KingsFans 2021 Draft Board: #14

If all players were available, who should the Kings draft?

  • Ayo Dosunmu

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • James Bouknight

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Jared Butler

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Kai Jones

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Tre Mann

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    10
  • Poll closed .
#1
KINGSFANS 2021 DRAFT BOARD
  1. Cade Cunningham
  2. Evan Mobley
  3. Jalen Green
  4. Jonathan Kuminga
  5. Jalen Suggs
  6. Scottie Barnes
  7. Jalen Johnson
  8. Moses Moody
  9. Franz Wagner
  10. Josh Giddey
  11. Alperen Şengün
  12. Ziaire Williams
  13. Keon Johnson

RULES
  • You’ll be able to select only 1 player that you think would be the best pick FOR THE KINGS. This isn’t a generic big board. We’ll be making this a Kings specific big board.
  • The poll will be open for 48 hours. After it closes, the player with the most votes will take his rightful place on our KingsFans big board (in the event of a tie, I’ll be the tiebreaker to keep it simple).
  • The player chosen in the current poll will be missing from the next poll. At that point, we would only have 9 options so please post a comment below mentioning a player you would like to nominate for the next poll. The player who receives the most nominations will be added (in the event of a tie, I’ll be the tiebreaker to keep it simple).
 
#3
So maybe a little hot-takeish... but I'd take Jaden Springer over Davion Mitchell. First, he's 4 years younger, 2 inches taller with an inch on his wing-span. He's one of the youngest American players I believe projected to be a first round pick. So there's some chance he could still be growing. He's a better defender than Keon Johnson, especially at the PoA and I honestly think he challenges Davion Mitchell as the best overall guard defender in the draft. He's incredibly High IQ on the defensive end; has great instincts of where to be in off-ball defense similar to Hali's success this year. He moves his feet so well laterally on defense, it's just leads to smothering on-ball defense and really damn impressive to see from an 18 year old kid. I really like the idea of him being the bully ball defender that allows Hali/Fox to defend the weaker guard and focus on the offensive creation. I think we'll see him be able to defend some 3s as well.

Most of his concerns come offensively, but he showed really great indicators that he'll work better in an NBA offense with NBA spacing. 43.5% on 1.8 attempts/game, 80% FT with a .441 FTr (elite). The form looks good, he just didn't let it rip enough (or maybe wasn't allowed to) He was effective playing in an off-ball role to some pretty high USG players at Tennessee, which bodes well for his ability to fit in at the next level. The playmaking is a step-behind and his handle isn't great (little loose with the ball) for a lead-guard, but I think if you draft him as your 3rd combo guard, keep him in a secondary-playmaking/ball-handling role, he can be impactful almost immediately. His defense is that good and I believe in the C&S potential as a spacer at the next level.

I think the key is if he can continue to rely on his strength/IQ at the next level because he's not an overwhelming athlete. He gets comped to Brogdon with Lowry as the upside hit and that makes sense to me if he's gonna be successful; he's going to win with craftiness/strength and developing as an elite 3-ball spacer. Still, even if he doesn't get to the offensive impact of those guys, I have a ton of confidence in the way he plays defense and how hard he plays on that end. If there's a Marcus Smart in this draft, I think it's Springer.
 
#5
So maybe a little hot-takeish... but I'd take Jaden Springer over Davion Mitchell. First, he's 4 years younger, 2 inches taller with an inch on his wing-span. He's one of the youngest American players I believe projected to be a first round pick. So there's some chance he could still be growing. He's a better defender than Keon Johnson, especially at the PoA and I honestly think he challenges Davion Mitchell as the best overall guard defender in the draft. He's incredibly High IQ on the defensive end; has great instincts of where to be in off-ball defense similar to Hali's success this year. He moves his feet so well laterally on defense, it's just leads to smothering on-ball defense and really damn impressive to see from an 18 year old kid. I really like the idea of him being the bully ball defender that allows Hali/Fox to defend the weaker guard and focus on the offensive creation. I think we'll see him be able to defend some 3s as well.

Most of his concerns come offensively, but he showed really great indicators that he'll work better in an NBA offense with NBA spacing. 43.5% on 1.8 attempts/game, 80% FT with a .441 FTr (elite). The form looks good, he just didn't let it rip enough (or maybe wasn't allowed to) He was effective playing in an off-ball role to some pretty high USG players at Tennessee, which bodes well for his ability to fit in at the next level. The playmaking is a step-behind and his handle isn't great (little loose with the ball) for a lead-guard, but I think if you draft him as your 3rd combo guard, keep him in a secondary-playmaking/ball-handling role, he can be impactful almost immediately. His defense is that good and I believe in the C&S potential as a spacer at the next level.

I think the key is if he can continue to rely on his strength/IQ at the next level because he's not an overwhelming athlete. He gets comped to Brogdon with Lowry as the upside hit and that makes sense to me if he's gonna be successful; he's going to win with craftiness/strength and developing as an elite 3-ball spacer. Still, even if he doesn't get to the offensive impact of those guys, I have a ton of confidence in the way he plays defense and how hard he plays on that end. If there's a Marcus Smart in this draft, I think it's Springer.
Funny you write this… I saw all of the Mitchell votes in the last poll and said to myself I’d rather have Springer for a lot of the reasons you stated.

He was measured at 6’4” in shoes with a 6’7.5” wingspan when he was 14 (2017) so I think he likely has 2-3 inches (at least) on Mitchell’s wingspan. But I’m not sure I’d bank on him still growing. If he was 6’4” at 14 and he’s being listed around 6’4” today, he’s probably done growing.
 
#6
Funny you write this… I saw all of the Mitchell votes in the last poll and said to myself I’d rather have Springer for a lot of the reasons you stated.

He was measured at 6’4” in shoes with a 6’7.5” wingspan when he was 14 (2017) so I think he likely has 2-3 inches (at least) on Mitchell’s wingspan. But I’m not sure I’d bank on him still growing. If he was 6’4” at 14 and he’s being listed around 6’4” today, he’s probably done growing.
Really now? I've been seeing 6'6 everywhere, but all the merrier if he measures better. Leans more into the narrative that you can play him up vs some 3's.