Section 101
All-Star
I’ll be your huckleberry. Ill play the game. Let’s the say the Kings keep both our 2nds. Two different scenarios that would be fun to play the what if game for myself
37 - Kendall Brown/Josh Minott/Bryce McGowen - SF
49 - Jabari Walker/Justin Lewis/Kenny Lofton Jr. - PF
UDFA - Keon Ellis, SG
or…
37 - EJ Lidell, PF
49 - Gui Santos/Darius Days/Ron Harper Jr. - SF
UDFA - Kwon Ellis, SG
I don’t think any PF we drafted in the 2nd would immediately come in and replace Lyles or Metu. But both Lyles and Metu are on one year deals and might be looking for more money and a better opportunity seeing as Murray will always be playing in front of them. Whichever guy we drafted in 2nd could develop however for the next three years and give us a future back up and depth behind Murray.
Same could be said with whomever we drafted to provide depth at SF. I don’t think any of them would see playing time over Barnes, Huerter, KZ but I don’t think Chima has much of a future in the league and drafting a guy who has developmental upside to be our SF 3 this year and possibly grow to become a decent role player. Which will be even more important to have with Barnes likely departure after this season.
I’m not trying to beat a dead horse here, we traded the 2nds for, in terms of this years team, nothing. I’ve moved on and it is what it is, however those who have issue with the trading of the 2nds I completely understand, there were missed opportunities to find cost controlled, upside players who at best provide cheap depth and role players for the coming years. At worst, if they don’t pan out they would leave us exactly where we’ll be next offseason (likely with some combination of Barnes, Lyles, Metu leaving and only one of KZ/Chima being worth minutes) which is in need of cost controlled, cheap depth behind our main core. It’s seemingly a missed opportunity due to lack of foresight and vision beyond this year.
The argument of “the kings don’t have roster room” falls a little short with the Chima signing as well as the still open roster spot. Chima and KZ could prove me completely wrong and be a missing ingredient that this team needed, I just think those odds are much higher than one of the players I named panning out and becoming a solid role player.
What if it was
37 - Ellis
49 - Rhoden
Would everyone be happy we used our 2 2nd round picks?