Players that I would target with the 9th pick:

[Jkbiker]

Is Franz Wagner on the Kings’ radar? At least one NBA draft expert thinks it’s a done deal and Sacramento will select the Michigan forward with the No. 9 overall draft pick later this month. “I think Franz Wagner to the Kings seems like an inevitability,” Chad Ford said during a recent episode of the Ryen Russillo podcast. “An Analytics driven front office with one of the top analytics guys, and frankly, a player that probably fits what they need.”

37 mins ago – via James Ham @ Yahoo! Sports
Draft, Franz Wagner, Sacramento Kings

 

[funkykingston]

While there's a lot to like about Wagner, it's Chad Ford being reported on by James Ham so it's hard to take it too seriously.

Then again, if two such pillars of wrongness combine forces maybe they come out the opposite side and could actually be right?

 

[iowamcnabb]

Franz has been my guy for a long time especially when it looked like we were picking in the 10-12 range earlier this season. My only concern is his timid nature offensively. We really need a second scorer unless Hali takes a leap which isn’t out of the question

 

[hrdboild]

I can't get excited about Wagner. He doesn't have any glaring weaknesses but he doesn't have any elite skills either. I can see him being a high-level roleplayer on the right team but if he's asked to create too much off the dribble or he's expected to be a defensive stopper or a knockdown shooter he could struggle under the weight of those expectations. He's sortof a less athletic Harrison Barnes. Probably a better fit at PF than SF where his ability to move his feet on defense starts to become more of an asset and he'll be a guy who doesn't really hurt you but maybe doesn't stand out as anything more than average either. Granted Barnes was a high flyer when he came into the league and Wagner is definitely not that and the jumper still needs work before I would consider it a reliable weapon. I don't dislike Wagner as a prospect but the bottom line for me is that at #9 I see better options if you want either a defender or a shooter.

 

[dude12]

Meh on Wagner. Not sold on this guy

 

[Reverend]

Franz has been my guy for a long time especially when it looked like we were picking in the 10-12 range earlier this season. My only concern is his timid nature offensively. We really need a second scorer unless Hali takes a leap which isn’t out of the question

I like his size on the wing he’d bring IQ which is highly needed especially defensive IQ and he can playmake a bit. There is certainly more traditionally exciting prospects to get behind like Moody or Jalen Johnson but Franz definitely has less bust potential than either of them IMO

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I'm on board with Wagner. There will likely be at least one or two guys on the board who will go on to better careers, but you have to figure which guys, and that's not clear. Wagner looks like he a has a floor of 20 MPG rotation player, but I figure he's probably going to be a starter for a lot of his career at the 3/4, with good defense and high BBIQ. More of a team concept guy than a star, but it's hard to find the star at #9.

 

[Reverend]

I'm on board with Wagner. There will likely be at least one or two guys on the board who will go on to better careers, but you have to figure which guys, and that's not clear. Wagner looks like he a has a floor of 20 MPG rotation player, but I figure he's probably going to be a starter for a lot of his career at the 3/4, with good defense and high BBIQ. More of a team concept guy than a star, but it's hard to find the star at #9.

Someone made a great point too, he is basically unbenchable for Luke, similar to how Tyrese made such an impact you couldn’t leave him off the floor. Kings also have a bunch of guys who think (and sometimes can) go get you twenty points on any given night, with Wagner you could see how he could impact the game without needing the ball at all

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Someone made a great point too, he is basically unbenchable for Luke, similar to how Tyrese made such an impact you couldn’t leave him off the floor. Kings also have a bunch of guys who think (and sometimes can) go get you twenty points on any given night, with Wagner you could see how he could impact the game without needing the ball at all

Which - exactly like you said with Haliburton - is a great way to ease yourself into the league. Start as a team player, play good D, move the ball, and impact the game without looking for your own shot. Wagner is fully capable of doing that, and letting looks for his own shot develop on their own timeframe. I can totally see him as a Haliburton-level In-The-Rotation-From-Day-One player.

 

[Jkbiker]

Well he is #9 on the Kingsfans Draft Board
and would be a safe pick for Monte
But wagner at #9 and no major trades not exactly a swing for the fences move

 

[miltonap]

From what I've seen Wagner is pretty solid but I see him more as a mid first rounder tbh

 

[Telemachus]

Well he is #9 on the Kingsfans Draft Board
and would be a safe pick for Monte
But wagner at #9 and no major trades not exactly a swing for the fences move

The problem with swinging for the fence is that it often ends with a strikeout or a pop up. It always amazes me how often you end up with a homerun when just trying to make solid contact into the gap.

 

[SacTownKid]

From what I've seen Wagner is pretty solid but I see him more as a mid first rounder tbh

I would have said that prior to the playoffs too, but now you're seeing long, skilled wings that put effort in defensively make a huge impact in players like Mikal Bridges. Heck no, you don't want to build your team around guys like that but putting them next to a star backcourt? Heck yeah. That's EXTREMELY valuable now. His value as a positional combo F is rising simply because of the position he plays. He will only help Fox/Haliburton, not hinder them. He and Barnes at the F spots is a good combo too.

 

[SacTownKid]

The problem with swinging for the fence is that it often ends with a strikeout or a pop up. It always amazes me how often you end up with a homerun when just trying to make solid contact into the gap.

Yeah, the Kings just need to not completely blow it. They already have Fox and got a nice score with Haliburton last draft that shouldn't have happened, now if they can aim for that gap they push up further regardless. Wagner would do that and probably be someone more ready than the other options so he'll help from day 1. Obviously Jalen Johnson has way more potential but as long as they bring in someone that fits and at a position of value they should win again.

 

[ESP47]

Seems like there's two camps. One camp thinks that the Kings can get into the playoffs by filling role players around Fox and Hali and the other camp thinks that another Fox level player needs to be on the team before the playoffs are a reality. Going to be interesting to see what happens. A lot depends on Hali's development.

 

[midtowner]

I’m in the camp that thinks the team needs another high-level player, but also would be OK with getting a player in the draft that compliments HaliFox and then look for the Dude on the trade market.

 

[jiimbob]

I would have said that prior to the playoffs too, but now you're seeing long, skilled wings that put effort in defensively make a huge impact in players like Mikal Bridges. Heck no, you don't want to build your team around guys like that but putting them next to a star backcourt? Heck yeah. That's EXTREMELY valuable now. His value as a positional combo F is rising simply because of the position he plays. He will only help Fox/Haliburton, not hinder them. He and Barnes at the F spots is a good combo too.

Prior to getting lucky and moving up to the 2nd in 2018, Mikal Bridges was the player many fans wanted. Sometimes it pays to stay put.

 

[kingsboi]

Prior to getting lucky and moving up to the 2nd in 2018, Mikal Bridges was the player many fans wanted. Sometimes it pays to stay put.

and to stay patient too

 

[Sluggah]

If, over the last 10 years, we always made the safe pick…would we be better or worse today? Given our history, maybe the ‘lower ceiling, higher floor’ mold is worth trying out for a bit. Definitely less fun though.

 

[ESP47]

If, over the last 10 years, we always made the safe pick…would we be better or worse today? Given our history, maybe the ‘lower ceiling, higher floor’ mold is worth trying out for a bit. Definitely less fun though.

Tough to say. The picks have been all over the place. One thing I'm fairly certain about is if us Kings fans were able to vote for the pick when the Kings were on the clock on draft night, we would be in the playoffs.

 

[kb02]

Is Franz Wagner on the Kings’ radar? At least one NBA draft expert thinks it’s a done deal and Sacramento will select the Michigan forward with the No. 9 overall draft pick later this month. “I think Franz Wagner to the Kings seems like an inevitability,” Chad Ford said during a recent episode of the Ryen Russillo podcast. “An Analytics driven front office with one of the top analytics guys, and frankly, a player that probably fits what they need.”

37 mins ago – via James Ham @ Yahoo! Sports
Draft, Franz Wagner, Sacramento Kings

Wagoner at 9 is a stretch, but Ford’s draft expert cred has taken a nose dive in recent years. Vecenie took him out as the I don’t really know hoops, but rather source opinions from various NBA front offices dude. And the draftexpress guys rightfully replaced him at ESPN, because they did 10x the work and actually provided independent (though at times biased) scouting. And if we’re going to rely on analytics, the player that the Kings would take is Sengun, who Hollinger has ranked 4th. Hollinger is another draft expert, who actually operated as a GM and applied an analytics overlay to his selections.

 

[midtowner]

Wagoner at 9 is a stretch, but Ford’s draft expert cred has taken a nose dive in recent years. Vecenie took him out as the I don’t really know hoops, but rather source opinions from various NBA front offices dude. And the draftexpress guys rightfully replaced him at ESPN, because they did 10x the work and actually provided independent (though at times biased) scouting. And if we’re going to rely on analytics, the player that the Kings would take is Sengun, who Hollinger has ranked 4th. Hollinger is another draft expert, who actually operated as a GM and applied an analytics overlay to his selections.

Terrible GM - but interesting draft analyst

 

[Tetsujin]

Terrible GM - but interesting draft analyst

The funnest part of the John Hollinger experience is him taking credit for the Grizzlies drafting Ja even though that largely happened because he helped make them so toxically bad that they had no choice but to trade all their good players and suck enough to pick him.

 

[funkykingston]

Wagoner at 9 is a stretch, but Ford’s draft expert cred has taken a nose dive in recent years. Vecenie took him out as the I don’t really know hoops, but rather source opinions from various NBA front offices dude. And the draftexpress guys rightfully replaced him at ESPN, because they did 10x the work and actually provided independent (though at times biased) scouting. And if we’re going to rely on analytics, the player that the Kings would take is Sengun, who Hollinger has ranked 4th. Hollinger is another draft expert, who actually operated as a GM and applied an analytics overlay to his selections.

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason that you always spell Franz Wagner's last name as "Wagoner"? I wasn't sure if it was an autocorrect issue or just some joke I'm not aware of.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason that you always spell Franz Wagner's last name as "Wagoner"? I wasn't sure if it was an autocorrect issue or just some joke I'm not aware of.

I’ve noticed that and mentally transformed Wagoner into Wagoneer. It’s kind of fitting actually

 

[ESP47]

I’ve noticed that and mentally transfomered Wagoner into Wagoneer. It’s kind of fitting actually

View attachment 10589

I did the same thing when I saw it lol

 

[macadocious]

I’ve noticed that and mentally transfomered Wagoner into Wagoneer. It’s kind of fitting actually

View attachment 10589

we had an Orange one of those when I was a kid.

 

[kb02]

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason that you always spell Franz Wagner's last name as "Wagoner"? I wasn't sure if it was an autocorrect issue or just some joke I'm not aware of.

The truth is that I’ve always thought it was spelled Wagoner. A visual Freudian slip. I would root for him, if drafted by the Kings, but would be thoroughly disappointed. His film looks better than my live viewings—dude didn’t pop at all during the games that I watched live.

 

[SacTownKid]

Prior to getting lucky and moving up to the 2nd in 2018, Mikal Bridges was the player many fans wanted. Sometimes it pays to stay put.

Different times for sure. I still wouldn't trade what Bagley should or could have been for a Wagner/Bridges at the time but the Kings have Fox and Haliburton now. It's a completely different look and future at this point.n

 

[Groovygreg]

Seems like there's two camps. One camp thinks that the Kings can get into the playoffs by filling role players around Fox and Hali and the other camp thinks that another Fox level player needs to be on the team before the playoffs are a reality. Going to be interesting to see what happens. A lot depends on Hali's development.

Regardless of all other factors, I think that TH’s progression is going to be a key element in how the King’s fare next season. It’s a dynamic that is difficult to predict, but I’m optimistic about the outlook.