Kings select for the 8th pick - Nik Stauskas

[upinsmoke]

"Nick Rocks" - Wow, that's awkward.

Well he is a wealthy Palo Alto guy after all, it seemed cool to him.

 

[John Galt]

That is a very interesting watch. Only 6.30 in but great insight. Encouraging to see that PDA was aggressive in trying to move up to 3 to get Embiid but they didn't bite. And Philly wanted to offer 10 and 2 2nd rounders for 8, we didn't take it. Can understand that.

Little more confident in PDA when you hear him talking about actual basketball stuff rather than the gimmicky publicity stuff. He does seem to be aware of what we need re defense. Vivek makes me nervous... Love him, but I really hope he's not part of the basketball making decisions. He's too much of a casual fan, easily impressed by stuff he shouldn't be. I'm probably being harsh there but still makes me a little nervous.

Well, at 10 we'd have had one of: Stauskas, Peyton, McDermott or Vonleh plus two second rounders. Vonleh really made his way into the doghouse somehow and not just with the Kings. I'm not sure why it was easy and unanimous for us to turn that down. Not like a clear star was going to be snatched from under us and make somebody look bad.

VR seems so smitten with Chris Mullen it is funny. Like he's James Dean or something. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I do love the marketing end of the Kings right now. I enjoy very much the draft war room thing and I'm glad they're doing it, even though it is irresistible to pick on Vivek's ego and man love for Mully - not that there's anything wrong with that and it would actually be a pretty good name for an alternative music group "Man Love For Mully". Kind of rolls off the tongue like Death Cab for Cutie.

 

[randymoss1881]

From the video PDA said Boston might take Stauskas at 5 that suprised me more teams rated high. I also like that we tried for Embiid we did try to make big moves. I'm sure it would have been Ben/8

 

[John Galt]

From the video PDA said Boston might take Stauskas at 5 that suprised me more teams rated high. I also like that we tried for Embiid we did try to make big moves. I'm sure it would have been Ben/8

Boston fake-out. PDA maybe a touch naive.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

From that video it was pretty obvious Vivek made the pick. In the video he even said Stauskas the day before the draft

 

[kingjatt]

From that video it was pretty obvious Vivek made the pick. In the video he even said Stauskas the day before the draft

I agree, from their interactions i just dont see PDA ever flat out saying no to a Vivek suggestion.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

And i can't believe they didn't take 10th plus two second round picks. they still would have had Stauskas

 

[swisshh]

Actually, I am pretty sure Charlotte would have taken Stauskas at 9 if he was there. Philly likely takes Vonleh since he's the highest asset at that pick. So it's Payton you're deciding on if you do that Philly trade.

Also, regarding the data spilled on the team being subpar on assists from the wing/PF position: perhaps the team makes a small run at Josh McBob at some point in FA.

 

[Warhawk]

And i can't believe they didn't take 10th plus two second round picks. they still would have had Stauskas

Possibly; my thought as well. Impossible to say for sure though.

Edit: and swisshh has a differing opinion. That's why you can never say for sure what would have happened!

 

[John Galt]

Peyton and two seconds vs Stauskas.... hmmm. Seems we may have bungled that one. Obviously Vivek (influenced by Mully) is super high on Stauskas. Hope it works out.

I do think they knew Stauskas was lost if they made that deal - and he probably was. But there is not a lot of consistency between talk and deeds in this front office. trading down to pick up some seconds was something they talked a lot about, but when the chips were down...

 

[kingsboi]

Two additional second round picks to move down two spots? Hmm...that's where it gets tricky though, because if he isn't there then you have to roll the dice on option B, which I'm assuming was Payton. I'm in the camp where if you like a player and he is there when you pick, then pick him up, yes you could get additional assets but that's always a crap shoot on whether he slides a spot or two.

 

[peacelate]

Two additional second round picks to move down two spots? Hmm...that's where it gets tricky though, because if he isn't there then you have to roll the dice on option B, which I'm assuming was Payton. I'm in the camp where if you like a player and he is there when you pick, then pick him up, yes you could get additional assets but that's always a crap shoot on whether he slides a spot or two.

I agree. You have to believe their mock draft is more accurate than the ones that are floating around on draft day by bloggers.

 

[Monster]

Two additional second round picks to move down two spots? Hmm...that's where it gets tricky though, because if he isn't there then you have to roll the dice on option B, which I'm assuming was Payton. I'm in the camp where if you like a player and he is there when you pick, then pick him up, yes you could get additional assets but that's always a crap shoot on whether he slides a spot or two.

This.

And I'd take option A over option B and two players that probably don't play as Kings this year.

 

[kingsboi]

This.

And I'd take option A over option B and two players that probably don't play as Kings this year.

It remains to be seen if Pete has good drafting ability. We don't have too much to work with at this point.

 

[kennadog]

I don't see that Vivek made this pick. It was made pretty clear through both videos that the scouting team and the analytics guys all agreed on Stauskas at number 8. Seems the only thing they might really have wanted was to do a deal to move up and grab Embiid. The other option was Payton at #8, apparently and the majority went with Stauskas. I see Vivek as a collaborative guy, not an intimidating dictator-type.

Now maybe some folks don't think Stauskas was the best pick at number 8, but that's a whole 'nother conversation.

 

[Bricklayer]

I don't see that Vivek made this pick. It was made pretty clear through both videos that the scouting team and the analytics guys all agreed on Stauskas at number 8. Seems the only thing they might really have wanted was to do a deal to move up and grab Embiid. The other option was Payton at #8, apparently and the majority went with Stauskas. I see Vivek as a collaborative guy, not an intimidating dictator-type.

Now maybe some folks don't think Stauskas was the best pick at number 8, but that's a whole 'nother conversation.

Don't have to be an intimidating dictator type when you are the boss. Just let it be known in even low key fashion what your interest is, and watch the little underlings squirm at the idea of defying that wish. Which they should do actually. Make a wrong choice on your own is one thing. Make a wrong choice in the face of the owner's wishes that you made a different one, and you are back to flipping burgers.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

i do believe philly had 2 very late picks (like between 55 and 60) so maybe thats what they were offering and it wasn't worth it

 

[pshn80]

Don't have to be an intimidating dictator type when you are the boss. Just let it be none in even low key fashion what your interest is, and watch the little underlings squirm at the idea of defying that wish. Which they should do actually. Make a wrong choice on your own is one thing. Make a wrong choice in the face of the owner's wishes that you made a different one, and you are back to flipping burgers.

True but the art of doing big well is to know when that is happening and countering it. So I think we're back to zero. We don't know which way it is. I'll bet on Ranadive and crew being better than that.

 

[Shabazz916]

if nik can play pg-sf his value will be high

 

[fursty13]

I don't see that Vivek made this pick. It was made pretty clear through both videos that the scouting team and the analytics guys all agreed on Stauskas at number 8. Seems the only thing they might really have wanted was to do a deal to move up and grab Embiid. The other option was Payton at #8, apparently and the majority went with Stauskas. I see Vivek as a collaborative guy, not an intimidating dictator-type.

Now maybe some folks don't think Stauskas was the best pick at number 8, but that's a whole 'nother conversation.

I agree that Vivek was not alone in wanting Stauskas. It's worth noting that the editors of the video probably felt the only opinions worth including in the documentary are the two most recognizable: Vivek and PDA.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Nik is on with Napear right now

 

[Livinthedream]

Don't have to be an intimidating dictator type when you are the boss. Just let it be none in even low key fashion what your interest is, and watch the little underlings squirm at the idea of defying that wish. Which they should do actually. Make a wrong choice on your own is one thing. Make a wrong choice in the face of the owner's wishes that you made a different one, and you are back to flipping burgers.

This is the whole point. Vivek has a right to be excited about the team and a right to be in the war room. But truth be told, once he steps in that room during draft day, you follow the top guys lead. That's why the decision was unanimous. Vivek weighed in first.

 

[SwishKing]

This is the whole point. Vivek has a right to be excited about the team and a right to be in the war room. But truth be told, once he steps in that room during draft day, you follow the top guys lead. That's why the decision was unanimous. Vivek weighed in first.

To be fair, they probably had a big board ready before the draft and stuck to that. I doubt they went in there with absolutely no plan and then picked Stauskas just because hes who the boss liked. They liked Stauskas better than Payton. They took him. Simple as that.

 

[Livinthedream]

To be fair, they probably had a big board ready before the draft and stuck to that. I doubt they went in there with absolutely no plan and then picked Stauskas just because hes who the boss liked. They liked Stauskas better than Payton. They took him. Simple as that.

It's not about having a board. It's about not having the freedom to change your mind or debate once the owner weighs in.

 

[roasthawg]

This is the whole point. Vivek has a right to be excited about the team and a right to be in the war room. But truth be told, once he steps in that room during draft day, you follow the top guys lead. That's why the decision was unanimous. Vivek weighed in first.

Lol, that was all for show! C'mon man.... no one does real business in front of a camera, that's for the fans!! Malone was just on 1140 talking about he'd been scouting Stauskas since before we had our lottery pick. Said the fact that Pete and his crew loved him too made it an easy decision. No mention of the owner's scouting of the player, lol. We're ok... we got the guy our basketball people wanted. The owner is playing along for the cameras.

 

[Livinthedream]

Lol, that was all for show! C'mon man.... no one does real business in front of a camera, that's for the fans!! Malone was just on 1140 talking about he'd been scouting Stauskas since before we had our lottery pick. Said the fact that Pete and his crew loved him too made it an easy decision. No mention of the owner's scouting of the player, lol. We're ok... we got the guy our basketball people wanted. The owner is playing along for the cameras.

Ah. But on the radio.....That's when they tell you what's really going on. After the pick is made, that's when they're going to tell the world if they really wanted somebody else or not. Got it.

I understand video editing and things done for dramatic effect. I acknowledged that in a previous post. If you want to go the route of the Kings already knowing how the draft was going to play out and they just showed up that day to shoot a video, then have at it. That creates other questions. But it doesn't change the fact that Vivek was in the room on draft day asking 'Who ya got?'

 

[pshn80]

Ah. But on the radio.....That's when they tell you what's really going on. After the pick is made, that's when they're going to tell the world if they really wanted somebody else or not. Got it.

I understand video editing and things done for dramatic effect. I acknowledged that in a previous post. If you want to go the route of the Kings already knowing how the draft was going to play out and they just showed up that day to shoot a video, then have at it. That creates other questions. But it doesn't change the fact that Vivek was in the room on draft day asking 'Who ya got?'

So, bfd, what has that got to do with anything? We picked the best guy available and probably helped ourselves a great deal. Forget the videos and go watch the games.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Ah. But on the radio.....That's when they tell you what's really going on. After the pick is made, that's when they're going to tell the world if they really wanted somebody else or not. Got it.

I understand video editing and things done for dramatic effect. I acknowledged that in a previous post. If you want to go the route of the Kings already knowing how the draft was going to play out and they just showed up that day to shoot a video, then have at it. That creates other questions. But it doesn't change the fact that Vivek was in the room on draft day asking 'Who ya got?'

Are you implying that Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin would be swayed in a different direction for who they believe is the best pick, by Vivek being in the room asking for opinions?

 

[Livinthedream]

So, bfd, what has that got to do with anything? We picked the best guy available and probably helped ourselves a great deal. Forget the videos and go watch the games.

He may very well be the right guy. I thought that Payton was the right guy. It's all a gamble. But once the season starts, we'll all fall in line for the most part.

 

[roasthawg]

But it doesn't change the fact that Vivek was in the room on draft day asking 'Who ya got?'

We picked #8.... there weren't a lot of possibilities going in. You have a big board with your top 8 guys... put x's thru the ones that are picked. Take the highest remaining player at #8. Not too hard.... it's our pick, Vivek makes a show for the camera. Pete tries his best to play along. Done deal.