Which potential top 6 pick fits us best?

Which top 6 prospect fits us best?


  • Total voters
    74
  • Poll closed .
#61
I still like Bagley as If Giles is as advertised they could be a terror combo for other teams. I can just imagine the open shots our backcourt would see.
In today’s nba there are serviceable centers out there.
 
#62
Exactly. I remember people making the exact arguement about John Henson and the dude still looks like a twig.

On the other hand, you have Hassan, who was super skinny with the Kings, then got fat, and is now somewhere in between with the Heat.
Bad comparison. Hanson was a Jr. that weighed around 210 lbs. (if memory serves). Jackson turned 18 in September and weighs 240 lbs. He also has a much bigger frame for adding muscle than the 2 mentioned.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#63
Bad comparison. Hanson was a Jr. that weighed around 210 lbs. (if memory serves). Jackson turned 18 in September and weighs 240 lbs. He also has a much bigger frame for adding muscle than the 2 mentioned.
The point is that some dudes add body mass and others don't, regardless of their "frames".
 
#64
I like Young, he will be great but our destiny is tied to Fox and we don't have the gumption to re write our path.

Vlade takes Saric if he is available no question. I am intrigued in what the pairing of Ayton and Giles would look like
 
#66
Ayton has yet to show me that he can anchor a defense. Right now he's like a center version of Wiggins - all the physical tools in the world and on paper he SHOULD be a great defender and yet he's barely mediocre. That's a huge concern to me. If a dominant big man is to still be a centerpiece to a team being a defensive force in the middle seems like a requirement.

I also don't see the Embiid comparisons. Embiid was raw but still flashed Olajuwon level potential in the post and has always been a plus defender. KAT is closer to Ayton but I'd take Towns' defense of the two. Both guys also have a tendency to float on the perimeter a bit too much for my liking.

That said, I like Ayton more than Bagley. Bagley is non-stop effort but he's even worse defensively and I don't think his game is well suited for today's NBA unless he can gain weight/strength to play center.

Bamba is intriguing. I don't think he has the potential on offense that others seem to see but I think he can easily be a deluxe version of Clint Capela if he can stay focused/motivated. That caveat is why I don't compare him to Gobert. The Stifle Tower always seemed to want to improve and always played hard. Bamba often looks like he needs an opposing big to (metaphorically) punch him in the mouth before he gets competitive.

Porter (if healthy) seems like a great fit as a guy who stretches the floor and can be a primary scorer - two things the Kings currently lack. I have concerns about his handle, his ability to have counter moves (beyond pulling up and shooting over his man), who he guards on defense and obviously his health, but if his medical records check out then he ticks a number of boxes for the Kings. I'm also not sure why I saw someone labeling him as a project. He's no more a project than any of these other freshman penciled in as top picks. Even Doncic, who has had more success as a pro than any other young international player I can think of is still not a sure thing given the increased competition and athleticism of the NBA. We've seen what Jayson Tatum has done and while they are different players, I liked Porter more as a future NBA SF than I did Tatum.

Doncic looks like a rich man's version of Bogie. Can he play as well against NBA caliber defenders? I don't know. And honestly I haven't watched much other than highlight packages and one game so I'm not the best person to say. But as a basketball fan he's a lot of fun to watch.

So is Trae Young. Oklahoma has really been struggling and I think part of it is that since that Oklahoma St loss where Young jacked up a ton of shots on his way to 48 points, he's really been trying to balance being a scorer with getting his teammates involved, and he still hasn't figured that line out totally. He's also faced defenses focused on getting the ball out of his hands and hasn't figured out how to adjust and make them pay for that approach. Also a ton of fun to watch and one of the first guys to legitimately earn "potential next Steph" hype, but at the same time I think people need to realize how much Steph developed his game and his body AFTER getting to the NBA. Curry also played three college seasons. Drafting a skinny, not-that-athletic, freshman PG with that kind of scoring/shooting mentality is somewhat uncharted waters.

Jaren Jackson is the kid I've really started to like a lot but I don't think I'd take him #1. If anything I think he's risen in my eyes partly because he deserves it with his combination of defense and stretch four potential but partly because I've started critiquing the other top guys more and more rigorously.

If I had to pick #1? I think maybe Ayton and hope that he can develop into an interior defender or possibly Porter if there are no medical red flags. Lots of talented guys up top but no clear #1 guy with all of them having significant questions and/or warts.
 
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bajaden

Hall of Famer
#67
Ayton has yet to show me that he can anchor a defense. Right now he's like a center version of Wiggins - all the physical tools in the world and on paper he SHOULD be a great defender and yet he's barely mediocre. That's a huge concern to me. If a dominant big man is to still be a centerpiece to a team being a defensive force in the middle seems like a requirement.

I also don't see the Embiid comparisons. Embiid was raw but still flashed Olajuwon level potential in the post and has always been a plus defender. KAT is closer to Ayton but I'd take Towns' defense of the two. Both guys also have a tendency to float on the perimeter a bit too much for my liking.

That said, I like Ayton more than Bagley. Bagley is non-stop effort but he's even worse defensively and I don't think his game is well suited for today's NBA unless he can gain weight/strength to play center.

Bamba is intriguing. I don't think he has the potential on offense that others seem to see but I think he can easily be a deluxe version of Clint Capela if he can stay focused/motivated. That caveat is why I don't compare him to Gobert. The Stifle Tower always seemed to want to improve and always played hard. Bamba often looks like he needs an opposing big to (metaphorically) punch him in the mouth before he gets competitive.

Porter (if healthy) seems like a great fit as a guy who stretches the floor and can be a primary scorer - two things the Kings currently lack. I have concerns about his handle, his ability to have counter moves (beyond pulling up and shooting over his man), who he guards on defense and obviously his health, but if his medical records check out then he ticks a number of boxes for the Kings. I'm also not sure why I saw someone labeling him as a project. He's no more a project than any of these other freshman penciled in as top picks. Even Doncic, who has had more success as a pro than any other young international player I can think of is still not a sure thing given the increased competition and athleticism of the NBA. We've seen what Jayson Tatum has done and while they are different players, I liked Porter more as a future NBA SF than I did Tatum.

Doncic looks like a rich man's version of Bogie. Can he play as well against NBA caliber defenders? I don't know. And honestly I haven't watched much other than highlight packages and one game so I'm not the best person to say. But as a basketball fan he's a lot of fun to watch.

So is Trae Young. Oklahoma has really been struggling and I think part of it is that since that Oklahoma St loss where Young jacked up a ton of shots on his way to 48 points, he's really been trying to balance being a scorer with getting his teammates involved, and he still hasn't figured that line out totally. He's also faced defenses focused on getting the ball out of his hands and hasn't figured out how to adjust and make them pay for that approach. Also a ton of fun to watch and one of the first guys to legitimately earn "potential next Steph" hype, but at the same time I think people need to realize how much Steph developed his game and his body AFTER getting to the NBA. Curry also played three college seasons. Drafting a skinny, not-that-athletic, freshman PG with that kind of scoring/shooting mentality is somewhat uncharted waters.

Jaren Jackson is the kid I've really started to like a lot but I don't think I'd take him #1. If anything I think he's risen in my eyes partly because he deserves it with his combination of defense and stretch four potential but partly because I've started critiquing the other top guys more and more rigorously.

If I had to pick #1? I think maybe Ayton and hope that he can develop into an interior defender or possibly Porter if there are no medical red flags. Lots of talented guys up top but no clear #1 guy with all of them having significant questions and/or warts.
Yeah, picking number one this year may like choosing between a good merlot and a burgundy. It's a matter of taste, and fit. If healthy, I think Porter may be the best fit for the Kings, but it's hard to argue against Doncic, who can play the same position. I sort of agree on Bagley, at least for the present. If he can expand his skill set once in the NBA, then the picture changes. But the same thing can be said for all of the top picks. Bagley's jumpshot is a work in progress, but his form isn't bad. His handles are fine for a center, but average for a PF, and weak for a SF, if that makes any sense. He's definitely the most explosive leaper in the draft. As one scout put it, he can jump twice before anyone can jump once.

I think Bagley has to play the PF position in the NBA, and his best fit is on a team that pushes the pace. I won't comment on his defense. In regards to Young, I think on average, he's done a decent to good job adjusting to the defenses of the other teams. It would certainly help if he had a few reliable outlets to pass to. I hate to beat a dead horse, but the rest of the team save a couple of players is terrible. I've seen Doncic play quite a bit and I have zero doubts about him. I do think there will be an adjustment period, but the dude is so skilled, and confident, and a little cocky as well, that I don't think he'll have much of a problem picking up where he left off in Europe.
 
#68
Ayton has yet to show me that he can anchor a defense. Right now he's like a center version of Wiggins - all the physical tools in the world and on paper he SHOULD be a great defender and yet he's barely mediocre. That's a huge concern to me. If a dominant big man is to still be a centerpiece to a team being a defensive force in the middle seems like a requirement.

I also don't see the Embiid comparisons. Embiid was raw but still flashed Olajuwon level potential in the post and has always been a plus defender. KAT is closer to Ayton but I'd take Towns' defense of the two. Both guys also have a tendency to float on the perimeter a bit too much for my liking.

That said, I like Ayton more than Bagley. Bagley is non-stop effort but he's even worse defensively and I don't think his game is well suited for today's NBA unless he can gain weight/strength to play center.

Bamba is intriguing. I don't think he has the potential on offense that others seem to see but I think he can easily be a deluxe version of Clint Capela if he can stay focused/motivated. That caveat is why I don't compare him to Gobert. The Stifle Tower always seemed to want to improve and always played hard. Bamba often looks like he needs an opposing big to (metaphorically) punch him in the mouth before he gets competitive.

Porter (if healthy) seems like a great fit as a guy who stretches the floor and can be a primary scorer - two things the Kings currently lack. I have concerns about his handle, his ability to have counter moves (beyond pulling up and shooting over his man), who he guards on defense and obviously his health, but if his medical records check out then he ticks a number of boxes for the Kings. I'm also not sure why I saw someone labeling him as a project. He's no more a project than any of these other freshman penciled in as top picks. Even Doncic, who has had more success as a pro than any other young international player I can think of is still not a sure thing given the increased competition and athleticism of the NBA. We've seen what Jayson Tatum has done and while they are different players, I liked Porter more as a future NBA SF than I did Tatum.

Doncic looks like a rich man's version of Bogie. Can he play as well against NBA caliber defenders? I don't know. And honestly I haven't watched much other than highlight packages and one game so I'm not the best person to say. But as a basketball fan he's a lot of fun to watch.

So is Trae Young. Oklahoma has really been struggling and I think part of it is that since that Oklahoma St loss where Young jacked up a ton of shots on his way to 48 points, he's really been trying to balance being a scorer with getting his teammates involved, and he still hasn't figured that line out totally. He's also faced defenses focused on getting the ball out of his hands and hasn't figured out how to adjust and make them pay for that approach. Also a ton of fun to watch and one of the first guys to legitimately earn "potential next Steph" hype, but at the same time I think people need to realize how much Steph developed his game and his body AFTER getting to the NBA. Curry also played three college seasons. Drafting a skinny, not-that-athletic, freshman PG with that kind of scoring/shooting mentality is somewhat uncharted waters.

Jaren Jackson is the kid I've really started to like a lot but I don't think I'd take him #1. If anything I think he's risen in my eyes partly because he deserves it with his combination of defense and stretch four potential but partly because I've started critiquing the other top guys more and more rigorously.

If I had to pick #1? I think maybe Ayton and hope that he can develop into an interior defender or possibly Porter if there are no medical red flags. Lots of talented guys up top but no clear #1 guy with all of them having significant questions and/or warts.

But what 19 year old, much less a big man, really knows how to play defense? Yeah, guys show signs of being defensively great, but almost all of them have to learn at the NBA level and take them . And a guy with Ayton's physical frame/tools, he's someone I'd be more than willing to bet on becoming an awesome defender at the next level rather than not, even if it takes him 2-3 years to get there.

And while we have to take college numbers with a grain of salt to some extent, his offensive production/rebounding is just nutty:

19.5 PPG
10.5 RPG
1.4 APG
1.8 BPG

26% USG
10% TOV
64% TS

These are all insanely good for a high USG player like Ayton

20% TRB
.393 FTR
34% 3pt (1.1 attempt/game)

All of this while being an absolute phyiscal/athletic specimen. He's just hard to bet against being an absolute super-star at the next level.
 
#69
But what 19 year old, much less a big man, really knows how to play defense? Yeah, guys show signs of being defensively great, but almost all of them have to learn at the NBA level and take them . And a guy with Ayton's physical frame/tools, he's someone I'd be more than willing to bet on becoming an awesome defender at the next level rather than not, even if it takes him 2-3 years to get there.

And while we have to take college numbers with a grain of salt to some extent, his offensive production/rebounding is just nutty:

19.5 PPG
10.5 RPG
1.4 APG
1.8 BPG

26% USG
10% TOV
64% TS

These are all insanely good for a high USG player like Ayton

20% TRB
.393 FTR
34% 3pt (1.1 attempt/game)

All of this while being an absolute phyiscal/athletic specimen. He's just hard to bet against being an absolute super-star at the next level.
All of what you just mentioned is why I'd likely take Ayton with the first pick. For all the concern about his motor/motivation he's looked unstoppable at the college level. But while all bigs have a learning curve on the defensive end, it's Ayton's anemic block numbers that concern me. Only his six block game agianst Stanford raises him above Jahlil Okafor's level as a rum protector in college. That's a red flag to me. Maybe a small red flag or maybe a big one, but definitely a red flag.
 
#70
I meen.. I feel like we have to go with Ayton if we have the 1st pick. Dude is a beast and you can just see "It" in him. Hes gonna be a superstar.
But then again, we have Giles coming along who some say will be a possible superstar.. Do we need both bigs? Ayton & Giles would be a pretty dope combo.

I really like Doncic.. His energy, IQ and all out playstyle seems contagious and I feel like him and bogi would also make a sick combo. Plus we would have a ton of guys that can initiate the offense. Bogi, Doncic, Fox, Mason even Jackson in time. The passing on our team would be insane.

Porter kind of reminds me of Rashard Lewis and I'd be happy with him aswell. A potential # 1 scoring threat. But Is his scoring that much better then Doncic? I read a headline today that he will be playing at some point this season.

Jackson is interesting aswell. For those that have watched him can he play the three at all? or is he strictly a 4-5? His defense is intriguing.

As of right now I'm saying Ayton, Doncic, Porter, Jackson in that order.

Theres always those random super athletic defensive SF's in the second round and if we take Ayton maybe we could scoop one of those players up. Or possibly make a trade and get Miles Bridges.
 
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#72
For me it’s Ayton and Dončić that would be best fits. I think Ayton has the highest upside as a franchise level player.

Now where it gets interesting for me is what happens when you draft Ayton?! If you truly believe in Giles, then WCS might be a surplus to the team going forward. WCS could play with Ayton but with the extension on the horizon, do you make a call and trade WCS for a SF or a pick that gets you a SF.

Imagine drafting Ayton, then trading WCS in a package for Bridges to fill the whole at SF but at the same time get that 3/4 “tweener”! I think that could be a really interesting core going forward with all positions covered.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#73
All of what you just mentioned is why I'd likely take Ayton with the first pick. For all the concern about his motor/motivation he's looked unstoppable at the college level. But while all bigs have a learning curve on the defensive end, it's Ayton's anemic block numbers that concern me. Only his six block game agianst Stanford raises him above Jahlil Okafor's level as a rum protector in college. That's a red flag to me. Maybe a small red flag or maybe a big one, but definitely a red flag.
I feel like we've gone through this to some degree with Boogie (though despite his many faults, you never really had to worry about Boogie's effort on that end of the court) before. I'd say Ayton is a better athlete than Boogie was as a college player (Demarcus had famously never even touched a dumbbell until the Kings drafted him) and Boogie had a better team around him that gave him license to slack off as a rim protector (that Bledsoe/Wall backcourt would probably be contender for best defensive backcourt in the NBA), but both faced serious questions about their potential on that end of the floor. I feel like Ayton has all the tools to be a plus defender in the big league but he needs the right coaching staff to coax it out of him.

But hell, even if that fails, we have the other Boogie strategy in our back pocket and can just stick him out there with Willie.
 
#74
I meen.. I feel like we have to go with Ayton if we have the 1st pick. Dude is a beast and you can just see "It" in him. Hes gonna be a superstar.
But then again, we have Giles coming along who some say will be a possible superstar.. Do we need both bigs? Ayton & Giles would be a pretty dope combo.

I really like Doncic.. His energy, IQ and all out playstyle seems contagious and I feel like him and bogi would also make a sick passing/intelligent combo. Plus we would have a ton of guys that can initiate the offense. Bogi, Doncic, Fox, Mason even Jackson in time. The passing on our team would be insane.

Porter kind of reminds me of Rashard Lewis and I'd be happy with him aswell. A potential # 1 scoring threat. But Is his scoring that much better then Doncic? I read a headline today that he will be playing at some point this season.

Jackson is interesting aswell. For those that have watched him can he play the three at all? or is he strictly a 4-5? His defense is intriguing.

As of right now I'm saying Ayton, Doncic, Porter, Jackson in that order.

Theres always those random super athletic defensive SF's in the second round and if we take Ayton maybe we could scoop one of those players up. Or possibly make a trade and get Miles Bridges.
Some say Giles will be a superstar? I heard Napear saying he could be the best player on the Kings.. I think the hype is getting up there. I’m excited about Giles, but my projection might be solid starter, anything better would be gravy for me

As for the title, if we Koufos isn’t a long term starting prospect with the way he’s played, I hope the center is the best prospect available and IMO is the teams greatest need. I’m high on JJ as well and think he could be a solid starter, but the team hasnt shown to have defensive anchor/paint presence at center long term if Koufos isn’t deemed that and Giles isn’t playing there
 
#75
For me it’s Ayton and Dončić that would be best fits. I think Ayton has the highest upside as a franchise level player.

Now where it gets interesting for me is what happens when you draft Ayton?! If you truly believe in Giles, then WCS might be a surplus to the team going forward. WCS could play with Ayton but with the extension on the horizon, do you make a call and trade WCS for a SF or a pick that gets you a SF.

Imagine drafting Ayton, then trading WCS in a package for Bridges to fill the whole at SF but at the same time get that 3/4 “tweener”! I think that could be a really interesting core going forward with all positions covered.
Giles hype is unusual. People are already labeling him as a superstar without him stepping foot on the court. When you ask his teammates how Giles is, of course they'll say nothing but positive things. You have Grant and a few local guys really excited about him and hyping him up to be a star. Remember...we got similar hype about Skal last year after his hot run. We heard nothing but positive things about Papa and Malachi from those guys too..until they got traded.

The FO might truly believe in Giles, but I think we have to see him step foot on an NBA court before we decide to trade away Willie.
 
#76
I think Doncic or Porter Jr. are the best fits with Doncic clearly rated higher. Porter's injury was a real bummer as I thought he was a guy who could push for that top spot with his mix of skill and athleticism.

Bamba is growing on me as an option for the Kings as he has crazy defensive potential and a soft touch on offense(still needs a lot of work there). I've wanted and hoped for his type of player for a long time and I'm confident he would be a difference maker at least on one end. I think offensively he would at least be a good p-n-r option especially with Bogdan who is always looking for the lob.
 
#77
If Bamba keeps up the offense I’ll have him at 3 behind Doncic and Ayton.

He’s averaging 19-10 last 6 games and his jumpshot looks very good. He’s showing flashes now of being able to punish smaller guys if teams switch. He doesn’t look timid on offense anymore and is showing hooks.

Givony who used to do draftexpress and now espn said in his last podcast that Bamba is at 3 for him. I could see Bamba going ahead of Bagley.
 
#78
Man, I just like seeing us at the number 1 pick currently on tankathon (in terms of odds). Can we call the rest of the season?

Early March is brutal in terms of winnability, some resting might need to be going on there. Really don’t want to see Joerger overplaying vets or trying to win meaningless games from here on out (why they picked up his final year, for him to play along). We are approaching the fact that it would NOT be good for his standing in the organization to do that if he wants to stick around
 
#79
I feel like we've gone through this to some degree with Boogie (though despite his many faults, you never really had to worry about Boogie's effort on that end of the court) before. I'd say Ayton is a better athlete than Boogie was as a college player (Demarcus had famously never even touched a dumbbell until the Kings drafted him) and Boogie had a better team around him that gave him license to slack off as a rim protector (that Bledsoe/Wall backcourt would probably be contender for best defensive backcourt in the NBA), but both faced serious questions about their potential on that end of the floor. I feel like Ayton has all the tools to be a plus defender in the big league but he needs the right coaching staff to coax it out of him.

But hell, even if that fails, we have the other Boogie strategy in our back pocket and can just stick him out there with Willie.
This is pretty much what I was going to post. People forget just how bad Boogie was at defense when we drafted him. He has improved to the point where he is a pretty good man defender and while he is not much of a shot blocker, he sure knows how to take a charge.

I think Ayton will be fine defensively in time, especially if you pair him with a good defender in the front court. On the boards and offensively, he will be an absolute beast.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#80
Giles hype is unusual. People are already labeling him as a superstar without him stepping foot on the court. When you ask his teammates how Giles is, of course they'll say nothing but positive things. You have Grant and a few local guys really excited about him and hyping him up to be a star. Remember...we got similar hype about Skal last year after his hot run. We heard nothing but positive things about Papa and Malachi from those guys too..until they got traded.

The FO might truly believe in Giles, but I think we have to see him step foot on an NBA court before we decide to trade away Willie.
What in god's name does Giles becoming a star have to do with trading Willie?????? What's this obsession you have with trying to trade Willie? We no longer have Papagiannis, and Koufos is likely gone after next season. That will leave us with Willie, Giles, and hopefully Skal. Unless we draft another big man, that would make us fairly thin in the front court. I think there's plenty of minutes there for both Willie and Giles. Actually I can see them on the floor together.

By the way, I didn't hear much coming from fellow players last season about Skal. The majority,if not all of it came from the pundits. Much different this time around when People like Christie, Peja, Carter, Temple and Randolph have all given high praise to Giles. I might add that the same kind of praise was given to Simmons in Philly before he ever set foot on the floor.
 
#81
Giles hype is unusual. People are already labeling him as a superstar without him stepping foot on the court. When you ask his teammates how Giles is, of course they'll say nothing but positive things. You have Grant and a few local guys really excited about him and hyping him up to be a star. Remember...we got similar hype about Skal last year after his hot run. We heard nothing but positive things about Papa and Malachi from those guys too..until they got traded.

The FO might truly believe in Giles, but I think we have to see him step foot on an NBA court before we decide to trade away Willie.
I never said Giles was a superstar. I will wait to see for myself what he really is. If he turns into a good NBA starter type guy, I am happy with that. If he does indeed become an all-star even better.

If I believed that Giles was a superstar, I would not be in favor of drafting Ayton as much as I am. What I am trying to say is basically if Giles is an NBA level starting PF, then if we draft Ayton, I would be open to trading WCS to address another need (i.e. SF). I know that with Ayton I am getting a potential franchise level big that can score and rebound the hell out of the ball. He can also block shots. So next to him if Giles, can rebound, defend, block shots and hit open jumpers, that is pretty much all you need from the role playing PF.

I don't really know what Giles is and I am not the one to believe the hype. Seen the PR bullcrap too many times. From McLemore to Stauskas to Papa to you name it.

All I said if the franchise TRULY believes in Giles and they draft Ayton, then WCS might become tradeable because that would be too many resources allocated to the front court. You need to build a balanced team.
 
#85
Is it just me or does he remind anyone else of LaMarcus Aldridge in terms of movement?
They have a similar kind of shuffle/walk in dead ball situations, but I would say there is no resemblance in live action. JJJ is far more fluid. Aldridge has surprisingly little lift. He’d have been hard-pressed to get that put-back dunk, for instance.