NBA ready players in the draft. The Cav's need an injection of scoring, hustle, and leadership. Toppin brings those things in spades.

6. Hawks: Killian Hayes. PG, 6'5", 187 Lb's, RatioPharm Ulm. 24.8 mpg - 11.6 ppg - 48.2% fgp - 29.4% 3pp - 5.4 apg - 2.8 rpg - 1.5 stl's pg
The Hawks are a +4 with Young on the floor, and a -3 with him off the floor. They need a solid backup PG, and Hayes is a terrifc prospect.

7. Pistons: Isaac Okoro. SG/SF, 6'6", 225 Lb's, Freshman, Auburn. 31.4 mpg - 12.8 ppg - 51.0% fgp - 28.6% 3pp - 4.4 rpg - 2.0 apg - 0.9 stl's pg - 0.9 blk's pg.
Okoro reminds me a bit of Olidipo when he came into the league. Terrific defender, but struggled from the three. If he can fix his 3 pt shot, he has a chance to be a star in the league. Very good athlete with good BBIQ.

8. Knicks: Aaron Nesmith. SG/SF, 6'6", 213 Lb's, Soph, Vanderbilt. 35.7 mpg - 23.0 ppg - 51.2% fgp - 52.2% 3pp - 4.9 rpg - 1.4 stl's pg
No, that 3 pt percentage isn't a mistake. This kid can really stroke the ball. The Knicks need someone who can put the ball in the basket, and I doubt anyone can do it better than Nesmith.

9. Wizards: Onyeka Okongwu. PF/C, 6'9", 245 Lb's, Freshman, USC. 30.6 mpg - 16.2 ppg - 61.6% fgp - 25.0% 3pp - 8.6 rpg - 1.2 stl's pg - 2.7 blk's pg.
Okongwu will bring instant defense at the basket for the Wiz. He's a terrific shot blocker. His offense is a work in progress, but he can run the floor and get easy baskets as well as offensive put backs. If he develops a consistent mid-range, watch out.

10. Sun's: Tyrese Haliburton. PG/SG, 6'5", 175 Lb's, Soph, Iowa St. 36.7 mpg - 15.2 ppg - 50.4% fgp - 41.9% 3pp - 5.9 rpg - 6.5 apg - 2.5 stl's pg.
If Haliburton falls this far to the Sun's, they will have gotten a steal. He's another player that's more NBA ready. He only has one weakness, and that's lack of strength, which will be corrected in the NBA. Good passer, with good court vision who defends and can shoot the ball.

11. Spur's: Devin Vassell. SF/SG, 6'7", 194 Lb's, Soph, Florida St. 28.7 mpg - 12.7 ppg - 49.0% fgp - 41.5% 3pp - 5.1 rpg - 1.6 apg - 1.4 stl's pg - 1.0 blk's pg.
I wanted Vassell to slide down to the Kings, but couldn't in good conscious. He fits the Spur's system so I doubt they would pass on him. Solid athlete, good shooter from the perimeter and excellent defender. Can play either wing position.

12. King's: Saddiq Bey. SF/PF, 6'8", 215 Lb's, Soph, Villanova. 33.9 mpg - 16.1 ppg - 47.7% fgp - 45.1% 3pp - 4.7 rpg - 2.4 apg - 0.8 stl's pg.
Bey is more of a SF than a PF, but can play both positions offensively. Defensively he guarded all five positions at Villanova. Very good 3 pt shooter, but can score from anywhere on the floor. Most scouts see him as a 3 and D type player. I think he can be more than that. Very hard worker who improved from his freshman year. I almost took Kira Lewis in this spot, but felt Bey had a slight edge overall.

13. Pelicans: Precious Achiuwa. PF, 6'9", 225 Lb's, Freshman, Memphis. 30.4 mpg - 15.8 ppg - 49.3% fgp - 32.5% 3pp - 10.8 rpg - 1.1 stl's - 1.9 blk's pg.
Another player I seriously considered for the Kings. Terrific athlete with a non stop motor. Needs to improve his perimeter shot, but he impacts the game when he's on the floor. He has great lateral quickness and excellent shot blocking instincts. Projects as a possible lock down defender in the future.

14. Celtic's: Kira Lewis Jr. PG, 6'3", 165 Lb's, Soph, Alabama. 37.6 mpg - 18.5 ppg - 45.9% fgp - 36.6% 3pp - 4.8 rpg - 5.2 apg - 1.8 stl's pg.
Lewis becomes the Celtic's PG of the future. Lightning quick with an explosive first step off the dribble. He'll remind you of Fox with his speed. He's an excellent defender despite his slight build. He no doubt needs to get stronger, but he's the whole package and could end up being the best PG in this draft.

15. Magic: Cole Anthony. PG, 6'3", 190 Lb's, Freshman, North Carolina. 34.9 mpg - 18.5 ppg - 39.0% fgp - 34.8% 3pp - 5.7 rpg - 4.0 apg - 1.3 stl's pg.
I've moved Anthony up from my previous draft. After re-watching a couple of his games, I had to admit that he was on a terrible team. He basically was the offense, and as a result, he was constantly doubled and hounded up the floor. So I'm cutting him some slack. He was a top five recruit coming out of high school.

16. TrailBlazers: Patrick Williams. PF/SF, 6'8", 225 Lb's, Freshman, Florida St. 22.4 mpg - 9.2 ppg - 45.9% fgp - 32.0% 3pp - 4.0 rpg - 1.0 stl's pg - 1.0 blk's pg.
Williams is an upside pick by the Blazers. Good athlete whose main attribute is defense right now, but he projects to be a solid offensive player as well. He had some form problems at the beginning of the year, but seemed to correct them as the year progressed. I'd like to see him rebound a bit better.

17. Timber Wolves: Aleksej Pokusevski. PF/SF, 7'0", 205 Lb's, Olympiacos. 21.3 mpg - 9.9 ppg - 40.0% fgp - 32.1% 3pp - 7.8 rpg - 2.8 apg - 1.2 stl's pg - 1.7 blk's pg.
This is another upside pick. Some look at him and see the second coming of Porzingis. I think that's a bit of a reach, but he is a very talented player. Obviously he needs to add some muscle. He's skinny as a rail right now, but despite that, he doesn't shy away from contact. He's a boom or bust player in my opinion.

18. Maverick's: Josh Green. SG, 6'6", 206 Lb's, Freshman, Arizona. 30.9 mpg - 12.0 ppg - 42.4% fgp - 36.1% 3pp - 4.6 rpg - 2.6 apg - 1.5 stl's pg.
Green sort of reminds me of Jamal Murray a bit at the same point in time. He has excellent handles for a SG, and he can play the point on occasion. He's a very good athlete with good hops. He gives Doncic another weapon to kick the ball to. He's likely to draft higher in a re-draft five years from now.

19. Net's: Tyrese Maxey. SG/PG, 6'3", 198 Lb's, Freshman, Kentucky. 34.5 mpg - 14.0 ppg - 42.7% fgp - 29.2% 3pp - 4.3 rpg - 3.2 apg - 0.9 stl's pg.
I think Maxey is a better player than his stats show. He shot the three well in high school, so I think that part of his game will come around. He's very athletic and he's an aggressive defender. I don't think he's a true PG, but he can play there if needed. Good at getting to the basket with a quick first step off the dribble.

20. Heat: Tyrell Terry. PG, 6'2", 160 Lb's, Freshman, Stanford. 32.5 mpg - 14.6 ppg - 44.1% fgp - 40.8% 3pp - 4.5 rpg - 3.2 apg - 1.4 stl's pg.
Terry fits the Heat's style of play. I would say he's a cross between a PG and a SG, but make no mistake, he can play the point. He's an excellent 3pt shooter, and a very good defender. He definitely needs to add about 10 lb's of muscle.

21. 76'ers: Tyler Bey. SF, 6'7", 216 Lb's, Junior, Colorado. 29.0 mpg - 13.8 ppg - 53.0% fgp - 41.9% 3pp - 9.0 rpg - 1.5 stl's pg - 1.2 blk's pg.
I really like this kid. I think he should probably go higher, but his age works against him. Very good shooter from the perimeter. Excellent athlete, and a terrific defender with great length. Reportedly has a 7'1" wingspan. He gives the 76'ers defense, and some needed perimeter scoring.

22. Nuggets: Theo Maledon. PG, 6'4", 198 Lb's, Asvel. 17.7 mpg - 7.4 ppg - 45.6% fgp - 36.7% 3pp - 1.8 rpg - 3.1 apg.
Maledon has been playing professional since he turned 17, so he has some experience against good competition. His stats are from the Euro League. He's known for having a great work ethic and being coachable. He's ranked as one of the best young PG's in that league.

23. Jazz: R.J. Hampton. PG/SG, 6'5", 188 Lb's, New Zealand Breakers. 20.6 mpg - 8.8 ppg - 40.7% fgp - 29.5% 3pp - 3.9 rpg - 2.4 apg - 1.1 stl's pg.
Hampton probably made a mistake taking himself over to New Zealand instead of college. He was projected as a lottery pick coming out of high school. What I saw of him didn't do much to convince me he deserved to go even this high, but, I think the Jazz bet on upside with this pick.

24. Buck's: Leandro Bolmaro. SG, 6'7", 180 Lb's, Barcelona. 17.2 mpg - 8.0 ppg - 42.3% fgp - 29.3% 3pp - 1.6 rpg - 2.6 apg - 1.2 stl's pg.
Bolmaro is like a Swiss army knife. He's good at a lot of things, but not great at anything, except maybe his creative passing. He's another upside pick, that the Bucks can leave in Europe for another year if they desire. He plays with a flair, and at times reminds you of Doncic.

25. Thunder: Daniel Oturu. C/PF, 6'10", 240 Lb's, Soph, Minnesota. 33.9 mpg - 20.1 ppg - 56.3% fgp - 36.5% 3pp - 11.3 rpg - 2.5 blk's pg.
The Thunder have to think about replacing Adams at some point and why not now, especially with a player that fits today's NBA. Oturu was a 20/10 guy who also blocked shots and shot the three well enough that you had to guard him. One of my favorite players.

26. Celtic's: Jalen Smith. PF/C, 6'10", 225 Lb's, Soph, Maryland. 26.5 mpg - 15.5 ppg - 53.8% fgp - 36.8% 3pp - 10.5 rpg - 0.7 stl's pg - 2.4 blk's pg.
Another of my favorite players. The Celtics need a center who can defend the basket, and also step out and spread the floor. Smith fills the bill, along with being an excellent rebounder. He runs the floor well. Maybe he'll make them forget Al Horford.

27. Knick's: Desmond Bane. SG, 6'6", 215 Lb's, Senior, TCU. 36.1 mpg - 16.6 ppg - 45.2% fgp - 44.2% 3pp - 6.4 rpg - 3.9 apg - 1.5 stl's pg;
Once again picking a player who defends but can put the ball in the basket for the Knicks. Bane is a solid player that has a complete game. If not for being a senior, he would likely go higher. He doesn't have the huge wingspan of some others, but has good defensive intincts, and very good lateral quickness.

28. Lakers: Isaiah Stewart. PF/C, 6'9", 250 Lb's, Freshman, Washington. 32.2 mpg - 17.0 ppg - 57.0% fgp - 25.0% 3pp - 8.8 rpg - 2.1 blk's pg.
Not sure the Lakers are the best team for Stewart, but it's a great pick for the Lakers. They get a hustle guy to come off the bench to grab boards and cause havoc all around. At this point Stewart is one of the best players available. If he can extend the range on his jumpshot, he could be something special.

29. Raptors: Trey Jones. PG, 6'3", 185 Lb's, Soph, Duke. 35.4 mpg - 16.2 ppg - 42.3% fgp - 36.1% 3pp - 4.2 rpg - 6.4 apg - 1.8 stl's pg.
The Raptors get a solid PG who defends. Actually his defense surprised me and it makes him a perfect fit on the Raptor team. He's a good floor leader who you have to guard on the perimeter. I think he'll shoot the three better in the NBA than he did at Duke. He's insurance in the event they lose VanVleet in freeagency.

30. Celtic's: Jaden McDaniels. SF/PF, 6'10", 200 Lb's, Freshman, Washington. 31.0 mpg - 13.0 ppg -40.5% fgp - 33.9% 3pp - 5.8 rpg - 2.1 apg - 1.4 blk's pg.
I'm not a big fan of McDaniels, but there's no denying the talent he has, so at this point in the draft, he's worth the gamble. If someone can light a fire under him they'll have a good player, but I'm skeptical. I question his desire. You'd see that spark at times, but then other times he looked like he was taking the game off. I wish him well.


Yes, there will be a second round, hopefully tomorrow...

 

[SacTownKid]

I really like Edwards for the Wolves. If it's true that the Warriors want him that badly I hope he goes first for no other reason than that. The crap thing is Wiseman really fills some needs for the Dubs so that sucks too if they don't trade it, lol.

 

[Sactown ExPat]

Increasingly, I think I’d do one of the rumored Buddy trades: to Hawks for #6 or to Sixers for Horford/Thybulle/21 and then go:

Hawks version: Hayes/Poku

Sixers version: Poku/Maledon or Poku/Bolmaro

 

[ESP47]

Increasingly, I think I’d do one of the rumored Buddy trades: to Hawks for #6 or to Sixers for Horford/Thybulle/21 and then go:

Hawks version: Hayes/Poku

Sixers version: Poku/Maledon or Poku/Bolmaro

I'd be on board with that.

I can't see the Hawks pairing Buddy with Trae though. The defense would be something else.

 

[Joshoua]

Increasingly, I think I’d do one of the rumored Buddy trades: to Hawks for #6 or to Sixers for Horford/Thybulle/21 and then go:

Hawks version: Hayes/Poku

Sixers version: Poku/Maledon or Poku/Bolmaro

where are the rumors coming from?

 

[whozit]

where are the rumors coming from?

I'm curious also. I figured fans throwing things against the wall mainly.

 

[LPKingsFan]

where are the rumors coming from?

I'm curious also. I figured fans throwing things against the wall mainly.

I saw a piece in the Athletic about potential moves the Hawks could consider, including moving the sixth pick for Buddy or Dinwiddie, but that was clearly speculation and not reporting of anything in the works.

 

[Joshoua]

I saw a piece in the Athletic about potential moves the Hawks could consider, including moving the sixth pick for Buddy or Dinwiddie, but that was clearly speculation and not reporting of anything in the works.

How about the Philadelphia trade was that in the article?

I’m absolutely not trading Buddy for number 6 in this draft

 

[SacTownKid]

Increasingly, I think I’d do one of the rumored Buddy trades: to Hawks for #6 or to Sixers for Horford/Thybulle/21 and then go:

Hawks version: Hayes/Poku

Sixers version: Poku/Maledon or Poku/Bolmaro

I would want no part of that Horford deal. I like Thybulle and while he hasn't really gotten a shot to be a full time guy you're talking about a 23 year old currently putting up like 5 PPG and 2 RPG in 20 minutes per. That deal could look really bad if the Sixers actually use Buddy the way he should be. If the Kings were a simple passing big and defensive role playing SG away from competing then that would be one thing but nothing about that abysmal bubble showing says that.

 

[Joshoua]

I would want no part of that Horford deal. I like Thybulle and while he hasn't really gotten a shot to be a full time guy you're talking about a 23 year old currently putting up like 5 PPG and 2 RPG in 20 minutes per. That deal could look really bad if the Sixers actually use Buddy the way he should be. If the Kings were a simple passing big and defensive role playing SG away from competing then that would be one thing but nothing about that abysmal bubble showing says that.

I’m easily doing that Philadelphia trade who cares about his ppg dude will be an all nba defender and can defend 1-4 while being a decent shooter already

 

[The_Jamal]

I would want no part of that Horford deal. I like Thybulle and while he hasn't really gotten a shot to be a full time guy you're talking about a 23 year old currently putting up like 5 PPG and 2 RPG in 20 minutes per. That deal could look really bad if the Sixers actually use Buddy the way he should be. If the Kings were a simple passing big and defensive role playing SG away from competing then that would be one thing but nothing about that abysmal bubble showing says that.

uhh, you're missing the point of Thybulle if you think this matters. 35.2% 3pt, with a 37% catch and shoot and 44.7% corner 3pt this season.

But he's legit like a top 5 perimeter defender in the game already. Every metric is off the charts for him and he likely gets more impactful once he gets more playing time as he gets older in the league.

 

[jiimbob]

Thybulle sounds like a great target but I’m not finding anywhere any mention of Philadelphia talking about including him in a trade for Buddy. Horford and Harris yes, they want out of those bloated contracts but they would need to seriously sweeten the pot.

 

[SacTownKid]

uhh, you're missing the point of Thybulle if you think this matters. 35.2% 3pt, with a 37% catch and shoot and 44.7% corner 3pt this season.

But he's legit like a top 5 perimeter defender in the game already. Every metric is off the charts for him and he likely gets more impactful once he gets more playing time as he gets older in the league.

He's on a stacked team so it's hard to guage. What can he do when there's more attention of it he moves up a few rungs on the option ladder? Corner 3's are the role mans 3 ball which is exactly the shots the Kings need to be looking for but those shots should already be going to the Kings crop of SG's. In the end the value is simply not there. If the deal didn't include Horfords albatross of a contract it might be a different story although Thybulle still has the look of an upper echelon role player if do to nothing more than his role and I think there is some serious underestimating of Buddy going on here. I'm not sure the Kings are in a position to be able look at fit type players yet when it comes to the roster if that means taking on a huge contract in the process. Rumors are that you can get a 1st rounder this year for cash so a later first doesn't really add a ton of value on it's own.

 

[SacTownKid]

Thybulle sounds like a great target but I’m not finding anywhere any mention of Philadelphia talking about including him in a trade for Buddy. Horford and Harris yes, they want out of those bloated contracts but they would need to seriously sweeten the pot.

That's the problem for them. While I don't think Harris in a perfect scenario is totally overpaid, those are bad contracts for a team needing to tweak and not getting the kind of production you expect from contracts like that.

 

[jiimbob]

Well done bajaden on your 1st and 2nd round mock drafts.
I must say, it will be painful to watch Haliburton and Vassell still on board after the 9th pick only to both go right before we pick at 12.
In this case I want Lewis. I might be overvaluing Lewis like I did Elfred Payton back in 2014, but I don’t want to regret passing on him in a couple years just because we have Fox.

 

[jiimbob]

I see Bajaden has Josh Green going 18 to the Mavs. I was reading an article where the writer has him as Sacramento’s swing for the fences player. After watching some more videos on Green I was increasingly impressed by his ball handling and even passing for a 2. Would he be worth consideration at12, or is that highlights talking.

 

[twslam07]

I see Bajaden has Josh Green going 18 to the Mavs. I was reading an article where the writer has him as Sacramento’s swing for the fences player. After watching some more videos on Green I was increasingly impressed by his ball handling and even passing for a 2. Would he be worth consideration at12, or is that highlights talking.

I’m very high on Green. Higher than Baja (going off some earlier convos I had with him). I think he could end up being better than Vassell. I would like some odds on that bet but I like his measurements, athleticism, feel for the game, shooting form, handles, and defense. Given some time to develop, he could be a special player.

I’d be happy coming away with both Green and Bey in this draft. A Fox-Green-Bey combo could be the start of a promising, young perimeter.

• Green and Bey could provide spacing for Fox
• All 3 would have a good feel for the game
• All 3 would be able to handle the ball and find the open man
• All 3 could be potentially good to great defenders
• All 3 would have great size/length for their position
• Fox and Green would be an extremely athletic backcourt and Bey is at least above average athletically.

Im also somewhat high on Poku, P Williams, Nesmith, and J Smith but I feel more confident about those other two guys for some reason.

 

[kb02]

uhh, you're missing the point of Thybulle if you think this matters. 35.2% 3pt, with a 37% catch and shoot and 44.7% corner 3pt this season.

But he's legit like a top 5 perimeter defender in the game already. Every metric is off the charts for him and he likely gets more impactful once he gets more playing time as he gets older in the league.

Anyone who questions Thybulle just needs to watch the first Kings vs Sixers game this year where Thybulle picked Buddy's pocket like 4 times and changed the game with his defense (and spot up shooting).

 

[bajaden]

Anyone who questions Thybulle just needs to watch the first Kings vs Sixers game this year where Thybulle picked Buddy's pocket like 4 times and changed the game with his defense (and spot up shooting).

Look, I love Thybulle. I wanted him for the Kings before he got drafted, but picking Buddy's pocket is no great achievement. Sorry, I couldn't resist...

 

[kb02]

Look, I love Thybulle. I wanted him for the Kings before he got drafted, but picking Buddy's pocket is no great achievement. Sorry, I couldn't resist...

Oh, sooo true. Lolzzz.

 

[jiimbob]

I’m very high on Green. Higher than Baja (going off some earlier convos I had with him). I think he could end up being better than Vassell. I would like some odds on that bet but I like his measurements, athleticism, feel for the game, shooting form, handles, and defense. Given some time to develop, he could be a special player.

I’d be happy coming away with both Green and Bey in this draft. A Fox-Green-Bey combo could be the start of a promising, young perimeter.

• Green and Bey could provide spacing for Fox
• All 3 would have a good feel for the game
• All 3 would be able to handle the ball and find the open man
• All 3 could be potentially good to great defenders
• All 3 would have great size/length for their position
• Fox and Green would be an extremely athletic backcourt and Bey is at least above average athletically.

Im also somewhat high on Poku, P Williams, Nesmith, and J Smith but I feel more confident about those other two guys for some reason.

I like the thought process. From all the deficiencies I hear on both Buddy and Bogdan, unless one is happy coming off the bench I would be fine moving in an entirely different direction. This could be a young exciting core with Bagley on the same timeline.
I forgot, your also from Australia so having Green a King adds that extra something special.

 

[funkykingston]

The hard part for me with this draft is that the Kings clearly aren't one good role player away from competing.

They have Fox as a potential building block, a couple solid if overpaid role players, a question mark in Bagley who has yet to prove he's more than a decent big who struggles to stay healthy, and overall more questons than answers about the roster and how best to fix it.

So while I like guys like Bey, Vassell, and Nesmith, there's a part of me that says just grab Pokusevski if he's there at 12.

May as well gamble on guys with the highest upside. What's the worst that can happen? The Kings continue to be bad?

Other upside picks that will be around when the Kings pick are Patrick Williams and Josh Green who I agree will go higher than currently mocked.

 

[funkykingston]

I like the thought process. From all the deficiencies I hear on both Buddy and Bogdan, unless one is happy coming off the bench I would be fine moving in an entirely different direction. This could be a young exciting core with Bagley on the same timeline.

If we only keep one of the two I'd prefer Bogi. The Kings play better with him alongside Fox, plus the Kings get nothing if Bogdanovic walks while trading Buddy brings back value.

That said, there's something to be said for moving on from two SGs in their late 20's if the team really feels Bagley and Fox are core pieces.

Green and Bey wouldn't be a bad combo in that case.

 

[The_Jamal]

I’m very high on Green. Higher than Baja (going off some earlier convos I had with him). I think he could end up being better than Vassell. I would like some odds on that bet but I like his measurements, athleticism, feel for the game, shooting form, handles, and defense. Given some time to develop, he could be a special player.

I’d be happy coming away with both Green and Bey in this draft. A Fox-Green-Bey combo could be the start of a promising, young perimeter.

• Green and Bey could provide spacing for Fox
• All 3 would have a good feel for the game
• All 3 would be able to handle the ball and find the open man
• All 3 could be potentially good to great defenders
• All 3 would have great size/length for their position
• Fox and Green would be an extremely athletic backcourt and Bey is at least above average athletically.

Im also somewhat high on Poku, P Williams, Nesmith, and J Smith but I feel more confident about those other two guys for some reason.

Green had super high pedigree coming into this year but just got punted down draft boards after a rough start.

Looking into him more, the size, wingspan, athleticism and shooting upside is super intriguing. He struggled with creation off his own bounce, but I think there's enough there to be developed. If you don't give him too much offensive responsibility early, I think he can be effective with his shooting and a low USG.

Defensively, the versatility is just awesome. Perfectly fine with him guarding 2's and 3's in the NBA and he'll be able to shift down against 4's against small-ball teams and maybe a few PG's here and there. He's phenomenal using his athleticism to win angles defensively and has excellent lateral quickness. And with his wingspan/frame he's going to have a good physical size advantage over a lot of wings.

I think a reasonable impact comp is somewhere around Danny Green range, especially on the defensive end of the court. Super versatile wing defender who doesn't have a good on-ball creation package yet, but can still be impactful on offense with his shooting and in transition.

 

[The_Jamal]

The hard part for me with this draft is that the Kings clearly aren't one good role player away from competing.

They have Fox as a potential building block, a couple solid if overpaid role players, a question mark in Bagley who has yet to prove he's more than a decent big who struggles to stay healthy, and overall more questons than answers about the roster and how best to fix it.

So while I like guys like Bey, Vassell, and Nesmith, there's a part of me that says just grab Pokusevski if he's there at 12.

May as well gamble on guys with the highest upside. What's the worst that can happen? The Kings continue to be bad?

Other upside picks that will be around when the Kings pick are Patrick Williams and Josh Green who I agree will go higher than currently mocked.

Depends on what the plan is tbh. If we're committed to Fox-Bagley moving forward, then one of the wings like Bey, Vassell and NeSmith are the type of wings you want paired with them. Even still, there's just inherent value in grabbing wings in today's game while unicorn skill bigs like Poku are intriguing, still have to fight against the death of the big man.

 

[twslam07]

The hard part for me with this draft is that the Kings clearly aren't one good role player away from competing.

They have Fox as a potential building block, a couple solid if overpaid role players, a question mark in Bagley who has yet to prove he's more than a decent big who struggles to stay healthy, and overall more questons than answers about the roster and how best to fix it.

So while I like guys like Bey, Vassell, and Nesmith, there's a part of me that says just grab Pokusevski if he's there at 12.

May as well gamble on guys with the highest upside. What's the worst that can happen? The Kings continue to be bad?

Other upside picks that will be around when the Kings pick are Patrick Williams and Josh Green who I agree will go higher than currently mocked.

I wouldn’t be overly upset at picking Poku but I don’t necessarily look at Bey as having a limited ceiling. His ability to score off the dribble makes me think he has some potential as a scorer and he’s also a good passer and PnR player for his size. Look he’s not going to be LeBron but I could see his ceiling as Middleton. Lengthy wing who can do it all. He just likely won’t ever be the guy to lead a team as a #1 option.

 

[twslam07]

Green had super high pedigree coming into this year but just got punted down draft boards after a rough start.

Looking into him more, the size, wingspan, athleticism and shooting upside is super intriguing. He struggled with creation off his own bounce, but I think there's enough there to be developed. If you don't give him too much offensive responsibility early, I think he can be effective with his shooting and a low USG.

Defensively, the versatility is just awesome. Perfectly fine with him guarding 2's and 3's in the NBA and he'll be able to shift down against 4's against small-ball teams and maybe a few PG's here and there. He's phenomenal using his athleticism to win angles defensively and has excellent lateral quickness. And with his wingspan/frame he's going to have a good physical size advantage over a lot of wings.

I think a reasonable impact comp is somewhere around Danny Green range, especially on the defensive end of the court. Super versatile wing defender who doesn't have a good on-ball creation package yet, but can still be impactful on offense with his shooting and in transition.

I wouldn’t be shocked if he just turned into a 3&D player but his combination of athleticism and playmaking ability make me think he has some upside. Vision and feel for the game are hard to coach/teach/learn. Working on a couple go-to moves to help improve his scoring/1-on-1 game seems much more attainable.

I think that’s why I’m higher on him.

 

[funkykingston]

Depends on what the plan is tbh. If we're committed to Fox-Bagley moving forward, then one of the wings like Bey, Vassell and NeSmith are the type of wings you want paired with them. Even still, there's just inherent value in grabbing wings in today's game while unicorn skill bigs like Poku are intriguing, still have to fight against the death of the big man.

Hard to say. Unlike Vlade, McNair doesn't have a huge vested interest in Bagley's success.

It will be interesting to try and glean from the roster moves he makes whether he views Bagley as a potential core piece, a semi-fungible, rim-running big man or something in between.

Personally, I've come to the conclusion that if Bagley is going to be a useful piece he's going to do it at the center spot. So if the Kings are going to try and make he and Fox the core, you put them at the 1&5 and surround them with complimentary wings. So I agree with you but we'll have to wait and see if the new GM does.

 

[The_Jamal]

I wouldn’t be shocked if he just turned into a 3&D player but his combination of athleticism and playmaking ability make me think he has some upside. Vision and feel for the game are hard to coach/teach/learn. Working on a couple go-to moves to help improve his scoring/1-on-1 game seems much more attainable.

I think that’s why I’m higher on him.

Yeah I agree. I'm just saying I think there's a reasonable floor with him and feel relatively confident he'll be a rotation player at least with his defensive versatility and a really nice shot form that should lead to him being a spacer. His ceiling is all about how much he can develop his on-ball shot creation and on-ball playmaking. Pretty good spot for a kid who's still just 19 and has all the physical measurables needed to be a really good player.

 

[bajaden]

Where do I begin? OK, I like Green, and he may turnout to be one of the best players in this draft a couple of years from now. Or, maybe he won't. So, is he a better player than Vassell? in my opinion, no, not at the moment. Is he a better player than Saddiq Bey? No again, not at the moment. How about Nesmith? No! Is he a better player than Kira Lewis? You know what, I don't think so. So then why are we even talking about him at 12? Unless you think none of those players have any ceiling left or that his ceiling will be higher than any of them.

Green is a very good athlete, and looks like he'll be a good defender. But even if Green exceeds everyone's expectations, how good will he be? I don't ask that in a critical way, but in a curious way. How good do you really think he can be. I also ask because I can articulate that answer when it comes to Vassell, Bey, Nesmith and Lewis, but I have trouble when it comes Green. He's more of a mystery to me than the others. He doesn't have that one thing you can hang your hat on like the others do. Doesn't mean he won't be as good or better than them, but right now, they're more proven than him. I guess I like to go with more proven commodities.

Hey, I didn't think that Tyler Herro would be as good as he is. You just never know..