Kings select Jalen Slawson at 54th overall

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
#31
We'll see how he does in Summer League, and the odds aren't great for anyone picked at #54, but I like the type of player Slawson is. He's very much in the mold that McNair seems to look for in low risk swings (SRPs, UDFAs like Ellis, low risk trades like Kessler Edwards etc) in that he's a two way player with good length. Both he and Colby Jones add playmaking as well.

Hard to argue with the pick.
 

Kingz19

Hall of Famer
#34
Seems like a candidate to replace Metu.

Love him or not, I think the Kings were at their best when Metu was getting regular minutes last season. How much that had to do with Metu is debatable but he did have the best defensive rating on the team. It seemed just having a forward with his athleticism was enough to make an impact..and honestly Metu played solid most nights. Just Mike Brown had very little tolerance for the bad nights. Slawson may possibly be better if he can shoot, pass better, and create more turnovers.

Metu was certainly held in higher regard coming out of college and would likely have been considered a much better prospect so we’ll see.

We should have a good idea relatively quickly about these guys. I do like that Monte is getting experienced players. The second round is a goldmine for NBA ready upperclassmen with the first round so focused on raw talent.
 
#35
No doubt Slawson has some great potential in the NBA. I'm just concerned that the Kings might have made a mistake by passing on Trayce Jackson-Davis. No way to know yet. Time will tell though.
 
#36
We'll see how he does in Summer League, and the odds aren't great for anyone picked at #54, but I like the type of player Slawson is. He's very much in the mold that McNair seems to look for in low risk swings (SRPs, UDFAs like Ellis, low risk trades like Kessler Edwards etc) in that he's a two way player with good length. Both he and Colby Jones add playmaking as well.

Hard to argue with the pick.
No doubt Slawson has some great potential in the NBA. I'm just concerned that the Kings might have made a mistake by passing on Trayce Jackson-Davis. No way to know yet. Time will tell though.
 
#42
His agent straight told them not to pick him
What does it matter what his agent says? TJD would have no choice but to play for whoever drafted him. We’re not talking about Kobe Bryant coming out of high school threatening to go back to college. Dude is a 23 year old Senior player getting picked in the late 2nd round.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#43
What does it matter what his agent says? TJD would have no choice but to play for whoever drafted him. We’re not talking about Kobe Bryant coming out of high school threatening to go back to college. Dude is a 23 year old Senior player getting picked in the late 2nd round.
His agent is literally Mike Dunleavy’s brother.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#45
I don't think y'all understand the reality of how the second round of the draft has worked for at least the last 15 years. It's not a draft anymore.
Yep. The “draft” ends around pick 45 and the last dozen or so picks become a free for all of politicking and guaranteeing back door money deals for roster slots and access to future clients.
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
#49
I usually share the articles about how second round is all a ruse but there was enough transparency on twitter this year about how agents control the second round I am only going to say that I don't see the point of arguing this when we actually got two guys with a chance to fill a need for us and make the roster instead of one that doesn't want to be here.
 
#52
Not sure a 6’9” backup big man is necessarily worth “fighting the system”
But, it could have heighten the Warriors hysteria that the Kings are going to take everything the Warriors want, like Draymond, so that they bid against themselves for Greene and send themselves further into salary cap hell for the next 4 years! :p
 
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hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
#53
All the NBA would do anyway is take away some second round picks which is not that meaningful when clearly anyone can just buy a pick to get back in anyway. Or trade an expiring contract for one. Even Wembanyama "randomly" going to the Spurs when Tony Parker owns the team he played for in France is suspect but what are we going to do about it? I'd settle for them just calling the games impartially.
 
#54
What does it matter what his agent says? TJD would have no choice but to play for whoever drafted him. We’re not talking about Kobe Bryant coming out of high school threatening to go back to college. Dude is a 23 year old Senior player getting picked in the late 2nd round.
I wonder if the teams want to spoil relations with agents, particularly over second round picks.

Of course, the same can be said in reverse too. However, if you're thinking of offering a 2-way deal, and the agent "knows" they have a better offer elsewhere, should you try to bulldoze your position and draft the kid anyway?

All other things being equal, perhaps yes (e.g., if you think the kid can be part of the rotation, particularly in future). A certain amount of trust needs to build up between organizations and agents, and if you can make a case that you plan to give the kid every chance, you can ride roughshod over agents' objections (they too have to work with the teams, just like teams have to work with them). In the absence of that, perhaps no.
 
#55
Based on what you all have said, I agree. Perhaps much more than earlier in the draft, there must even more dynamics going on behind the scenes in the latter part of the 2nd round between teams, agents, and the players. That makes more sense. I was just saying that the agents aren't in total control or command. But yes, behind the scenes are collusions, deals, agreements, and hand-shaking could have lead to this situation with regard to the Kings, Mike Dunleavy, James Dunleavy, and TJD. Thanks!