Looking ahead to the 2023 Draft

#8
The Kings will be so pleased with Keegans season that you will be tempted to draft his twin brother Kris in 2023. He is expected to take a huge leap this season and effectively run the offense. He is a lefty shooter, a willing passer and carries the Murray professionalism and hard work ethic. Pairing the Murray twins would be ideal for the Kings
 
#9
The Kings will be so pleased with Keegans season that you will be tempted to draft his twin brother Kris in 2023. He is expected to take a huge leap this season and effectively run the offense. He is a lefty shooter, a willing passer and carries the Murray professionalism and hard work ethic. Pairing the Murray twins would be ideal for the Kings
I was hoping Kris would go eligible this year so we could grab him at 37.

His per40 numbers were 2nd on the team to only his brother. Will be curious to see if he can handle the load next year or if they're just inflated because he came off the bench.
 
#11
If things go sour and they end up in the top part of the lottery again, 6'4 SG Nick Smith (Arkansas) is a player who I think would fit in quite well with the kings, he's an explosive scorer with a deadly step-back J and he's definitely not going to fall like Jaden Hardy did this year just because he's much more unselfish and has better vision/doesnt always default to hero ball..

Now I think Smith is a pipe-dream and out of reach and the Kings are more likley to end up in the teens adn there's a player currently projected by these too early mocks in the teens, that I belive is better than those projections, but he'd be a great fit with this roster if they dont acquire a nice young C in FA:

Duke's 7'2" C Derek Lively II, who's freakishly mobile for a player that size/age and also shows flashes of shooting potential. He's also got to have a wingspan of about 7'7" or 7'8".. The Post-Coach K/Jon Scheyer era for Duke is going to start off with a BANG, n Lively is going to be the star of the show. Dariq Whitehead 6'5" Wing headed to Duke figures to be a lotto pick as well and he'd fit in great as a swingman here, has a lot of Jimmy Butler like qualities.

Another player to keep an eye on will be Nick Smith's teammate incoming freshman 6'7 Anthony Black -- If he shoots the 3 well his stock is going to explode, he's a bit like LaMelo Ball..

A 'Sleeper" pick for me is Overtime Elite's Bryson Warren 6'2"(Maybe 6'3) PG with a lethal midrange game and pretty looking shot he was Mr. Basketball in the state of Arkansas for 2021. He's exceptionally well polished for such a young player and would be one of the youngest in this entire draft, still 18 next summer turning 19 in October. I believe he could step in and play backup PG minutes faster than most.
 
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#12
Nick Smith as of right now, is my target numero uno for this team. A shooter and creator for himself like that would fit so nicely with Fox, Murray and Sabo
 
#17

post in another thread reminded me to leave this here. (check this out if u wanna see some crazy dunks)
Are any of the other guys on that team NBA talent because it was really hard to tell they all played well and the competition was pretty pathetic imo I have never seen a weaker FIba Americas comp even Canada was horrible and recently they have been above average in these comps. Strictly from a athletic point of view he reminds me of Alonzo Gee obviously he's much more talented.
 
#18
Are any of the other guys on that team NBA talent because it was really hard to tell they all played well and the competition was pretty pathetic imo I have never seen a weaker FIba Americas comp even Canada was horrible and recently they have been above average in these comps. Strictly from a athletic point of view he reminds me of Alonzo Gee obviously he's much more talented.
For this upcoming draft along with Whitmore, there was Anthony Black who was the 6'7" PG with a huge head of hair running the show, Black will be at Arkansas with 2 other players trying to go 1-and-done and high in the lotto with Nick Smith and 6'7" long-armed and very active F Jordan Walsh.

The only 7-footer on the roster, Kel'el Ware, who's headed to Oregon and seems to have a real chance at going 1-and-done he's projected in the top20 everywhere. He's skilled in the post and also can shoot 3's and is long and athletic, even in this climate where Centers fall in the draft he figures to have staying power near the lotto because of significant upside.. This draft will be strong at the C position not only cuz of Wembanyama but Lively and Ware after him are solid prospects as well.


Of the crop of players going into their senior year in high school from that team 2 stand out, 6'9" PF G.G. Jackson who recently (due to adding range on his jumper) stormed up to the #1 ranked player in the class, he's headed to North Carolina, he only played in a few games there. There's also a 6'2" combo guard named Kanaan Carlyle whos headed to Stanford that seems to me to be on track for the first round. He's actually been compared to Davion Mitchell(He is better than Mitchell offensively at this early stage IMO) and plays very aggressively on both sides of the ball and has an exellent handle n really gets downhill into the paint and consistently does lots of damage. fun player to watch.
 
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#20
@serbiangoat before I take my leave from the forum til next offseason I gotta ask the opinion on - Nikola Durišić

6'8" shooter I just saw a highlight mix or 2 on. Seen his name projected in too-early-mocks at the end of the first and that Eurohopes has him as the #5 2004-born prospect behind Wembanyama, Juan Nunez, Buzelis and Baba Miller.
 
#21
@serbiangoat before I take my leave from the forum til next offseason I gotta ask the opinion on - Nikola Durišić

6'8" shooter I just saw a highlight mix or 2 on. Seen his name projected in too-early-mocks at the end of the first and that Eurohopes has him as the #5 2004-born prospect behind Wembanyama, Juan Nunez, Buzelis and Baba Miller.
I would not call him a shooter at all at the moment, he looks good from mid range at times and he's got that Devin Booker confidence (imo probably his biggest strength atm is his confidence/ cocky nature he acts like he's the best player on court). He's absolutely slaughtered his age group comps at all levels and he plays like a grown man in terms of taking/giving contact (very rare for Serbian guard/forwards). He got limited minutes in the ABA and was just meh but you can see that he understands the game has excellent size if he can improve his jump shot he's going to be imo better than Jovic. Solid athlete/solid handles/good build and tough. This coming ABA season will really show if he's a top 10 pick type or teens to 20's he's for sure a future NBA barring injury. Atm his NBA comp would be really poor man's Booker (can't really think of a comparison atm for him maybe Gordan Hayward more than Booker)he will never be an elite scorer but does everything other than 3 point shooting well. The confidence/being secure/un-afriad in his own ability is his most intriguing quality (not in a dumb taking bad shots kind of way) which is often overlooked and allows guys to exceed expectations.
 
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#22
I would not call him a shooter at all at the moment, he looks good from mid range at times and he's got that Devin Booker confidence (imo probably his biggest strength atm is his confidence/ cocky nature he acts like he's the best player on court). He's absolutely slaughtered his age group comps at all levels and he plays like a grown man in terms of taking/giving contact (very rare for Serbian guard/forwards). He got limited minutes in the ABA and was just meh but you can see that he understands the game has excellent size if he can improve his jump shot he's going to be imo better than Jovic. Solid athlete/solid handles/good build and tough. This coming ABA season will really show if he's a top 10 pick type or teens to 20's he's for sure a future NBA barring injury. Atm his NBA comp would be really poor man's Booker (can't really think of a comparison atm for him maybe Gordan Hayward more than Booker)he will never be an elite scorer but does everything other than 3 point shooting well. The confidence/being secure/un-afriad in his own ability is his most intriguing quality (not in a dumb taking bad shots kind of way) which is often overlooked and allows guys to exceed expectations.
interesting.. sounds a bit like another player who looks headed for the 1st rd in 6'8 Brandon Miller going to Alabama.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#25
Nick Smith as of right now, is my target numero uno for this team. A shooter and creator for himself like that would fit so nicely with Fox, Murray and Sabo
I don't want to poo poo things, but I can't get excited about anyone right now until I see them play a few games. All too often players that are projected in the top ten before the season even starts end up dropping, some even into the 2nd round. BJ Boston anyone. So instead I spend my time getting my data base prepared with a file on every player that I think will be relevant during the season, with room left over for those players that no one even considered that will rise from the ashes.

I mean these conversations are fun, but I'm not going to say that man, the player I want is blank. Don't know yet. Right now one of the players I'm very impressed with in summer league is Jalen Williams from Santa Clara. I think that kid will be a star in the league. He gave Jabari Smith fits when defending him. So you never know.
 
#27
It’s interesting that Sam views this as only slightly better than the 22 class and only because it’s so dynamic at the top two slots. He even says the guy occupying the third spot is not a typical top 3 prospect.

I think I would have preferred for the kings to trade the ‘23 with top 12 protection for Red Velvet. Just get it over with and hopefully have the ability to trade ‘25 in the right deal
 
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