Yahoo’s Jake Fischer posted an article with lots of draft-related news and rumors. Definitely worth checking out the whole thing if you’re a draft fanatic. But two notes in particular stood out for Kings fans:
Ron Holland worked out for the Kings
The Kings have been very secretive with their workouts in the Monte McNair era, much to my chagrin, but Fischer reports that the Kings are one of the teams Ron Holland has met for a workout.
With no decisive top prospect, NBA teams have been preparing for all kinds of volatility and movement up and down the draft board, while the players echoed that sentiment. “I have no idea where I’ll go,” said Colorado forward Cody Williams. “There’s going to be a lot of trades.” Williams did say he worked out for every team picking in the top 10. Ron Holland, a G League Ignite product, agreed. “There’s so much uncertainty,” said Holland, who worked out for Atlanta, Charlotte, Portland, San Antonio, Chicago, Miami, Sacramento and Oklahoma City.
Holland is one of my favorite prospects for the Kings. I wrote a profile of him here. A month ago it seemed unlikely that Holland would even be on the board when the Kings picked at 13, but more and more mocks have Holland being available with the 13th pick. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony kept Holland to the Kings in his latest mock draft.
The Kings have been “connected” to DaRon Holmes
DaRon Holmes has been another favorite around here, you can read more about him from Bryant here. Holmes has been mostly rumored to be a favorite of the Denver Nuggets, who currently have the 28th pick. He shut down his workouts early in the pre-draft process, leading to speculation of a promise. Fischer adds some interesting reporting:
While Holmes indeed shut down his workout schedule — prompting teams to suspect a promise somewhere in the late first round — and Holmes could certainly be an option for the Nuggets at that spot, there has been no guarantee Denver would select him, sources said. Holmes has garnered interest from enough teams to earn a green-room invite. He’s been connected by league personnel to Sacramento as well.
The 13th pick is still up for trade
The final Kings tidbit is no surprise, but a confirmation that the Kings are still open to moving the 13th pick. However, Fischer says the Kings have not been credibly connected to any major deals at this time.
Tomorrow will be fun. Kinda hoping the Kings pick Zach Edey.
I am listening to the Kings Herald NBA Draft Preview podcast while reading this Kings Herald article. You’ve got me excited about the possibility of picking Ron Holland, and I haven’t even seen him play.
Since Holland was in the G league and played against Stockton several times, I hope they have more info on him than other teams. Seeing a player in person, in a competitive environment, has its advantages
Quick poll, y’all. If Holland and Holmes are there at #13. What do you want to see happen and why?
A) Holland
B) Holmes
C) Trade the pick in package for something else
D) Draft other player
Holland. I think he is a jump shot away from being really good.
Holmes is good, but I don’t think he is as good as Holland.
Holland is better. But trade #13 to Washington for Kuzma and get #26 back. Take Holmes
That feels very “threading the needle.” Kings would need the Wiz to give up the #26 and they would need Holmes to still be there.
If Holmes is the want, why not just take him at #13 and not give up assets for Kuzma?
I just don’t like Kuzma. He seems like a loser to me.
He won the big one with the Fakers. That’s something.
I like this. See we can come to agreements. We get Kuzma and still have a good chance to get Holmes. Monte go for it.
Trade pick for kuz and #26 pick and grab Ware. Ware is only 10-15lbs from potentially being unstoppable. Brown can work on improving his defensive skills and awareness. Holland has no jumper and nba players will exploit that, no need to close out on him for him to blow right by, the g league highlights defenders were flying by him for no reason
This reminds me of the Keegan Murray vs Jaden Ivey debate. It’s always a dice roll and there are so many factors that dictate boom or bust, but I want Daron Holmes. It sounds like Holland has a higher ceiling/more potential but is also more likely to be a bust. Holmes is the safer pick, the better player right now, and fits a massive positional need.
Solid take, and I think I’m leaning that way as well.
Yeah, I would pick up Holland. He looks like Ben Simmons pre-draft, minus some passing ability. Holland is still a decent passer, just not as good as Simmons was. Definitely can get up and down the floor. 6’8″ with a 7′ to 7’1″ wingspan also makes his defensive potential quite high. As mentioned, he is a jump shot away from being a star. At #13, you basically want to swing for the fences in terms of potential and Holland would be that guy.
OT: Wowzers! Bridges to the Knicks!
https://x.com/wojespn/status/1805782619382063592
God, the trend of teams surrendering a treasure trove of first rounders just won’t die.
4 first round picks, a pick swap, and 2 second rounders for Mikal. Holy overpay Batman! Knicks are going all in, but that is a very steep price for a guy who is not a #1 fiddle.
They might recoup some if they send Randle or Robinson out.
Maybe, but they may have also lost some leverage. Other teams know they may have to move Randle if they intend to also offer OG a max deal.
That is…if the Knicks don’t intend to run a Brunson, Mikal, OG, Randle, Mitchell rotation.
Run that group, only way to beat boston
With Hart, DDV, and possibly Hartenstein.
when they send…………..
If we could of done it like they did without giving up current important piece i would of done it.
fox/keon/bridges/murray/sabonis is a title contending starting group imo and you still have davion/monk/barnes/lyles coming off the bench with wildcard sasha
I don’t think it’s that big a deal since draft picks mostly late and, of course, the Knicks have a ton o pics
Also, he is the perfect piece that can put them over the top. They now have 4 guys from those champ Nova teams. It’s incredibly potent.
And this is what I mean-looking at you Monte- when I say, sometimes you have to overpay and/or risk to build a title contender.
Have to be ok going over tax too.
Yeah, when the Knicks and Nets made a trade, the first thing I thought was what it meant about Monte McNair, too.
I don’t follow.
If you are going to do it, and I am saying not to do it then Markkanen would be a good choice. Other wise play it simple and go after Ingram ifand only if he is willing to stay after that first year and ask for a reasonable settlement.If not then murraytant’s idea works for me. Somwtimes have to take a chance.
The Villanova Knicks . This may mean they are not certain of paying O G mega millions to play half the games .
I like MB but when looking for a new coach back then I would have liked Jay W. Coach K and he were and still are my 2 favorite college coaches.
As a coach for 48 years My all time favorite of course was John Wooden. I think I have read his book maybe 6 times.
guess Kings don’t get him. That is a steep franchise crushing trade. OG left in free agency, leaving them with egg on their face so they did this.
They still have Randle to move
Five first rounders including four of their own and a protected one from the Bucks. I believe the Nets got more for that trade than they got from the Suns in the Durant trade.
Pretty wild. Saw a tweet..after this Mikal trade, the nets KD trade has netted them 9 first first round picks and two swaps lol!
Nets are obviously in tank mode. Is Cam Johnson any good? I liked him in PHX but it doesn’t seem like he’s improved. The only other appealing piece is DFS but with Ellis now filling that role probably not worth it.
Cam would be a nice fit here, basically a younger Barnes
That’s pretty crazy.
The Nets have pivoted from their Big Three experiment brilliantly, imo.
Their future is bright. The Knicks–not so much. The Knicks have a couple years to win a championship. Anything else is a failure.
Yep Knicks will be competing for a championship and many people will apply for SS before Nets do .
Yeah i don’t get the mindset that you would rather be trash with a bunch of future picks over a legitimate championship window over the next 3 years
Mikal bridges to nyk for matching salary and 4 frp….fuuuuck
would of done that asap. Huerter plus four frp but get to keep Murray
Except that Bridges wanted to specifically go to NY.
Sure just saying i would have paid that price for here
Apparently it’s five firsts. The trade makes more sense for NY than us. They’re basically a contender given how weak the East is and how far they got last yr. Whereas given how loaded the West is, more of a gamble for us to make that trade when we weren’t even a playoff team this yr.
Knicks are on par with BOS now imo, especially if they resign OG and Hartenstein and turn Randle into something.
Knicks fan friends say Hartenstein probably leaves but they want to keep OG and Randle.
Gonna go over tax most likely.
It’s a great deal for the Knicks. The right player-and am really good one at that.
That is yet to be seen…as of right now it looks like a pretty large overpay. They need to be better next year or its a failure.
Yep, it definitely looks like a big overpay. The Knicks have been middling for a long time, so I understand the desperation.
There’s been some pretty good players picked at number 13, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone Corliss Williamson Donovan Mitchell Booker… to take Mr. Holmes and be happy
Danny Ainge supposedly was in the bidding too for Mikal Bridges, but the likelihood of him giving up that many first round picks is the same as any of us getting struck by lightning three times on a sunny day.
He would have given up 1 FRP
If Brooklyn is indeed holding a fire sale, Huerter and a 2nd rounder for Finney-Smith might be a good reallocation of cap funds. It rids the Kings of some redundancy and fills a defensive wing hole.
Welcome to NBA head coaching, Jordi!
Hopefully he knew they were going in that direction before taking the job.
I IMO would go some where else. He is the same or older than Barnes. Might need someone younger.
I, too, have not been connected to anything credible during the run-up,
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