Players that I would target with the 9th pick:

[NiNetNiNe]

We can't take a post scoring big in the lotto in 2021, we just can't. Sengun would be a horrible move in my opinion. Even if he does average 18 and 9, unless he's an all-NBA defender that's practically a replacement level player at the current going rates. Three point shooters are commanding $100 million dollar contracts right now and starting bigs are available for veterans minimum contracts.

He shoots 82% from the free throw line. His shot form looks pure; albeit, slow at times. I watched his games against efes, the current Euroleague Champs, and he shot a couple of threes that looked effortless. He even had a Harden/Doncic-esque step back three. That's not something you just do on a whim, that's something you practice.

Does his defense need work? Yeah, but he's not some slow-footed player. He's not Bam obviously, he's more like an Al Horford. But he had the second most blocks in the league and the most steals for a big man which indicates that he has good timing and reactions. He is a very smart player, I don't think he will ever be a defensive player of the year but he could be an Al Horford level defender if he puts in the effort.

He seems to be a hard worker. At 17 he was a bit chubby, I think I read he was around 260ish. He worked on his body and now he sits at around 245. Additionally, in the BSL they measure players barefoot, so with shoes on he's probably close to 6'11". There are photos of him standing next to NBA players like Mozgov and Cedi. He seemed to be around two inches shorter than Mozgov and a good 4 inches taller than Cedi. It's all speculation obviously, but he is obviously taller than 6'9" since that is measured barefoot.

Edit*
You can even pick up a Nerlens Noel and play him along side Sengun to cover for him on the perimeter. Our defense would essentially be a worse 2019 Raptors d. By worse I don't mean a bad d I just mean not as good but still potentially good. Barnes is no Leonard on d, but Barnes isn't bad and is probsbly our best defender. Fox can d when motivated, similar to Lowry. Haliburton has a ways to go to reach Danny Greens levels of d but Haliburton has shown he can be good at it. Sengun can probably be a Horford level player at best, which is obviously is not there but he has good instinct and can get lazy on d at times. And well, Nerlens Noel would be like Siakam, obviously nowhere near him on offense but better on defense. The Delon Wright, a defensive specialist much like VanVleet coming off the bench.

That's all based on potential and you have to squint to see it from here.

 

[SacTownKid]

When figuring out whether a player can play a position or not, the figure I look at is standing reach. As Jerry Reynolds once said, you don't rebound with the top of your head. I think your selling Moody a bit short in that area. He has a standing reach of 8'9". By comparison, Keon Johnson has a standing reach of 8'1". Jalen Johnson's is 8'10". Johnny Juzang's is 8'4.5". Joe WiesKamp's is 8'7", and Zaire Williams is 8'10.5". So as you can see Moody's standing reach is right there with most of the SF's. His ability to play three positions is part of what intrigues me.

And Moody is rangy with a frame to put on the right kind of weight. Jalen Johnson is huge for a wing. Keon isn't likely going to play much SF unless his coach wants to put him in a really bad spot. Although he puts effort in defensively. In the end it all goes back to the Kings backcourt, you can't have a crop of players the size of Fox, Haliburton, and Keon Johnson and not expect to get your backside kicked in by almost every team that means something in the west. If they look at Buddy as a long term fit still then maybe Fox, Buddy, and Keon could work but you're still undersized.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

We can't take a post scoring big in the lotto in 2021, we just can't. Sengun would be a horrible move in my opinion. Even if he does average 18 and 9, unless he's an all-NBA defender that's practically a replacement level player at the current going rates. Three point shooters are commanding $100 million dollar contracts right now and starting bigs are available for veterans minimum contracts.

I don't see what could possibly go wrong...
oh wait.

 

[SacTownKid]

We can't take a post scoring big in the lotto in 2021, we just can't. Sengun would be a horrible move in my opinion. Even if he does average 18 and 9, unless he's an all-NBA defender that's practically a replacement level player at the current going rates. Three point shooters are commanding $100 million dollar contracts right now and starting bigs are available for veterans minimum contracts.

And right now his defense is so inconsistent to downright poor that his butt would be glued to the bench by Walton. He'd be on his way to joining the list of all those other skilled bigs tossed in the dumpster by the Kings. If the Kings were starting from scratch and other teams valued Sengun as high as 9 then maybe you go there just for the potential and considering the commitment you could afford to give him as a developing prospect but with Fox as your guy and with them attempting to win, no, there are too many decent wing options at 9. They went with Haliburton over Bey last draft (perhaps wisely), now they have a golden opportunity to close the gap they left open on the wing in doing so. Don't look this gift horse in the mouth Monte. The next MJ could be drafted at 24, who knows, but that could be said about every draft. Just hedge your bets and play it the way it has shaken out for you because it appears that might be the case.

 

[Padrino]

I wouldn't touch a big in the lottery unless it was a no brainer, Embiid type big. It's a position where impactful players can be found further down in the draft and in free agency.

Even then, I would pass if there was a wing with obvious star talent that I could take before a no-brainer big in the mold of Embiid. To be a true superstar big man in the modern NBA, you have to be able to score efficiently in the paint, hit free throws at a reasonable clip, hit threes at a league average rate, rebound at an above average rate, protect the rim effectively, switch with some competency, set strong and effective screens, and occasionally make plays out of both the high and low posts. Anything less and you're just a Richaun Holmes-level talent. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Richaun. At this point, he's clearly overperformed his draft position. He's remarkably efficient. He deserves a decent payday. But he's not worth the $20 million he's hoping to secure this offseason.

More to the point, despite the fact that a guy like Joel Embiid is a true superstar big who can do all of the above, it's never earned his team anything more than a second-round exit in the lesser conference. Personally, I learned my lesson after Demarcus Cousins. I was among his biggest fans in Sacramento, as well as one of his biggest apologists. But in hindsight, he never stood a chance at becoming great. The league shifted beneath his feet from the moment he stepped foot on an NBA court. Rule changes enacted several years before Cousins was drafted were starting to yield dividends in elevating smaller players and particular wing-oriented skill sets. Analytics went on to revolutionize approaches that no longer favored back-to-the-basket bigs and instead prized three-point volume. The entry requirements for superstardom among big men are simply far too steep in the modern NBA.

There's a reason we call these do-it-all big men "unicorns," after all. They're exceedingly rare but also exceedingly hard to ride to championship glory, particularly given the injury concerns that follow from players of advanced size competing at the speed of the league in 2021. Kristaps Porzingas is only 25 years old, yet injuries have already robbed him of the unicorn qualities that made him a tantalizing prospect in the first place. He's no longer worth his max contract even though under ordinary circumstances he should still be somewhere south of his prime!

That said, Alperen Sengun could be a special player someday. It's impossible to say for sure, but I absolutely would not use a lottery pick on him, not when the Kings could use help on the wing, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, and not when there are a number of very intriguing options on the wing that should be available at #9.

 

[hrdboild]

Even then, I would pass if there was a wing with obvious star talent that I could take before a no-brainer big in the mold of Embiid. To be a true superstar big man in the modern NBA, you have to be able to score efficiently in the paint, hit free throws at a reasonable clip, hit threes at a league average rate, rebound at an above average rate, protect the rim effectively, switch with some competency, set strong and effective screens, and occasionally make plays out of both the high and low posts. Anything less and you're just a Richaun Holmes-level talent. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Richaun. At this point, he's clearly overperformed his draft position. He's remarkably efficient. He deserves a decent payday. But he's not worth the $20 million he's hoping to secure this offseason.

More to the point, despite the fact that a guy like Joel Embiid is a true superstar big who can do all of the above, it's never earned his team anything more than a second-round exit in the lesser conference. Personally, I learned my lesson after Demarcus Cousins. I was among his biggest fans in Sacramento, as well as one of his biggest apologists. But in hindsight, he never stood a chance at becoming great. The league shifted beneath his feet from the moment he stepped foot on an NBA court. Rule changes enacted several years before Cousins was drafted were starting to yield dividends in elevating smaller players and particular wing-oriented skill sets. Analytics went on to revolutionize approaches that no longer favored back-to-the-basket bigs and instead prized three-point volume. The entry requirements for superstardom among big men are simply far too steep in the modern NBA.

There's a reason we call these do-it-all big men "unicorns," after all. They're exceedingly rare but also exceedingly hard to ride to championship glory, particularly given the injury concerns that follow from players of advanced size competing at the speed of the league in 2021. Kristaps Porzingas is only 25 years old, yet injuries have already robbed him of the unicorn qualities that made him a tantalizing prospect in the first place. He's no longer worth his max contract even though under ordinary circumstances he should still be somewhere south of his prime!

That said, Alperen Sengun could be a special player someday. It's impossible to say for sure, but I absolutely would not use a lottery pick on him, not when the Kings could use help on the wing, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, and not when there are a number of very intriguing options on the wing that should be available at #9.

Exactly. This is really the problem with drafting an offensive-minded big right now -- it's just not a good value. Even a guy as talented as DeMarcus Cousins is struggling to hold on to a job. With everyone shooting long threes the guards have just as good of a shot at grabbing a rebound as anyone under the basket does and the bigs have been forced to step out to the three point line to make themselves useful on offense. I also wonder if you even need a dominant shot blocker when most teams are scoring the majority of their points from outside of 23 feet. Hassan Whiteside led the league in blocks then signed a minimum contract and saw limited minutes on a team with worst in the league defense. Jokic and Embiid led the MVP race pretty much wire to wire this season but neither guy could lead their team as far as the Conference Finals.

I can see an argument for drafting a big who can defend at all three levels because that extra length is a benefit in a zone defense where offenses are looking to create mismatches. And there are a couple of guys in this draft who fit that description. But for a player who's rooted in the post on defense even if he reaches his absolute ceiling it's still a poor use of a 9th overall pick in 2021. When we drafted Bagley the argument then was that we could pair him with a defensive big to cover for his weaknesses but if you do that then you have two players on the floor who are either killing your spacing on offense or they're standing out at the three point line where they might as well be a guard. These days you're most likely playing a large wing at the PF spot who can handle, pass, and shoot and that means your center needs to be mobile enough to cover the whole floor and defend perimeter players off switches or you're going to get embarrassed on a nightly basis.

 

[midtowner]

I agree with a lot that is being said - but defense ends with a rebound. And the Kings have been getting killed on the offensive glass. The teams that are advancing have Ayton and Lopez as their centers. Last year, the Lakers’ front line was huge. The year before that, Gasol was the starter on the championship team. And I’m tired of getting punked by the Valancunious’ of the world.

That being said - I think Moody is my realistic draft crush (thanks Baja).

 

[Tetsujin]

I agree with a lot that is being said - but defense ends with a rebound. And the Kings have been getting killed on the offensive glass. The teams that are advancing have Ayton and Lopez as their centers. Last year, the Lakers’ front line was huge. The year before that, Gasol was the starter on the championship team. And I’m tired of getting punked by the Valancunious’ of the world.

That being said - I think Moody is my realistic draft crush (thanks Baja).

Ayton has been a monster on defense in the post season who’s legitimately been terrific on all three levels of defense. Lopez has been unplayable for a lot of the postseason and has been getting benched for Giannis at center lineups in crunchtime.

 

[NiNetNiNe]

Ayton has been a monster on defense in the post season who’s legitimately been terrific on all three levels of defense. Lopez has been unplayable for a lot of the postseason and has been getting benched for Giannis at center lineups in crunchtime.

Lopez is averaging 32 min a game in the post season before playing the Hawks, not exactly unplayable. Against the Hawks is the first time they have had to lessen Brooks minutes a lot, down to 22 a game, mostly because of Trae Young, an elite passer and shooter. He's not something every team has. Outside of interior defense and a bit of scoring, he doesn't offer much else. He's one of the worst rebounders for a guy his size, nor is he much of a passer. The Hawks are just a bad matchup for him.

 

[funkykingston]

Sengun isn't among my top options at #9 but if the Kings pick up a 2nd lottery pick (and he measures out at NBA center size) I'd definitely consider it.

What I think is being overlooked with Sengun here is his playmaking potential. Yes, he's primarily an offensive minded post scorer whose outside shot is more theoretical than anything else right now.

But his passing/playmaking ability is exactly what makes him a good fit in today's NBA. I've watched a fair amount of tape and I'd say he's a significantly better passer than Evan Mobley.

He scores easily and with a high percentage at the basket which means he draws defenders. That allows him to find open teammates for easy looks.

I was skeptical about Sengun until I really started watching him. I still have concerns about his size and defense, but I really think he can be impactful in today's NBA in a way that most bigs can't.

 

[funkykingston]

Exactly. This is really the problem with drafting an offensive-minded big right now -- it's just not a good value. Even a guy as talented as DeMarcus Cousins is struggling to hold on to a job. With everyone shooting long threes the guards have just as good of a shot at grabbing a rebound as anyone under the basket does and the bigs have been forced to step out to the three point line to make themselves useful on offense. I also wonder if you even need a dominant shot blocker when most teams are scoring the majority of their points from outside of 23 feet. Hassan Whiteside led the league in blocks then signed a minimum contract and saw limited minutes on a team with worst in the league defense. Jokic and Embiid led the MVP race pretty much wire to wire this season but neither guy could lead their team as far as the Conference Finals.

I can see an argument for drafting a big who can defend at all three levels because that extra length is a benefit in a zone defense where offenses are looking to create mismatches. And there are a couple of guys in this draft who fit that description. But for a player who's rooted in the post on defense even if he reaches his absolute ceiling it's still a poor use of a 9th overall pick in 2021. When we drafted Bagley the argument then was that we could pair him with a defensive big to cover for his weaknesses but if you do that then you have two players on the floor who are either killing your spacing on offense or they're standing out at the three point line where they might as well be a guard. These days you're most likely playing a large wing at the PF spot who can handle, pass, and shoot and that means your center needs to be mobile enough to cover the whole floor and defend perimeter players off switches or you're going to get embarrassed on a nightly basis.

No argument as far as Bagley and floor spacing, and I agree with a fair amount of your general premise BUT:

1. Denver lost Murray. Jokic was a deserving MVP but it's very hard to make up for losing your team's 2nd best player, regardless of who you are.
2. Embiid didn't fail the Sixers in that series, Simmons did and everyone knows it.
3. Boogie is struggling to hang on to a job because of his injury history. Despite all the questions about his attitude, Cousins was poised to sign a max deal (either with Sacramento or New Orleans) before his career was detailed by serious injuries.

 

[Padrino]

Exactly. This is really the problem with drafting an offensive-minded big right now -- it's just not a good value. Even a guy as talented as DeMarcus Cousins is struggling to hold on to a job. With everyone shooting long threes the guards have just as good of a shot at grabbing a rebound as anyone under the basket does and the bigs have been forced to step out to the three point line to make themselves useful on offense. I also wonder if you even need a dominant shot blocker when most teams are scoring the majority of their points from outside of 23 feet. Hassan Whiteside led the league in blocks then signed a minimum contract and saw limited minutes on a team with worst in the league defense. Jokic and Embiid led the MVP race pretty much wire to wire this season but neither guy could lead their team as far as the Conference Finals.

I can see an argument for drafting a big who can defend at all three levels because that extra length is a benefit in a zone defense where offenses are looking to create mismatches. And there are a couple of guys in this draft who fit that description. But for a player who's rooted in the post on defense even if he reaches his absolute ceiling it's still a poor use of a 9th overall pick in 2021. When we drafted Bagley the argument then was that we could pair him with a defensive big to cover for his weaknesses but if you do that then you have two players on the floor who are either killing your spacing on offense or they're standing out at the three point line where they might as well be a guard. These days you're most likely playing a large wing at the PF spot who can handle, pass, and shoot and that means your center needs to be mobile enough to cover the whole floor and defend perimeter players off switches or you're going to get embarrassed on a nightly basis.

Agreed on all counts. And it's also illustrative of what bothers me about the modern NBA. It's so... flat. It lacks dynamism. In order to succeed, all teams need to drift beyond the three-point line at volume, and almost every player needs a bunch of the same overlapping skills to succeed, no matter their size, body type, or level of athleticism. Without that "particular set of skills," a team is quite simply dead in the water. So everybody pursues versatile, multi-positional wings and every player has to either come into the league with a passable three-point shot or learn quickly how to put the ball in from deep. There's really not a lot of room for a diversity of approaches anymore. It's all just micro-adjustments within the confines of a very narrow definition of "winning basketball" under the current ruleset and given the mathematical realities of shot efficiency.

Unfortunately, I think this has had the unintended consequence of making it even more difficult for lottery teams to climb out of their respective basements. The 2018 draft is obviously a sore spot for Kings fans. Prior to the draft, I leaned Bagley. I did not anticipate Doncic's rapid ascent to superstardom. Just as hindsight has informed me that Demarcus Cousins was probably never going to achieve greatness given the context of his era, hindsight has likewise made it clear that Doncic was always destined for greatness in the current era. His James Harden-esque style of play is tailor-made for today's game. But despite the obvious valley of talent that separates Luka Doncic from a player like Marvin Bagley, there should still be room for a player like Bagley to thrive in the NBA, even if he never achieves stardom. However, his flaws mean that you can't really win with him in your starting lineup in the modern NBA.

I don't say this as a Kings fan so much as a fan of NBA basketball, but that strikes me as a shame, and I think the league is due for a course correction in the ruleset to allow for player and team success that extends beyond the narrow definitions of the moment/zeitgeist.

 

[hrdboild]

No argument as far as Bagley and floor spacing, and I agree with a fair amount of your general premise BUT:

1. Denver lost Murray. Jokic was a deserving MVP but it's very hard to make up for losing your team's 2nd best player, regardless of who you are.
2. Embiid didn't fail the Sixers in that series, Simmons did and everyone knows it.
3. Boogie is struggling to hang on to a job because of his injury history. Despite all the questions about his attitude, Cousins was poised to sign a max deal (either with Sacramento or New Orleans) before his career was detailed by serious injuries.

It pains me to say it because I love Boogie but that Boogie contract would have been a mistake even if he didn't get injured. Saddling yourself to a high usage big man is NBA death right now. Not because these guys aren't talented, 30 pts still matter however you get them, but because devoting a huge chunk of your cap space to a big means you can't sign a max wing player and you just can't win without a guy like that right now. Decent bigs are a dime a dozen and decent wings are getting more expensive every year.

And that's really the issue here in the draft. It isn't that a franchise big guy won't help you win, but picking a big with our lottery pick means not picking a wing and I think the only way that works out for us is if we're getting a defensive monster who can guard every position on the floor. Failing that, we're better off getting somebody who plays out where the action is taking place not a guy who sits under the basket waiting to rebound or forcing the offense into shots they'd prefer to take anyway.

I'm in full agreement with Padrino on this -- I hate that this is what the NBA has become I really do but being stubborn and trying to win in a style that hasn't worked for 10 years is not going to get us out of the basement of the Western Conference. I do think the meta is going to change, it always changes, but it's hard for me to see how it changes back to a post-oriented game unless they remove the three point line entirely and they're not going to do that. Whatever rules changes are coming, we need an answer for teams shooting us off the court and I don't think it's going to come in the form of a traditional big man.

 

[ESP47]

Even then, I would pass if there was a wing with obvious star talent that I could take before a no-brainer big in the mold of Embiid. To be a true superstar big man in the modern NBA, you have to be able to score efficiently in the paint, hit free throws at a reasonable clip, hit threes at a league average rate, rebound at an above average rate, protect the rim effectively, switch with some competency, set strong and effective screens, and occasionally make plays out of both the high and low posts. Anything less and you're just a Richaun Holmes-level talent. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Richaun. At this point, he's clearly overperformed his draft position. He's remarkably efficient. He deserves a decent payday. But he's not worth the $20 million he's hoping to secure this offseason.

More to the point, despite the fact that a guy like Joel Embiid is a true superstar big who can do all of the above, it's never earned his team anything more than a second-round exit in the lesser conference. Personally, I learned my lesson after Demarcus Cousins. I was among his biggest fans in Sacramento, as well as one of his biggest apologists. But in hindsight, he never stood a chance at becoming great. The league shifted beneath his feet from the moment he stepped foot on an NBA court. Rule changes enacted several years before Cousins was drafted were starting to yield dividends in elevating smaller players and particular wing-oriented skill sets. Analytics went on to revolutionize approaches that no longer favored back-to-the-basket bigs and instead prized three-point volume. The entry requirements for superstardom among big men are simply far too steep in the modern NBA.

There's a reason we call these do-it-all big men "unicorns," after all. They're exceedingly rare but also exceedingly hard to ride to championship glory, particularly given the injury concerns that follow from players of advanced size competing at the speed of the league in 2021. Kristaps Porzingas is only 25 years old, yet injuries have already robbed him of the unicorn qualities that made him a tantalizing prospect in the first place. He's no longer worth his max contract even though under ordinary circumstances he should still be somewhere south of his prime!

That said, Alperen Sengun could be a special player someday. It's impossible to say for sure, but I absolutely would not use a lottery pick on him, not when the Kings could use help on the wing, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, and not when there are a number of very intriguing options on the wing that should be available at #9.

I'm with you here. The only type of situation where I'd take an Embiid type player would be if the other no brainer star was say a Ja Morant type when the Kings already have Fox. At that point instead of having two redundant players, I'd take the no brainer big.

We should have learned with Bagley that non defensive bigs don't cut it in this league unless they're very special unicorns like Jokic. Cousins is another good example. He was among the league leaders in offense but he couldn't anchor a defense and that was and has been the kings achilles heel for years now.

Sengun looks like a really interesting prospect but the path to success is much like Bagley's where he would need to develop to his ceiling offensively and then develop defensive skills you didn't even know he had. It's a low odds gamble to me. If I had to choose that path or a guy like Moody who projects to be in the Normal Powell/Josh Richardson type mold, I'll take the safe pick in this case.....and that's coming from a guy who thinks the Kings need to shoot for the highest ceiling player possible. I just don't see it happening in a big man with good offense and little defense.

 

[Tetsujin]

I'm with you here. The only type of situation where I'd take an Embiid type player would be if the other no brainer star was say a Ja Morant type when the Kings already have Fox. At that point instead of having two redundant players, I'd take the no brainer big.

We should have learned with Bagley that non defensive bigs don't cut it in this league unless they're very special unicorns like Jokic. Cousins is another good example. He was among the league leaders in offense but he couldn't anchor a defense and that was and has been the kings achilles heel for years now.

Sengun looks like a really interesting prospect but the path to success is much like Bagley's where he would need to develop to his ceiling offensively and then develop defensive skills you didn't even know he had. It's a low odds gamble to me. If I had to choose that path or a guy like Moody who projects to be in the Normal Powell/Josh Richardson type mold, I'll take the safe pick in this case.....and that's coming from a guy who thinks the Kings need to shoot for the highest ceiling player possible. I just don't see it happening in a big man with good offense and little defense.

I mean, if high ceiling international players with questionable defensive game tape is your thing, Josh Giddey’s probably available at that spot and plays a much more modern position (secondary initiator wing) with an intriguing skill set and similar numbers to Lamelo in the Aussie league

 

[ESP47]

I mean, if high ceiling international players with questionable defensive game tape is your thing, Josh Giddey’s probably available at that spot and plays a much more modern position (secondary initiator wing) with an intriguing skill set and similar numbers to Lamelo in the Aussie league

Yeah he would be the modern position version of Sengun so I would put his value higher due to that alone.

 

[midtowner]

One thing that I can’t get a read on is the type
Of person these dudes are. It’s impossible to evaluate from my phone. Resiliency, toughness, will to win and intelligence all play a huge role in development. Talking archetypes is cool, but if Shaq played in the NBA right now - the game would change.

 

[Tetsujin]

One thing that I can’t get a read on is the type
Of person these dudes are. It’s impossible to evaluate from my phone. Resiliency, toughness, will to win and intelligence all play a huge role in development. Talking archetypes is cool, but if Shaq played in the NBA right now - the game would change.

The hard part is that it’s pretty much impossible to know until the player actually gets into the league.
MKG was absolutely beloved for his work ethic and intangibles only to completely bomb as a pro while people got on Ayton for his work ethic and passion for the game only for him to turn into the juggernaut during the postseason for the Suns.

 

[bajaden]

The hard part is that it’s pretty much impossible to know until the player actually gets into the league.
MKG was absolutely beloved for his work ethic and intangibles only to completely bomb as a pro while people got on Ayton for his work ethic and passion for the game only for him to turn into the juggernaut during the postseason for the Suns.

In fairness to Kid Gilchrist, he wasn't a total bomb, he just never developed an outside shot, which of course limited his game significantly. But he was a good defender. It's a shame he never reached his full potential, but he's not the first. But your right, you never know until they set foot on an NBA floor. That said, I think if you do your homework, talk to the players friends, teammates, and coaches, you should have a pretty good feel for who the player is going forward.

 

[SacTownKid]

I agree with a lot that is being said - but defense ends with a rebound. And the Kings have been getting killed on the offensive glass. The teams that are advancing have Ayton and Lopez as their centers. Last year, the Lakers’ front line was huge. The year before that, Gasol was the starter on the championship team. And I’m tired of getting punked by the Valancunious’ of the world.

That being said - I think Moody is my realistic draft crush (thanks Baja).

True, size, athleticism, and defense are huge factors and you need that on the roster somewhere but Lopez is far from a board dominator averaging around 6 per game for his career. And while you want to rebound the ball, perimeter defense and switchability are the keys over all else right now. Remember had injuries not been a huge factor those teams probably get wiped out by teams like the Clipps and Nets playing PG13 and Durant at center for the bulk of their most important minutes.

 

[SacTownKid]

One thing that I can’t get a read on is the type
Of person these dudes are. It’s impossible to evaluate from my phone. Resiliency, toughness, will to win and intelligence all play a huge role in development. Talking archetypes is cool, but if Shaq played in the NBA right now - the game would change.

Yeah, the rule of the NBA since the 80's is unless you have the superstar type the league is building around then you have to find a way to matchup with the trends. Looking at the talent now, with LeBron still being the guy, if Shaq were still in the league it would definitely be an alpha game and players like Curry and Trae would have a cold hard reality hit them right in the stats.

 

[SacTownKid]

In fairness to Kid Gilchrist, he wasn't a total bomb, he just never developed an outside shot, which of course limited his game significantly. But he was a good defender. It's a shame he reached his full potential, but he's not the first. But your right, you never know until they set foot on an NBA floor. That said, I think if you do your homework, talk to the players friends, teammates, and coaches, you should have a pretty good feel for who the player is going forward.

And to be fair he went to a franchise that is even worse than the Kings when it comes to developing anyone. Or anything. lol. MKG got kind of boned with the time he came in also. The game was leaving behind those pure defense types. Now you have to be able to do something offensively whether that's shoot or make plays for others. If you can do one of those you have a chance if you're not a major production type.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Alright after hemmin’ and hawin’ over a handful of prospects I’ve finally settled on my top pick for the Kings. Alperen Sengun. I know bigs aren’t as valuable as they used to be but he is too good of a talent to pass up. I believe there is a good chance he is best player available and he plays a position of need since I no longer believe Holmes will re-sign with us. We talk about defense a lot and for good reason but you know what else we need? Scoring. It is more important that your best players are shot creators/scorers than defenders. We already have a big time shot maker in Fox but we need a second guy that can get us a bucket when we are in a dry spell. Haliburton is my favorite player but I see him in the play making/facilitator/great shooter role not a bucket getter.

Sengun is so crafty he will be able to score at the next level. He gets to the free throw line more than any guy other than Fox and get this… hits his free throws. Haliburton probably will never get to the line at a high rate and no one else on the team does consistently. He can pass. The more I watch the more I see elite passing potential. High IQ is obvious. His shot looks great and natural. I fully expect him to shoot a respectable percentage from three.

He can score, pass, gets to the line, hits his free throws, makes the right play and has good steal and block rates. I’m not passing all that up over questionable defense. His offensive ability should take pressure off of Fox so he can spend more energy on the defensive end. If Swipa really wants to win he will stop being a sucky defender. Bring in defensive players to fill the gaps between the core of Fox, Haliburton and Sengun.

I don’t think the Kings will draft him by the way. I think Orlando takes him or the Kings go for a wing. My gut tells me this is the guy who will rise to the top of the players drafted in the 6-10 range

 

[funkykingston]

I love Sengun's game. It's amazing that he's just 18 considering how strong and crafty he already is. The NBA has gone away from post play but the fact that (1) as you noted, he's a very good FT shooter for a big and (2) he's a fantastic playmaker (the best passing big in this draft IMO) means that the normal methods of slowing a post scorer down won't work on him. Foul him and he makes you pay (and gets your team in foul trouble) and double him and he hits open teammates for threes or shots at the rim.

All that said, I have major concerns about his size, defense, and whether his outside shot will develop. The Kings are already the worst defensive team in the league. Having a 6'9" or 6'10" center who lacks a plus wingspan or lateral quickness will only make things worse. The two guys Sengun reminds me of are Enes Kanter (and I didn't realize until after that comparison popped in my head that both are from Turkey) and Sabonis.

Kanter's defense makes it hard for teams to start him even though he gets you buckets when he's in the game. Sengun will be stronger and is already a better passer, but he may have the same issues staying on the floor. Or like Sabonis, you really have to play him at PF with a traditional center which causes spacing and defensive issues. We've seen something similar with Bagley and Holmes.

I am going to really enjoy watching Sengun play in the NBA but I don't know if he's the right for the Kings.

 

[funkykingston]

Here's my ideal draft scenario for the Kings.

For this scenario I'm assuming Cunningham, Mobley, Green, Suggs, Barnes, Bouknight, Kuminga, and either Keon Johnson or Moody go top 8.

#9 Jalen Johnson

Then the Kings make a trade to grab a mid 1st involving Hield and/or Barnes. Maybe #17 from Memphis

#17 Ziaire Williams. I think it's likely Williams goes before this but he's all over the place in mocks right now.

Trade #39 to say the Pelicans for #43 and #53

#43 Johnny Juzang
#53 EJ Onu

I'd like to see the Kings re-sign Holmes in free agency but I think it's likely another team offers him a deal the Kings can't match. I also think it's likely that nothing of value is offered for Bagley. If so, I think you run Bagley out as your starting five and let him sink or swim. Challenge him to be better defensively, and as I've said before, I think Bagley is only a truly valuable NBA player if he can operate as your center.

Bagley
Johnson
Williams
Haliburton
Fox

With a bench of Hield or Barnes (if both aren't dealt) Wright, Metu, Woodard, Ramsey, Juzang, Onu

would run teams off the floor and struggle in the half court and still needs a defensive anchor. But I'm bullish on the long term potential of Johnson and Williams on both ends of the floor and I like their fit with De'Aaron and Tyrese. Onu is just a fun gamble. A shotblocking center with a 7'8" wingspan who hit threes in college at a 40% clip? Sign me up, even though he's clearly still a project at 21. And I just think Juzang is one of those guys who will carve out a nice role as a sparkplug shooter/scorer off the bench.

 

[iowamcnabb]

This is a nice piece on Sengun. For what it’s worth the Ringer has him 9th on their big board

 

[iowamcnabb]

One last video from me. I think this one shows a bit of everything he can do. He really isn't a traditional big. That pass from his knees at 2:58 is something else and he even displays a level of toughness we don't currently have on the roster.

 

[midtowner]

Ayton has been a monster on defense in the post season who’s legitimately been terrific on all three levels of defense. Lopez has been unplayable for a lot of the postseason and has been getting benched for Giannis at center lineups in crunchtime.

Man, Lopez had a GAME las night.

 

[funkykingston]

Sengun would be really interesting in OKC next to Pokusevski

 

[Tetsujin]

Man, Lopez had a GAME las night.

It’s almost like the Bucks do better when they aren’t trying to play two 7 footers at once. (Giannis, for all his versatility, has been playing center for most of the postseason)