Players that I would target with the 9th pick:
- Thread starter bajaden
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Yeh that's really the only question with him. I still think he is going to be a much better defender than people are giving him credit for and I personally think he has a really good shot of being a Unicorn on offense. It's a pretty big swing but I'm willing to take the risk. In an ideal world Id take Wagner or Moody at 9 and jump back in in the mid first for Sengun if he falls.
According to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, the Magic are thought to be interested in international prospect Alperen Sengun. Orlando holds the fifth and eighth overall picks in the first round, and could look to potentially select him at No. 8 on draft night. The Magic are one of the few teams that will have Sengun in for a workout and are thought to be interested in the high-scoring Turkish star as a potential replacement for Nikola Vucevic, whom the team traded away at the deadline to acquire this selection among other assets.
– via Cody Taylor @ The Rookie Wire
So may be back to Wagner anyway at #9
Trade Bagley to OKC for #16 or #18 to get Kai Jones?
– via Cody Taylor @ The Rookie Wire
So may be back to Wagner anyway at #9
Trade Bagley to OKC for #16 or #18 to get Kai Jones?
This is interesting. The closer we get to the draft, the more I think Kuminga will fall to 9. If the Magic indeed take Sengun at 8, the Warriors don't seem like a team that would take Kuminga at 7 as a raw prospect with huge upside since they're looking to win now, and the top 4 + Barnes make 1-5. That leaves just 1 pick in the top 8 unaccounted for, which could easily be a guy like Bouknight for Kuminga to be there at 9.
That would be a hard guy to pass up, even with his stock falling of late.
That would be a hard guy to pass up, even with his stock falling of late.
I read in the Athletic that there was a question of how much Kuminga loved basketball. No answer but that is a question he needs to answer. Also, a question on his offensive ability. Athleticism is off the chart.
There are questions on this kid as there are most others but when there is a question on how hard a player will work, same goes for Jalen Johnson, it scares me.
There are questions on this kid as there are most others but when there is a question on how hard a player will work, same goes for Jalen Johnson, it scares me.
The "does he really love the sport" question pops up every year without fail, and it's usually total nonsense. Someone completely detached from the player putting it out there, often by teams trying to lower someone's stock. Same thing happened to Justin Fields in the NFL draft. Take that question with a giant fistful of salt unless there's good reason to believe it (ie evidence).
I would be all over Kuminga at 9. There's a lack of hype around him at the moment but he has all the tools to be a big time wing on both sides of the ball. He shot poorly, admittedly, but if he didn't he would be in the mix at the top of the draft.
I would be all over Kuminga at 9. There's a lack of hype around him at the moment but he has all the tools to be a big time wing on both sides of the ball. He shot poorly, admittedly, but if he didn't he would be in the mix at the top of the draft.
I think Kuminga will be there at 9. Bouknight, Sengun, and possibly Mitchell going top 8. Folks, who are clamoring for Kuminga are missing some context. Early in the G-league season, folks viewed Kuminga > Green. That changed then separated significantly by the end of the season. Green struggled initially then thrived. Kuminga thrived then struggled. Translation, the team that picks him, they likely won’t get a plug and play player. Maybe he hits his ceiling, but his development arc indicates it may be the second or third contract. Yhall willing to do Bagley 2.0? I’m not saying that’s my projection, but his drop indicates teams view him as such—a longer term project.
That's what's so tough about Kuminga. Yes, he's a longer term project, but I dislike the idea of passing on him because he may not make the most impact right away. If it takes him two or three years a top 5 player from this class, that's worth the wait to me. Of course, you have to hope that he gets there, which requires a ton of hard work on his part and on the part of the team to develop him, but I don't think passing on high upside guys because they'll need development is a winning formula. Every player drafted will need to develop in order to get better and reach their potential.
Honestly, I haven't been looking too much into Kuminga because I thought there'd be no chance he would be available. Time to go do some homework.
Honestly, I haven't been looking too much into Kuminga because I thought there'd be no chance he would be available. Time to go do some homework.
I watched a lot of film on him and to be honest, I had no dog in the hunt. What concerned me was that every time I saw him guarding a guard in isolation on the perimeter, he was dead meat. The other thing that bothered me, was his reluctance to come out to the perimeter and guard. He's not the quickest player laterally. Yeah, he's a smart player who is good at reading plays and making the occasional steal in the passing lane. Since I'm on a defensive requirement being an issue for whomever we pick, I wouldn't take him at nine.
Now if we were to trade down, for instance with the Thunder, the ninth for the 16th and 18th, then I might take him with one of those picks. Even then, it would depend on who else was there.
Now if we were to trade down, for instance with the Thunder, the ninth for the 16th and 18th, then I might take him with one of those picks. Even then, it would depend on who else was there.
Yeah, it would be hard to pass on Kuminga at nine. Just too much potential, and like you I don't pay any attention to those rumors. Many times when a player like Kuminga, who lacks experience looks like he's floating during a game, it's his lack of experience that's causing that. When you consider his age, and that he went from playing against kids, to playing against men, many with NBA experience, I think you have to cut him some slack.
The comparison that kept coming to my mind when I was watching his defense was Golden State Warriors Boogie Cousins. It’s not that he doesn’t want to play defense, it’s that he’s physically not capable of really doing it consistently. Boogie was somewhat able to compensate for it in stretches by taking charges and reading passing lanes but whenever he’d rub onto a guard in pick and roll, he’d be dead in the water without the athletic burst necessary to cover up for being roasted by a quick twitch downhill attacker.
Sengun looks like that but shorter and not quite as strong.
Sengun looks like that but shorter and not quite as strong.
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This is my last comment on Sengun or any prospect until the draft I swear 
Most Kings fans (and some playoff teams) would love to sign Holmes to a 40 plus million dollar deal. And yet we have trepidation about drafting Sengun who right now is a better scorer, passer, rebounder and gets to the line more. They are both smaller centers who could or do struggle against bigger players. Sengun was second in the league in blocks and has a good steal rate which suggests he has similar energy and effort to Holmes on defense.
Is a better scoring, passing and free throw getting Holmes a reasonable projection for Sengun?
Most Kings fans (and some playoff teams) would love to sign Holmes to a 40 plus million dollar deal. And yet we have trepidation about drafting Sengun who right now is a better scorer, passer, rebounder and gets to the line more. They are both smaller centers who could or do struggle against bigger players. Sengun was second in the league in blocks and has a good steal rate which suggests he has similar energy and effort to Holmes on defense.
Is a better scoring, passing and free throw getting Holmes a reasonable projection for Sengun?
Lets take a quick look at the playoffs.
Champion-Best player is a big and 2 of the 3 best players are non wings.
Runner up-Most impactful player is a guard and 2 of their 3 best players are non wings
Biggest Surprise Team of the Playoffs- Best player is a guard
Team with best record in the NBA- Best Player is a guard and 2 of their 3 best players are non wings.
I don't disagree we need defense and size on the wing, I just think the narrative has gotten a little out of hand. Let's move Bagley and Buddy for picks and see if we can find some 3 and D guys with size.
Champion-Best player is a big and 2 of the 3 best players are non wings.
Runner up-Most impactful player is a guard and 2 of their 3 best players are non wings
Biggest Surprise Team of the Playoffs- Best player is a guard
Team with best record in the NBA- Best Player is a guard and 2 of their 3 best players are non wings.
I don't disagree we need defense and size on the wing, I just think the narrative has gotten a little out of hand. Let's move Bagley and Buddy for picks and see if we can find some 3 and D guys with size.
Giannis is more of a supersized wing than a traditional big though.
Plus all of those teams can play defense (more relevantly all of their bigs could) whereas the Kings were historically bad in that regard and Sengun, while he may well wind up an all-star based on his offense, will certainly not help on that front any time soon if ever.
Plus all of those teams can play defense (more relevantly all of their bigs could) whereas the Kings were historically bad in that regard and Sengun, while he may well wind up an all-star based on his offense, will certainly not help on that front any time soon if ever.