If the Draft Were Today...

[AMR42700]

If the NBA draft were today and the Kings stood pat at 12, who would you pick? I was happy we didnt move down and was pretty much resigned to staying at 12 as a "victory" during the lottery. I was thinking of some of the "upper echelon" prospects and not all of them excite me.
As you move down the draft, perhaps somewhere from pick 9 or 10 down, everyone seems to be about the same. Solid players mixed in perhaps with several all stars/borderline all stars with time. In fact the second round picks sort of fit that mold too, so having three of them isnt that bad.

I think at 12 Nesmith is in the conversation, Saddiq Bey. Perhaps Precious Achiuwa, Patrick Williams.

I like Nesmith and think he has potential and I also like Bey. Thats the hard part about this draft. They are all close in terms of talent and potential. I could see Patrick Williams being a good player but I could also see him out of the league in two years.

I think it will be between Nesmith and Bey. One could make a case for Kira Lewis Jr too as the perfect backup to Fox bc of his speed and the defense would have 100mph of point guards coming at them for 48 min. Thats tiring for any team no matter how good their defense is.

If Cole Anthony slips, one could make a case as that being the best talent. He would come off the bench as a good scoring option. He doesnt seem to be the type who would want that role long term though.

In the second round, we have picks 35, 43, and 52. Tyler Bey seems like a great pick at 35 if hes there. Xavier Tillman is not Draymond Green but he could be a talent being slept on like Green.

At 43 if one of Bey or Tillman is there you take them. Or Markus Howard from Marquette. Hes only 5"11 but every opposition coach he played against says teams are sleeping on him. Tankathon had him at 52 and if hes there hes a "no brainer" pick to me. I would think about him at 43 too.

If Howard has already been taken then at 52 i would take a flyer on Kenyon Martin Jr. If he panned out that would be very super low risk. Or the undervalued Elijah Hughes bc of his older age or an international draft and stash like Yam Haddar.

Thoughts?

 

[Hoovtrain]

Yes would mike some draft prospect breakdowns of guys in the Kings range by our resident draft gurus . I don’t know much about this years draft class. My bro in law really likes Killian Hayes and I think I do as well based on what I’ve read

 

[Iced Espresso]

I'm hoping J Mcdaniels falls into the second round, and we can grab him at 35

 

[beb0p]

I like Vassell, Saddiq Bey, and Nesmith in that order

I usually don't like taking 3 and D in the lottery but Vassell is so off the chart in D, I am making an exception. He'll be one of those few guys who make the ESPN highlights not with his offense.

Bey is just an all-around player - not as dynamic as Vassell but more of a boring/dependable switchable wing who fit just about any role you throw at him. Not a star but likely a solid starter. Just big enough to masquerade as a stretch four. He is a little like Harrison Barnes but less of a ball stopper and better at passing/ball handling; I think Bey is a better fit than Barnes, at least on paper.

Nesmith has a chance to be a star because his shooting is elite but he is quite one dimensional. He is like a bigger Buddy Hield with just enough size to play SF. If the team is going to trade Hield, then Nesmith can pretty much step right in and play the same role in the same set (with the normal rookie learning curve of course). Nesmith can play both SG/SF, which makes him potentially a good fit with the Kings' backcourt.


In the 2nd round I'm digging Abdoulaye Ndoye. On paper he is a PG.... but check this out, he is 6'7", 7'-2" wingspan, quick laterally, has a knack for steals, and can lock down 1,2, and 3. As a PG he is a turnover machine... but he is not a PG - he is a 3 and D big wing with ball handling/passing hiding in plain sight. Shot the threes with respectable rate but on very low volume. If he can hit the threes consistently, he's the steal of the 2nd round. He looks like a bigger Garrett Temple with potential to be more.

.

 

[Folsomkingsfan]

Yes would mike some draft prospect breakdowns of guys in the Kings range by our resident draft gurus . I don’t know much about this years draft class. My bro in law really likes Killian Hayes and I think I do as well based on what I’ve read

I’m probably higher on Hayes than most people. I actually like him more than any other prospect in this draft and think he has James Harden written all over him. His ability to stop on a dime, change direction/speed, body control in air, and step back ability are insane for his age. Not sure where he goes in the draft, I’ve seen him anywhere from 4th to out of the lottery entirely. He’s who I’m hoping for though.

 

[Hoovtrain]

I’m probably higher on Hayes than most people. I actually like him more than any other prospect in this draft and think he has James Harden written all over him. His ability to stop on a dime, change direction/speed, body control in air, and step back ability are insane for his age. Not sure where he goes in the draft, I’ve seen him anywhere from 4th to out of the lottery entirely. He’s who I’m hoping for though.

his size and ball handling ability also intrigue me

 

[sactowndog]

If the NBA draft were today and the Kings stood pat at 12, who would you pick? I was happy we didnt move down and was pretty much resigned to staying at 12 as a "victory" during the lottery. I was thinking of some of the "upper echelon" prospects and not all of them excite me.
As you move down the draft, perhaps somewhere from pick 9 or 10 down, everyone seems to be about the same. Solid players mixed in perhaps with several all stars/borderline all stars with time. In fact the second round picks sort of fit that mold too, so having three of them isnt that bad.

I think at 12 Nesmith is in the conversation, Saddiq Bey. Perhaps Precious Achiuwa, Patrick Williams.

I like Nesmith and think he has potential and I also like Bey. Thats the hard part about this draft. They are all close in terms of talent and potential. I could see Patrick Williams being a good player but I could also see him out of the league in two years.

I think it will be between Nesmith and Bey. One could make a case for Kira Lewis Jr too as the perfect backup to Fox bc of his speed and the defense would have 100mph of point guards coming at them for 48 min. Thats tiring for any team no matter how good their defense is.

If Cole Anthony slips, one could make a case as that being the best talent. He would come off the bench as a good scoring option. He doesnt seem to be the type who would want that role long term though.

In the second round, we have picks 35, 43, and 52. Tyler Bey seems like a great pick at 35 if hes there. Xavier Tillman is not Draymond Green but he could be a talent being slept on like Green.

At 43 if one of Bey or Tillman is there you take them. Or Markus Howard from Marquette. Hes only 5"11 but every opposition coach he played against says teams are sleeping on him. Tankathon had him at 52 and if hes there hes a "no brainer" pick to me. I would think about him at 43 too.

If Howard has already been taken then at 52 i would take a flyer on Kenyon Martin Jr. If he panned out that would be very super low risk. Or the undervalued Elijah Hughes bc of his older age or an international draft and stash like Yam Haddar.

Thoughts?

Patrick Williams is the name most mock drafts have us taking.

most likely gone before we pick: Vassell, Avdija, Okuro.

Spurs will be a wild card and could pick: Nesmith, Williams, Bey or Achiuwa.

Hayes has almost no chance of falling past Pheonix

 

[sactowndog]

I'm hoping J Mcdaniels falls into the second round, and we can grab him at 35

I would look to trade Belicia to get late in the first round and take him on a flyer.

 

[gunks]

I don't know jack about any prospects, but I'd be happy with a 3 and D guy.

I think as we enter rebuild #324, having a bunch of guys on the team who play hard and care about both ends of the court could go a long way to fixing the softie culture around here. Especially if Holmes and Baze stick around.

But I'm curious, any swing for the fences type high risk/high reward players that'll be around at 12? Could be worth a shot this year, if the "safe" prospects around 12 are truly lackluster.

 

[dude12]

Need some videos on the players being discussed

 

[SLAB]

The only prospect I ever truly dove into to learn about and watch was Luka, and my heart was eventually broken. I’m not even going to bother with these late lottery wildcards and just hope for the best.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

But I'm curious, any swing for the fences type high risk/high reward players that'll be around at 12? Could be worth a shot this year, if the "safe" prospects around 12 are truly lackluster.

Right now I would say that for me, two prospects of that nature stand out.

First is Aleksej Pokusevski, who has been talked about a decent bit on here. 18-year old 7-foot big man who looks to be able to handle, pass, shoot from deep, and play defense. The catch is that he's so horribly skinny that he makes The Machinist look like he's in good health. If he eventually puts on enough weight to bang on the court with the big boys he could have a sort of Jokic/Porzingis flavor to him.

Second is R.J. Hampton. Reclassed to graduate "early" (given his age he reclassed to graduate "on time") and skipped college to play a year professionally in New Zealand. I hear the returns didn't go so well. But when I watch his highlights, I see a lot of Mamba in this kid. 6'5", fast and athletic, can shoot, can drive, tries to play hard on D, has all the confidence and swagger in the world. His dad was a college player at SMU who didn't make the league, but it's clear he's been coached from a young age. Compare these two videos. In the first, R.J. Hampton breaks down his game with Mike Schmitz:

He's clearly a student of the game. Compare that to Mike Schmitz breaking down tape with potential #1 overall pick LaMelo Ball:

LaMelo has talent, but he doesn't show any sort of academic understanding of the game. He just goes out there and does his thing. This isn't meant to be a diss on LaMelo, but Hampton strikes me as a much smarter player.

I'm really beginning to talk myself into Hampton. Clearly he's got some risk involved, but we can either try to find a rotation player in this draft (shouldn't be too hard at #12) or we can swing for the fences. I'm just not sure what good a rotation player does the Kings right now. So I'm all for swinging for the fences. Right now, Hampton is my swing for the fences guy.

 

[jiimbob]

If the draft were today and either Vassell or Lewis were still on board thats my pick. Vassell before Lewis.
AMR42700 I believe your new to these boards so may not have navigated around much but under Sports and Prospects there is some good conversation, worth a look, on the upcoming draft and players. Regardless great post.

 

[sactowndog]

I don't know jack about any prospects, but I'd be happy with a 3 and D guy.

I think as we enter rebuild #324, having a bunch of guys on the team who play hard and care about both ends of the court could go a long way to fixing the softie culture around here. Especially if Holmes and Baze stick around.

But I'm curious, any swing for the fences type high risk/high reward players that'll be around at 12? Could be worth a shot this year, if the "safe" prospects around 12 are truly lackluster.

Patrick Williams is the biggest Boom Bust guy of the swing players.

 

[Groovygreg]

Right now I would say that for me, two prospects of that nature stand out.

First is Aleksej Pokusevski, who has been talked about a decent bit on here. 18-year old 7-foot big man who looks to be able to handle, pass, shoot from deep, and play defense. The catch is that he's so horribly skinny that he makes The Machinist look like he's in good health. If he eventually puts on enough weight to bang on the court with the big boys he could have a sort of Jokic/Porzingis flavor to him.

Second is R.J. Hampton. Reclassed to graduate "early" (given his age he reclassed to graduate "on time") and skipped college to play a year professionally in New Zealand. I hear the returns didn't go so well. But when I watch his highlights, I see a lot of Mamba in this kid. 6'5", fast and athletic, can shoot, can drive, tries to play hard on D, has all the confidence and swagger in the world. His dad was a college player at SMU who didn't make the league, but it's clear he's been coached from a young age. Compare these two videos. In the first, R.J. Hampton breaks down his game with Mike Schmitz:

He's clearly a student of the game. Compare that to Mike Schmitz breaking down tape with potential #1 overall pick LaMelo Ball:

LaMelo has talent, but he doesn't show any sort of academic understanding of the game. He just goes out there and does his thing. This isn't meant to be a diss on LaMelo, but Hampton strikes me as a much smarter player.

I'm really beginning to talk myself into Hampton. Clearly he's got some risk involved, but we can either try to find a rotation player in this draft (shouldn't be too hard at #12) or we can swing for the fences. I'm just not sure what good a rotation player does the Kings right now. So I'm all for swinging for the fences. Right now, Hampton is my swing for the fences guy.

I like what I see (and hear) from RJ.

 

[kb02]

Right now I would say that for me, two prospects of that nature stand out.

First is Aleksej Pokusevski, who has been talked about a decent bit on here. 18-year old 7-foot big man who looks to be able to handle, pass, shoot from deep, and play defense. The catch is that he's so horribly skinny that he makes The Machinist look like he's in good health. If he eventually puts on enough weight to bang on the court with the big boys he could have a sort of Jokic/Porzingis flavor to him.

Second is R.J. Hampton. Reclassed to graduate "early" (given his age he reclassed to graduate "on time") and skipped college to play a year professionally in New Zealand. I hear the returns didn't go so well. But when I watch his highlights, I see a lot of Mamba in this kid. 6'5", fast and athletic, can shoot, can drive, tries to play hard on D, has all the confidence and swagger in the world. His dad was a college player at SMU who didn't make the league, but it's clear he's been coached from a young age. Compare these two videos. In the first, R.J. Hampton breaks down his game with Mike Schmitz:

He's clearly a student of the game. Compare that to Mike Schmitz breaking down tape with potential #1 overall pick LaMelo Ball:

LaMelo has talent, but he doesn't show any sort of academic understanding of the game. He just goes out there and does his thing. This isn't meant to be a diss on LaMelo, but Hampton strikes me as a much smarter player.

I'm really beginning to talk myself into Hampton. Clearly he's got some risk involved, but we can either try to find a rotation player in this draft (shouldn't be too hard at #12) or we can swing for the fences. I'm just not sure what good a rotation player does the Kings right now. So I'm all for swinging for the fences. Right now, Hampton is my swing for the fences guy.

Been doing a deeper dive on RJ Hampton since your post. He's in the 10 - 20 range right now and I can clearly see him rising into the top 10. Moves like Lavine and can clearly see him becoming a star. Lacks the range that Lavine had as a Freshman, but the length and explosion are Lavine-esq. And he's apparently still growing.

Which leads to the question of whether he'll be there at 12? Vassell, Bey, Nesmith, Achiuwa, and Williams are kinda what's your flavor type of prospects. Part fit, part how much do you believe in your development system. Hampton is a pure upside play.

I am for the highest upside pick at 12. If he's there, yes.

 

[sactowndog]

I’m probably higher on Hayes than most people. I actually like him more than any other prospect in this draft and think he has James Harden written all over him. His ability to stop on a dime, change direction/speed, body control in air, and step back ability are insane for his age. Not sure where he goes in the draft, I’ve seen him anywhere from 4th to out of the lottery entirely. He’s who I’m hoping for though.

one thought. Trade Hield to Atlanta for 6 and draft Hayes

 

[SacTownKid]

Right now. Isaiah Stewart, Oturu, or Precious. Stewart being the player I think could fit next to Bagley long term if he develops that jump shot. Bagley will hit players with quickness and Stewart will simply physical envelop them. Both can run pnr with Fox and in time should work as a reversible inside/out combo.

 

[The_Jamal]

one thought. Trade Hield to Atlanta for 6 and draft Hayes

Yeah this has been floating around twitter today. Was brought up on the Bill Simmons podcast and they all liked it from ATL perspective.

Think it makes a ton of sense for both sides. ATL is obviously ready to move in with acquiring Capela at the deadline and Buddy is a really nice compliment to their young wings and can take offensive pressure off Trae. Also that shooting is pretty insane and would be real fun to watch. Another young player in a weaker draft doesn't help them try and take a leap next season. Buddy certainly would.

For us, we clear a long-term contract, we clear playing time for Bogi where it makes sense to pay him this off-season and we get a good reset asset. 6 puts you well within range to draft a Hayes, Halliburton or Vassell and you can still nab another wing at 12 like Saddiq, Nesmith or Patrick Williams.

 

[kb02]

Yeah this has been floating around twitter today. Was brought up on the Bill Simmons podcast and they all liked it from ATL perspective.

Think it makes a ton of sense for both sides. ATL is obviously ready to move in with acquiring Capela at the deadline and Buddy is a really nice compliment to their young wings and can take offensive pressure off Trae. Also that shooting is pretty insane and would be real fun to watch. Another young player in a weaker draft doesn't help them try and take a leap next season. Buddy certainly would.

For us, we clear a long-term contract, we clear playing time for Bogi where it makes sense to pay him this off-season and we get a good reset asset. 6 puts you well within range to draft a Hayes, Halliburton or Vassell and you can still nab another wing at 12 like Saddiq, Nesmith or Patrick Williams.

The problem is I don't think Hield alone gets you #6. Primarily because of his contract. Kings would need to add.

 

[mac]

Yeah this has been floating around twitter today. Was brought up on the Bill Simmons podcast and they all liked it from ATL perspective.

Think it makes a ton of sense for both sides. ATL is obviously ready to move in with acquiring Capela at the deadline and Buddy is a really nice compliment to their young wings and can take offensive pressure off Trae. Also that shooting is pretty insane and would be real fun to watch. Another young player in a weaker draft doesn't help them try and take a leap next season. Buddy certainly would.

For us, we clear a long-term contract, we clear playing time for Bogi where it makes sense to pay him this off-season and we get a good reset asset. 6 puts you well within range to draft a Hayes, Halliburton or Vassell and you can still nab another wing at 12 like Saddiq, Nesmith or Patrick Williams.

Sounds like a talent giveaway if you ask me, what with all this talk of the draft being weak. We could be trading Buddy for the next Ben Mclemore

 

[SacTownKid]

Hayes is one of only a few guards that pass the eye test. Problem is you'd still be trading an ideal player next to Fox for someone that gets in his way. I just simply don't see the point. Pun intended. Haliburton scares me a little if you expect him to be a star. He's a little slow turning that corner on pick and roll and if you expect him to be a franchise level lead guard that could be your bust ability right there alone. However, at least I can see him transitioning to being a combo G and fitting at SG. Hayes is still more of a slasher/lead guard type.

 

[AMR42700]

If the draft were today and either Vassell or Lewis were still on board thats my pick. Vassell before Lewis.
AMR42700 I believe your new to these boards so may not have navigated around much but under Sports and Prospects there is some good conversation, worth a look, on the upcoming draft and players. Regardless great post.

Yes new but I post something here and there. Yeah I saw those sections. Thought a separate post lottery post might be good discussion.

 

[AMR42700]

Been doing a deeper dive on RJ Hampton since your post. He's in the 10 - 20 range right now and I can clearly see him rising into the top 10. Moves like Lavine and can clearly see him becoming a star. Lacks the range that Lavine had as a Freshman, but the length and explosion are Lavine-esq. And he's apparently still growing.

Which leads to the question of whether he'll be there at 12? Vassell, Bey, Nesmith, Achiuwa, and Williams are kinda what's your flavor type of prospects. Part fit, part how much do you believe in your development system. Hampton is a pure upside play.

I am for the highest upside pick at 12. If he's there, yes.

Yes I forgot to include him in my original post but he certainly does mirror Lavine in quite a number of different ways. His mannerisms, drives etc. He is more articulate when speaking than Lavine. The thing that is encouraging about him is how aggressive he is at driving. On NBA 2K Brent Barry provides some of the commentary and he discusses having three guards/forwards in the lineup that can handle the ball so they all can attack the defense at any single moment. Since he is a listed GM candidate, Hampton's potential and play style certainly seems to fit that vision. He might be one of those players that gets slept on a bit bc he played in New Zealand. He produced there. Playing in NZ as opposed to Kentucky might drop him to our area. I have a feeling if he went to Kentucky or Duke he would be top 5 for sure. He is certainly another very viable candidate.

Im also intrigued by the possibility of trading Buddy for six. It seems like its Buddy or Bogi and Bogi has more all around skills than Buddy. If Buddy really only is a sixth man because of other deficiencies, getting the sixth pick which could be Avdija or Toppin is very intriguing. This draft seems to be deep with rotation/starter level players and a few all stars will come out of this draft but perhaps at pick 6 or 10 or 12 as opposed to 1, 2, 3. Having two shots at one of those players is better than one.

 

[ESP47]

Hayes is one of only a few guards that pass the eye test. Problem is you'd still be trading an ideal player next to Fox for someone that gets in his way. I just simply don't see the point. Pun intended. Haliburton scares me a little if you expect him to be a star. He's a little slow turning that corner on pick and roll and if you expect him to be a franchise level lead guard that could be your bust ability right there alone. However, at least I can see him transitioning to being a combo G and fitting at SG. Hayes is still more of a slasher/lead guard type.

This is exactly the line of thinking that cost us Doncic.

There are lots of successful teams with multiple ball handlers. Fox isn't Chris Paul and can't just orchestrate the offense on his own for 36 minutes a night. For reference, Chris Paul averaged more assists sharing the ball with Harden than Fox does running the Kings offense.

Adding a player next to Fox that can average over 5 assists a game would help the team immensely. They might not be as good as the Lowry/VanVleet pairing because of Fox's shooting but there's no reason Fox can't get back to 35% or more beyond the arc if he has someone getting him open looks instead of constantly having to pull up off the dribble.

 

[kb02]

Yes I forgot to include him in my original post but he certainly does mirror Lavine in quite a number of different ways. His mannerisms, drives etc. He is more articulate when speaking than Lavine. The thing that is encouraging about him is how aggressive he is at driving. On NBA 2K Brent Barry provides some of the commentary and he discusses having three guards/forwards in the lineup that can handle the ball so they all can attack the defense at any single moment. Since he is a listed GM candidate, Hampton's potential and play style certainly seems to fit that vision. He might be one of those players that gets slept on a bit bc he played in New Zealand. He produced there. Playing in NZ as opposed to Kentucky might drop him to our area. I have a feeling if he went to Kentucky or Duke he would be top 5 for sure. He is certainly another very viable candidate.

Im also intrigued by the possibility of trading Buddy for six. It seems like its Buddy or Bogi and Bogi has more all around skills than Buddy. If Buddy really only is a sixth man because of other deficiencies, getting the sixth pick which could be Avdija or Toppin is very intriguing. This draft seems to be deep with rotation/starter level players and a few all stars will come out of this draft but perhaps at pick 6 or 10 or 12 as opposed to 1, 2, 3. Having two shots at one of those players is better than one.

As noted above, I don't think Buddy gets us #6. His value around the league is pretty low. Without the contract, the bad attitude, sub par play in the bubble, and the hot/cold play this year, he would net #6. But right now, most see him as par to negative value. Most in terms of fans from around the league.

 

[ESP47]

Been watching tape on RJ Hampton and I'm not impressed. He reminds me of Emmanuel Mudiay. He would have to improve a lot on nearly every basketball skill other than driving to the rim. More than likely unplayable next to Fox.

His defense is horrific as well. His defensive footwork makes Hield look like a DPOY candidate.

 

[AMR42700]

As noted above, I don't think Buddy gets us #6. His value around the league is pretty low. Without the contract, the bad attitude, sub par play in the bubble, and the hot/cold play this year, he would net #6. But right now, most see him as par to negative value. Most in terms of fans from around the league.

I dont think we know for sure what his value is, but IF Atlanta does put that deal on the table then its something to consider. Hes an elite 3 pt shooter and elite skills give a team a shot at getting something of value. Time will tell.

 

[mac]

I dont think we know for sure what his value is, but IF Atlanta does put that deal on the table then its something to consider. Hes an elite 3 pt shooter and elite skills give a team a shot at getting something of value. Time will tell.

I would not give Buddy Hield up for the #6. You guys are undervaluing what he can do when used properly.

 

[KingsFanSince85]

This is exactly the line of thinking that cost us Doncic.

Agree with you in principle. But totally different players and situations. #77 is 6’7, 6’8 and 230 pounds. He can play numerous positions, isn’t one-hand dominant, and is a respectable shooter.

Hayes is a guard only. And pretty much only a PG, playmaker. With no better a 3 point shot than Fox.

Thinking #77 couldn’t play with Swipa was short-sighted and rather ridiculous. However that‘s a legit concern with Hayes.