BYU star AJ Dybantsa, and potential No. 1 pick in the draft, shared something in a recent interview that caught many off guard.
He might not enter the draft this season.
“I might not leave college. … My mom wants me to graduate. But I might leave. I don’t know. You know, the fans might get into my head, talk about, you know, one more year, maybe three more years. I don’t know. I’m going to have to talk to my mom.”
Who knows how serious this statement actually is, but hey props to him for taking his education seriously. And let’s not forget the impact NIL plays in the decisions of college basketball athletes now.
Dybantsa has star written all over him. He’s leading the nation in scoring at 24.9 points per game. He is 6’9” and can score from all over the floor. He’s basically a lock to go top 3 and in recent weeks has started to move more toward the consensus No. 1 pick with questions about Darryn Peterson’s injuries and checking himself out of games.
It would be Kangz luck to get the first pick and miss out on drafting a potential franchise player. Not to say there aren’t other excellent options, including Cameron Boozer. But the league also is looking at changing how the lottery is structured next season as it relates to tanking, so who knows what that would mean for next season’s Kings pick.
Next month this horrific season will be over and all attention will shift to the NBA Draft, and discussion around Dybansta will surely be a main topic.
Maybe he just doesn’t want to risk getting drafted by the Kangz. 😉
I’d put money on any of the top 5 prospects not wanting to come to the Kings. If you are an agent, here are the options:
Nets: Major market with a ton of future draft capital.
Utah: Full of young prospects and a competent front office, also have a lot of future draft capital.
Indiana: Has Hali coming back and already have Pascal and Zubac. They’ll be ready for a playoff run next season
Washington: Like Utah, full of young prospects and draft capital
Kings: You get to share shots with LaVine and pray that someone other than Keegan can play defense.
I mused the other day that I can envision a top prospect, or more, making it very clear that they don’t want to come to a directionless Sacramento. Nothing but drama for the Kangz.
The front office doesn’t want hostages anyway. Just find the next player in line who wants to be here….
Wait, why is the interview room empty?…
I think our best bets are either Caleb Wilson, Cam Boozer or Flemings. Peterson will probably end up being a diva who will force his way out if there is no talent surrounding him. Less with AJ, but I still kind of get a hint of it with him. The plus side with AJ is he plays at BYU and Utah is one of the last places NBA players want to go… So, maybe he wouldn’t mind Sacramento?
Wilson plays with a chip on his shoulder, like he’s always the underdog. I get the feeling he likes proving people wrong, so what a better underdog than Sactown? I think he will bring that fire.
Boozer seems all business. Very Kevin Love esque player. Will probably put up big numbers no matter where he goes, without much reservation on where he lands. Just make sure to pay him.
Flemings seems a bit like Derrick Rose – kind of muted but plays like fire. I think he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, as well. Seems like a humble dude. Wouldn’t worry too much about him forcing his way out.
Nets, Utah, and Indian also have some damn good coaches. Idk much about the Wizards guy.
Meanwhile, the Kings have constant turnover and turmoil. A head coach that hasn’t shown any semblance of an offensive or defensive system, hasn’t made any in-season adjustments to try and play a more modern style of NBA basketball, and randomally messes with the playing time of his young players.
Kings really don’t have anything that would be enticing for a high pick to look forward too, except the cash and biding time to ask for a trade.
Counterpoint:
We get a top pick, history says we’ll hand the keys to the franchise to him and bend over backwards to let him do what he wants.
Would Harper prefer a situation like that over coming off the bench for the Spurs? Maybe.
You mean like when the Kings drafted Fox at #5 and then proceeded to sign George Hill to start over him to start the year? That was also they year they signed Z-Bo (who led the team in scoring) and Vince Carter.
The great irony there is they singed Hill to a three year deal only to trade him by the deadline. Sound familiar? What about having an aging vet leading your team in scoring and signing another one to a vet minimum deal?
Some things never change.
Yeah, but Vivek never makes the same mistake twi….
Why make the same mistake twice when you can go for the trifecta. That’s the real NBA 3.0!
Anybody remember who the VP of Basketball Ops was that orchestrated those moves? (Hint: He left a few days later to take a job with the Knicks.)
Wow, I had totally forgotten about that.
Schröder = George Hill
DDR = Z-Bo
Westbrook = Russ
Perry was a chef in the kitchen both times. Unreal.
And James Ham kept mentioning how those signings were good, and Perry turned the roster over and changed the culture, lol. Bad examples of making positive moves, James!
It worries me that most local media think Perry is doing a good job, when I’m inclined to think he is a BS artist
He reeks of used car salesman.
Doh, Westbrook = Carter
If you are not sold on Boozer, and Dybantsa stays at BYU and you believe the rumors about Peterson… Do you consider trading down if your pick lands in the top 3?
It would have to be a killer offer and not too far down. Really at this point, with most of our vets nearly untradeable, the clearest path forward is letting contracts expire and drafting well. But…
I expect AJ will enter the draft. So do we have 3 teams jump us and end up picking 4th, or do we blow another top pick? We’re great at both.
The TKH podcast brought up the Celtics trading the #1 pick for the #3 pick in 2017. At the time the time Fultz was the consensus #1 but Boston/Ainge favored Tatum at #3, and they got a future first as well.
Maybe this time the Kings shouldn’t consider trading with Utah/Ainge if the opportunity presents itself. Just a thought…
I am not sold on Peterson. There is no denying he’s got a smooth shot and can create offense. His injury red flag coupled with the fact that Bill Self hides him on defense make me extremely wary of picking him at #1. This draft has a lot of good players. I compare it to the 2022 draft. There will be teams sold on Peterson and I absolutely would consider trading the pick for a team that overvalues him. That being said, a GM is going to get fired over Peterson, either for picking him or for passing on him, we just don’t know which. I actually have Boozer #1 on my draft board. Every time I watch him I’m impressed. He does everything on the floor. He has the ball in every critical possession, defends the best player, even on the perimeter. Dybantsa has a little more upside but gets out of control at times and lost on defense, even though the effort is there. I’d be happy with either of those guys, I’d hold my breadth and hope for the best with Peterson. If you give me two lottery picks in this draft or a young potential star and a lottery pick I’d do it.
I mean, this is the required PR line, right? Solid team that underperforms expectations due to multiple injuries throughout the team. “Perhaps if we had one more go, get everyone healthy, it would work great…”.
They never stay. Even with the NIL, we’re talking tens of millions left on the table.
Never say never. Also, it doesn’t prevent from any player asking for a trade if the team that drafted them isn’t on their desired list.
He makes a projected 10 mil in NIL dude…that’s the same as his NBA slot at the 2 spot haha
This could finally be the year where a player refuses to sign with a team (the Kings), and re-enters the draft next year.
I’m SO glad our owner/FO’s reputation isn’t ruining our chances at actually improving through the draft.
BuT PeRry iS sO gOoD aT mAkInG rElAtIoNsHiPs ArOuNd ThE lEAgUe!!!
I doubt he’d do it but why on earth would ANY player want to come to Sacramento? If I were an agent, I’d do anything possible to get client away from the Kings. Any situation would be better. Even the Pelicans who are a mess as well. I kind of want something like the top-5 players all refusing to go to the Kings because it might actually force the league to do something about it.
It would be great if thebtop picks refused to visit or workout for the Kings. Public embarrassment is needed for this team to change.
IMO, that will only work if the national media put a spotlight on Vivek and co. If at the most it’s just laughed off as Sac is undesirable and said prospect is well within his right, then it does the franchise no good.
Vivek’s name needs to be dragged through the mud, not the Kings franchise.
Yeah, I’m just trying to figure out any way we can drag Vivek through the mud. Or get national voices to really go in on the Kings and figure out what the hell is going on here. I’m stunned the Anjali thing didn’t or hasn’t gotten more traction because that’s INSANE. If that happens in a big market with different media it’s the only thing anybody would be talking about for weeks.
Maybe like an ESPN 30 for 30 (or whatever it’s called)?
Nobody cares.
Marty’s new girlfriend is from NY. Big Mets, big Rangers fan. I’m a Philly guy, BIG Philly guy. We’re both transplanted Kings fans, and proud to be. But we do run things through our “Back where I’M from filter” often. As we were sitting in a loft the other night, trying to care, we just kept saying…
“This franchise doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t matter. Totally irrelevant. We know what relevant is.”
Ugh. They’ll probably get good when I’m retired in the Nevada desert, shooting guns at another load of thrift store coffee cups.
If I’m in a loft at G1C and don’t care, then I’m sure the national NBA media doesn’t care either. Instead, we’re stuck with (((shudder))) Matt George. He cares.
You don’t think this isn’t the case now, at best the Kings are an afterthought and are often ridiculed by others (rightfully so)
Off Thread.. Now that I’m living in the Eastern Time Zone I have not been using my NBA league pass except for games in Central and East Coast.. addedi. Curious what yall thoughts are on Raynaud.. I like a lot of what he’s showing. I just can’t figure out the bills horrible negative plus minus that is because of who is playing with or because he is a below average defender. I think his stats are a bit inflated, but also see potential of a solid player that will get better. .
I would not a couple of things about +/-. First, the team’s +/- is -10.9, so that is your team baseline. The team’s BPM on Basketball Reference is -2.2, and Raynaud is at -3.0, so by that measure he has been slightly worse than the median.
He is definitely a below average defender at this point, and if he is in your starting lineup you better be pretty stout at the other four positions and especially the other two front line positions.
Both Raynaud and Cardwell could project as viable 3rd bigs if they continue to develop their games. Or for the Kings, they could be the next incarnation of Thompson and Hawes, square pegs that are ultimately hammered into round holes for lack of better options.
Guys want to get paid, draft them and tell them we expect to see you in training camp. I can’t imagine this would be a good look for the NBA, irregardless of the competence of this teams management
Pick the best player not the best player who wants to play here. If you are truly a great player you take it as a challenge.
Someone referenced the George Hill signing, think there are two sides to that. Guys want to get paid and to be they guy. Once that happens some realize they not that guy and will shrink from the pressure. Also I also think its smart to sign a vet to mentor your prize about what being a professional is all about, how to practice, train, the right routines etc
This is now a league that allows players to be paid under the table and others to partner with online betting platforms. This ain’t Stern’s league anymore. I get the feeling they won’t give a shit if a #1 prospect tells the Kings to pound sand and instead winds up where they want to go. It’s the inevitable step in profit and star power.
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