Telemachus
Starter
I found this humorous. There are dozens of similar examples.
KINGS PICKING 4TH IN 2022 NBA DRAFT!
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He's like Michael Jordan but there's a little too much Kobe in him which may limit his success.
Telemachus
Starter
I have lost count of how many prospects have been compared to Jordan over the years. Even guys like Harold Miner who was called Baby Jordan.
LPKingsFan
All-Star
Some comps for this year, same cautionary tale. If Branham is Middleton, how is he not a top 5 prospect?
For entertainment value:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2956722-pro-comparisons-for-top-projected-2022-nba-draft-picks
For entertainment value:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2956722-pro-comparisons-for-top-projected-2022-nba-draft-picks
Jaden Ivey is growing on me the last few days. Reading/watching more on his off-ball game at Purdue is making me a lot more confident this thing can work, if he proves he can shoot at the NBA level. And I'm just thinking more and more about how the Kings can get an edge over everyone else; Fox/Ivey/Mitchell speed is certainly a key way to do it. Ivey's biggest strength too is his ability to collapse the paint with the ability to still kick to shooters; something that's a 100% requirement to advance in the playoffs. If Davion's offense continues to translate from the end of last season, that'd give the Kings 4 options to do exactly that. The defense will suck, but I almost don't think I care at this point. Perhaps Ivey develops, but we're pretty much all-in on offense anyway with Sabonis at C and Fox as the main PoA defender. Just triple down on it, play as the fastest team in the NBA and see where that takes us.
I'd still take Murray 4 I'm pretty sure, but I do see the case for Ivey quite a bit more clearly now than I did a week ago.
I'd still take Murray 4 I'm pretty sure, but I do see the case for Ivey quite a bit more clearly now than I did a week ago.
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Well it was all about winning dunk contests and not rings apparently.
because if you're gonna talk about rings, you need to talk about Kings legend Bill Russell.
too soon? it's always too soon 
QWERTYLICIOUS
Starter
This is precisely why I DESPISE draft comparisons. They mean NOTHING to me. And they mean nothing to me because, for a select few players in the history of the NBA, no one really compares to them. Not at the high school level. Not at the collegiate level. Not at the professional level. And most definitely not at the "play a random pick up game in front of your mother's house" level. It's meaningless to me. It's useless. I don't care that some college kid is being compared to Michael Jordan. I care about how that college kid will help my team. Telling me that he will help my team because he is being compared to Michael Jordan is pretty much just like me opening up presents Christmas morning. I hope for something spectacular, and I end up with a bunch of useless mediocrity.
That's got to go down as an all-time classic comp! nbadraft.net has gotten a little better with their comparisons but every year there are some real head scratchers like this year they've got Tari Eason = Marcus Morris and Jeremy Sochan = Kyle Kuzma. I can't even envision what would lead someone to make those comparisons.
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I get the desire for comparisons.
For someone that doesn't follow college basketball and/or just isn't familiar with top prospects, it gives them at least a reference point about what type of player a kid is. And it's just an easy way to communicate some info. Just yesterday (I think) I said Sochan gives off a bit of taller, skinnier Draymond-like vibes. Sometimes you watch a player and they just remind you of someone with the way they play.
That said, trying to find a comp for a guy like Holmgren is a bit pointless. And bad comps aren't useful at all. I don't understand why I keep seeing Blake Griffin as a comp for Banchero for instance. Or those comps where a guy likely to be drafted at the end of the 1st or early 2nd round is being compared to an established NBA all-star.
For someone that doesn't follow college basketball and/or just isn't familiar with top prospects, it gives them at least a reference point about what type of player a kid is. And it's just an easy way to communicate some info. Just yesterday (I think) I said Sochan gives off a bit of taller, skinnier Draymond-like vibes. Sometimes you watch a player and they just remind you of someone with the way they play.
That said, trying to find a comp for a guy like Holmgren is a bit pointless. And bad comps aren't useful at all. I don't understand why I keep seeing Blake Griffin as a comp for Banchero for instance. Or those comps where a guy likely to be drafted at the end of the 1st or early 2nd round is being compared to an established NBA all-star.
steelevt
All-Star
QWERTYLICIOUS
Starter
The question now becomes...Why the heck do we draft a guy who doesn't consider us to be one of his "preferred destinations"? This type of a move, especially with that fact being out in the public for all to view, has the potential of causing even more dysfunctionality in a team that is already widely considered to be one of most dysfunctional franchises in all of sports.
Livinthedream
All-Star
Awesome. So Ivey doesn't want to play here. I wouldn't blame him. No top 5 player wants to go to a situation where he's going to come off the bench and have his growth stunted.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
NBAdraft.net has come a long way with its comps though. And I think comps are the biggest key when it comes to scouting players. You have to have some frame of reference of what is successful in the league at any given time and being like someone else is a good indicator when it comes top physical aptitude. There really are only a few different archetypes when it comes to players as it is.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Heard this on Deuce and Mo, and I agree with Deuce at this point. BULL**** until further notice. Givony exposed himself a few years ago to me when it came to him being used as a tool for other teams to manipulate the draft order in their favor. This is the best thing that could come out IMO. This means that teams behind the Kings are SEETHING, and now getting desperate. They tried to push the Murray, Sharpe, trade down/out narrative from day 1. One of those things may end up happening but it will be with Monte getting some major love in the process from one of these desperate teams. My guess right now is this is coming from a team like NY. They were at the Ivey workout, they clearly want him badly, and now they are trying to see if they can put pressure on Sac. Even if this were true, oh well, pay up.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Yeah, just give a team like Detroit or Indy exactly what they want. Wait a minute, there might be a connection you think? Yeah Monte should trade that pick down for Randle/11. That's the ticket. LOL.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Sacramento is never high on any agents list. That's not news, haha. Teams think they can get Monte to blink and if they can't, they can certainly get Vivek to blink. Givony slides in a lot of maybes, or might be's. That's not news. That's narrative. I heard he tacked on the "The Warriors really like Keegan Murray". OK, if that isn't a desperate plea for help from teams behind 4 to get Vivek to jump up and do exactly what they want I don't know what is, lol.
Even if the starting PG slot was open, I don't think this would be a preferred destination. Fox, Giles and Haliburton are the only players I can think of in recent memory that were actually glad to be drafted by Sacramento. No one else wants to come here. There's better markets out there with better owners with higher odds of becoming a star while also making the playoffs.
I wouldn't blame Ivey one bit for not wanting to come here. There's nothing about our current situation that is appealing to him, especially at the position he plays.
Do I think he would give it 100% if he did get drafted by us? Of course. I don't think he would leave tens of millions of dollars on the table for nothing.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
And most of them can't escape their fate. They'll end up here anyway. Barnes/Sabonis both steered clear around draft time. YOU WON'T ESCAPE! haha.
The beauty is McNair has proven he doesn't give one flying f___. If Ivey is on top of his board, he'll take him and figure it out later. He drafted Mitchell last year without a workout and barely talking to him with Fox/Hali/Buddy. He drafted Hali with Fox/Buddy/Bogi RFA rights. This is just moreso agent speak to me and not wanting his client to go to a team with a young established guard rotation already.
The Kings are a bad franchise until proven otherwise. For that alone, prospects are going to be a bit wary of getting drafted by Sacramento.
But in Ivey's case, he and his team see the same thing we all do - he's not a natural fit alongside Fox. So I don't really take anything away from this beyond that Jaden Ivey is probably right to not have the Kings as a "preferred" destination.
But if McNair thinks he's clearly the top talent available at #4 then you draft him and figure it out.
Personally, Jaden Ivey isn't my ideal pick in this draft either, and for some of the same reasons. So trade up if there's a deal that makes sense (#4 and a lightly protected future FRP for #2?) or see if there's a trade down deal that makes sense (#4 and Holmes to CHA for Washington, #13, #15 and maybe a lotto protected FRP? Or squeeze an asset out of DET or IND to move down a spot or two?). If not, draft Ivey if the top 3 go chalk. Right now the goal is to acquire as much talent as possible.
But in Ivey's case, he and his team see the same thing we all do - he's not a natural fit alongside Fox. So I don't really take anything away from this beyond that Jaden Ivey is probably right to not have the Kings as a "preferred" destination.
But if McNair thinks he's clearly the top talent available at #4 then you draft him and figure it out.
Personally, Jaden Ivey isn't my ideal pick in this draft either, and for some of the same reasons. So trade up if there's a deal that makes sense (#4 and a lightly protected future FRP for #2?) or see if there's a trade down deal that makes sense (#4 and Holmes to CHA for Washington, #13, #15 and maybe a lotto protected FRP? Or squeeze an asset out of DET or IND to move down a spot or two?). If not, draft Ivey if the top 3 go chalk. Right now the goal is to acquire as much talent as possible.
QWERTYLICIOUS
Starter
We should trade up for Banchero. Do it, Monte! Make your BOLD move NOW.
(Sarcasm level is on a steady incline with this post)
(Sarcasm level is on a steady incline with this post)
Telemachus
Starter
It's almost as bad as Ham comparing Keegan Murray to Marvin Williams.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Yep, and even if he doesn't think that, you make sure other teams think that you do and let THEM beat your door down with offers.
If he's not the ideal fit but Monte is convinced he's BPA then draft him you have all evening to work out a trade and a training camp to make it work if nothing comes of it.
Honestly our pick is going to be the most valuable as a deal piece in the time between Houston's selection being announced and about Portland picking. If it's Ivey he will have more valuable once we actually pick him and a team in that range that coveted him and can give us Murray plus sweetener or another player Monte covets plus even more sweetener I would be totally fine with a trade down. But I'd like a bird in hand scenario.
Telemachus
Starter
I know what you mean. The problem often comes from fans taking the comparison too literally. For instance, the comparison I have heard with Ivey is that he gets downhill like Wade or Westbrook. True statement. However, the rest of his game isn't like those players. All fans hear is Ivey is the next Wade.
I was watching video on Dalen Terry a couple weeks ago and his play reminded me a lot Robert Horry. That doesn't mean he think he will be the same player.
QWERTYLICIOUS
Starter
Agreed. Player comparisons are never meant to be taken literally. The issue is, as Telemachus eluded to, that a lot of fans tend to take the comparisons literally. And then they act all surprised 5 years later when that player ends up becoming just another statistic.
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SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
And this is all about saying someone is "LIKE" someone. For instance, a Wade comparison is saying hey, great athlete, downhill stud, sketchy shot, same basic size, probably not enough playmaking to be a franchise PG. For comps to make sense they have to be an accumulation of all positives and negatives. To me, Ivey is far more LIKE Wade/Mitchell than Morant or even Westbrook. And NBAdraft.net would likely never compare players unless they were similar in build or position. Yeah, this is the problem when comparing a probable PF/SF tweener-ish player like Murray to legit playmaking wings like Tatum. Take away Lukas ability to run an offense and he's probably closer to Mario Hezonja in some ways. Take away playmaking from a PF/SF and he's probably closer to Harrison Barnes or Tobias Harris. Speaking of Horry, that could be a decent comp for Murray in terms of eventual role, but obviously Murray has more skills offensively than Horry did.
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