The 2024 NBA Draft will be held on Wednesday, June 26th and Thursday, June 27th. Our resident draft expert Bryant has semi-retired from draft scouting, so we won’t have his usual in-depth breakdowns to rely on. So we’re going to do our draft coverage a little differently this year. We’ll present some prospects, share some highlight videos, and share some general thoughts before opening it up to the group to discuss.
Today we’re discussing Devin Carter, who is currently slotted to the Sacramento Kings in NBA.com’s Consensus Mock Draft.
NBA Position: Guard
General Info: 22-year-old Junior, played at Providence. From Florida.
Measurables: 6’2.25″ w/o shoes, 193.0 lbs, 6’8.75″” wingspan.
2023-2024 Season Statistics: 19.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 2.7 TPG (33 games played, 35.3 minutes per game), 47.3% FG, 37.7% 3P, 74.9% FT
Devin Carter, son of former NBA player Anthony Carter, is an interesting prospect. I know many Kings fans are going to cringe at the very idea of drafting another guard, let alone another undersized guard, and I may be among them. Carter’s biggest strength is his defense, as he uses his wingspan to pester opponents and disrupt offenses. Carter is a 6’2″ guard who averaged 8.4 rebounds and 1 block per game. That’s pretty incredible. But it’s impossible as a Kings fan to look at the basic profile of Carter and not be haunted by the similarities to Davion Mitchell. Both are undersized guards who were elite defenders in college and shot well from 3 in only one season. Carter’s three point shot, while effective last season, has a very ugly release. We all know that a consistent release is more important, but with only one season of good shooting in college I think it’s fair to be concerned about how the shot will hold up in the NBA. I also worry about the defense translating. I noticed that Carter’s defensive highlight reel includes a lot of blocks that come as a result of Carter’s man driving past him. The recovery blocks in college are great, but I have my concerns about whether Carter would be able to recover as well against NBA talent.
Given the current roster makeup of the Kings, I’d be surprised to hear Carter’s name called for the Kings on draft night. If the Kings do select him, it signals to me that a trade is expected. Either the Kings would be turning around and trading Carter, or the Kings would be moving other guards such as Davion Mitchell.
Smallish guards. They’re cute. They’re adorable. Collect the whole set!
Carter beats Mitchell in wingspan. Not a huge deal but could make a difference. He is also super athletic per combine talk.
I could talked into being more excited about him if there is other roster turnover. Even if Monk left, I would guess that Carter would be behind Fox, Ellis, Huerter and Mitchell next year, so I’m less than enthused over spending the pick on a guy that would battle Colby Jones for the 5th guard chair (and remember, that’s if Monk leaves).
Yup I agree – not a great fit/need. Personally I prefer Filipkowski, Ware, Holmes. Get the floor stretching big we need next to Domas. We need shooters. Boston is so good because every single one of their players can shoot 3s.
I’d like to see BPA. If that’s Carter, I hope they wouldn’t pass on him in favor of a 2nd round pick who looks a long way off from any meaningful NBA rotation minutes.
Those are the only two choices: Carter or a 2nd round pick who looks a long way off from meaningful NBA rotation minutes?
No. In terms of drafting somebody with the 13th pick, I’m saying I certainly wouldn’t start excluding positions/players, just because Colby Jones is under contract. I’m in favor of adding BPA, because this roster needs all the talent it can get.
It’s not a function of Colby Jones being under contract. It’s a matter of De’Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter and Keon Ellis and Davion Mitchell and Colby Jones being under contract, with Malik Monk re-signing a possibility. I’d rather use the #13 pick for Sac.’s roster, not Stockton’s.
I remember when the Kings chose T-Rob over Lillard, and part of the “reasoning” was not knowing whether or not they would be able to re-sign Jason Thompson. That worked out well.
I am a firm believer in BPA when your roster has multiple core needs and lacks good players. That has been most of the last couple of decades for the Kings. But I do not think that this is the case now. I don’t see Carter overtaking Fox / Ellis / Mitchell right now as a handling guard, or any of them plus Huerter as an off guard. And I don’t think that this is an organization that can afford to spend its pick on a Stockton stash.
Clear cut BPA? Knock yourself out. But when I see guys like Tristan da Silva and DaRon Holmes – guys that are placed in the same tier on several big boards (Tankathon and Sam Vecenie, to name two) – that could come in and potentially fill a glaring core rotation hole for the Kings sooner than later, I am less than enthused on spending the pick on Carter or McCain.
I firmly agree with Rob. We need that #13 pick in a trade not a draft pick. If what Monty says is true and he wants to win now IMO this is the way to go,
So is Mitchell
Good analysis of Carter’s fit with the Kings. He does remind me of Davion, just a little taller and has a bigger wingspan. He rebounds very well for his size though.
I am fine with a guard being drafted, if that means that Davion will be playing elsewhere next season (and Monk happens leave as well).
He gives me Bruce Brown vibes, which may not be the type of player the Kings need. More size might be needed in the back court with Fox and Ellis both being on the shorter side too.
The athleticism is there as any write up this draft class on the ‘net mentions how Carter had the highest vertical and fastest sprint times. And the son of former player thing can be a bonus in some respects but I think of the current sons of a baller (Jabari Smith, Jr., Tim Hardaway Jr., Gary Payton Jr., Larry Nance, Jr., and soon – Bronny James!) and I shrug (but I do that a lot when it comes to talent evaluation- I don’t know for nothing).
Tall, athletic, shooter is my understanding of general preference and Devin Carter is only one of those things.
My expectation as to how this draft will work is based on how the draft has worked in the past based on this community:
We’ll come up with a list of preferences, in order, and pretty much come to some convergence on who will end up at the Kings’ drafting position (#13).
Then, on draft day, the picks will come, in an order not adhering to the pundits or this site.
Some will rise, others will drop.
I just know, that if we all decide that say, Dalton Knecht would be just about the best, reasonable guy for Sacramento, that he will be selected by the team just before the Kings (#12, currently held by OKC).
Looking at the NBA.com consensus mock draft, Devin Carter is at #13 and Kings. So, no way that happens.
I sat on my crystal balls, and between the two of them there is a big crack.
(apologies: my humor is mostly for individual enjoyment, and mostly juvenile in level)
There’s report saying he’s got a promise in the lottery – some think Bulls. There’s also rumors saying Kings like Da Silva. I think we’re getting Da Silva.
I think the Kings need to acquire another star or ceiling raiser, and I don’t see them being able to do that in free agency or with trades (unless Fox, Domas, Keegan are included. And there are other teams with much more to offer than the King can to bring in a star player).
That is why I think they take a swing on Tidjane Salaun. No, he probably won’t contribute this season, and I don’t think many players at #13 will either. So take a gamble on a guy like Salaun, let him work in the G-League and develop next season, hoping that he has a breakthrough and can become the next star level player.
Fill the roster with MLE and BAE players, maybe use Huerter/Davion/Barnes, etc as well.
I worry with Monte’s history we will probably draft De Silva, although I wouldn’t hate it. Salaun has been one of my favorites. He just seems huge compared to everyone else on the floor and plays with a nice intensity and energy when he’s out there. If his shot stays getting better he can be a real difference maker down the line
I agree. I also think he will go in the top 10 to one of the rebuilding teams like Portland, Charlotte, or Utah.
Da Silva would be fine, as would Carter or McCain. I just don’t see them as being high level contributors that can push a team up in the standings all that much. But I am not an expert of NBA talent by any means, lol.
My goal is to write up as many guys as possible before the draft, and I’ll try to write up Salaun. Although he might be rising as teams search for upside higher in the lotto, he’s creeping up some of the mocks.
I’m also not sure if the Kings FO or ownership has the patience for a prospect like him.
I don’t think they do either. At some point they need to look at a guy like that though. Can’t keep getting fringe rotation players and hoping that the current roster will lead them to the promise land.
Salaun gives me strong Wenyen Gabriel vibes, which I don’t mean as entirely negative. They’re both guys that everyone agrees have all of the physical tools to become special players.
It’s hard to put the phrase “two years away from being two years away” entirely out of my mind.
AKA, the Full Caboclo.
Yep, that’s the guy, and probably who I meant the entire time.
Not on Twitter so apologies if I missed it but is Bryant not doing draft coverage this year? Nothing against Greg, was just curious as I always enjoy Bryant’s draft takes.
Also, kudos to Greg for his Luka like usage on the site lately, really carrying the entire team!
Bryant is not doing profiles this year. Just has other responsibilities going on and wasn’t going to have the time. He’s still working on writing something with a few draft thoughts, but not the profiles like we’re used to.
And I take no offense to that, his profiles are much better. Mine are not scouting reports, but are me sharing my ill-informed impressions and giving us an opportunity to discuss prospects.
Appreciate your work Greg!
Thanks!
As long as we can comment, we are very happy with your posts, Greg!
I have no idea how I broke that on Saturday lol
Hey Greg –
An interesting player, and one surely to produce controversy, is Terrence Shannon, Jr. from Illinois.
He’s an older player – he turns 24 on 30 July, but clearly one of the best Div. I talents. However – he was just cleared of Rape and Sexual Assault charges yesterday.
He’s player comp is Mitch Richmond/Donovan Mitchell. He’s 6’6″ (I have also seen him listed as 6’7″ and SF not SG) #219.
The talent is there, but the other side of his story is a fully different consideration.
Opinions?
I’d want to know a bit more about his off-court life, but if he’s generally a good citizen, the recent charges don’t factor in for me. He was found not guilty in his case, and it’s not as if district attorneys need to do anything particularly special to convict a young black man of a felony.
The Ringer still has Shannon in the middle of the second round, but KO’C hasn’t updated his info for ten days. Tankathon has him in the late twenties, so barring a trade, it may all be moot.
I can’t say with any veracity, however, I believe he’s been downgraded because of the legal issues. Prior to that, he was considered a mid-lotto pick IIRC
OT: LA still searching!
https://x.com/wojespn/status/1800221050795688214/photo/1
That is some good cash for a first time NBA coach! But to deal with the Lakers and their drama, no thanks.
Will JJ now hold out for a similar deal?
Option A: Stay at UConn for a multi-decade career as a well respected and well regarded coach who signed a $32.1M/6 year contract 2023 (it has a buyout clause) and shoot for a 3rd NCAA title in the years ahead (and likely a higher and longer contract).
Option B: Go to Los Angeles Lakers, $70M/6 year contract, but likely work 2-4 years and likely look for a return to college coaching, perhaps join the Billy Donovans of the NBA, with the Laker record on your resumé.
Two very good options, IMO.
Take a bunch of money to be Lebron’s puppet.
Pretty much. If Vogel can get fired not long after winning a title than anyone is fodder for taking the downfall for Mr. James. It also wasn’t James’ fault that they traded for Westbrook which was truly the demise of the Lakers the last few seasons.
Player GM’s never works.
You will draft my son and do everything I say during a game.
Carter is a good player. A longer, more athletic and better shooter than Davion.
He is one of the top 13 and may have a promise at the Bulls.
That’s fine because one of the other drops to 13. Carter can play but the Kings have 7 guards. If 4 “left” including Davion he would be a nice fit but at the expense of getting what and who they really need- size, length and athleticism at the 3/4 spots.
In a pure world, he would be a be a great pick at 13.
Kings world is not pure. There are needs, big ones. If the Kings stay at 13 and Carter goes above 13, take the one who drops or DaSilva, Ware, Filipowski (the one they like best)
if they decide to trade- better get a starter type 3/4. Not marginal starter but a real one- i.e. this pick is too important (and has to be packaged with players and other picks) to waste it. Trading it for J. Collins. Z. Collins, Miles Bridges, Grant, J.Smith is wasting the value here. Is 13 worth Markenon and Kuzma (I am holding my nose)? Yes, as part of a package. Does Utah value more picks in their bid to replicate OKC?
I know Washington wants a second lottery pick. Switch 13 for 26 and get some return ( along with Kuzma). At 26, Holmes might be available- a long athletic guy of some sort will be.
Just getting Kuzma is not enough.
On the other hand, just getting Markenon (using multiple firsts) is close to enough.
There are players in this draft-role guys mostly, but D. Jones and PJ are role guys on the Mavs.
You could add Ingram to that wish list possibly. Only under contract for 1 year tho
UnfortunateIy, I don’t think we have the assets to obtain BI or Lauri.
Yes. I do have injury concerns and price concerns- Have to match salary- ok. and NOP will want future picks but the Kings future picks are limited in the immediate future. In addition, NOP turned down the LAL pick this year- although fully unprotected next year. They may want a pick this year.
If the Kings can get some kind of positive vibes on Ingram staying after one year I would really like him in a King’s uniform otherwise one year and gone doesn’t do that for me personally.
Lauri would be an awesome addition. The problem is Ainge drives a tough bargain (see the Gobert and Spida trades). It’s going to take multiple firsts and expirings to obtain Lauri. Crazy that Lauri was essentially a throw in in the Spida trade.
Again, obtaining distressed assets is something MM needs to focus on this offseason. It certainly isn’t his strong suit.
i doubt one of those would be picked above #13, if they did, which is a really good news to us, we have bigger possibility to land Holland with #13.
I love Holland, he got All-star potential.
Holland would be great. He may be “the one who drops”- if OKC goes for Filipowski and Bulls go for Carter, someone drops.
at that point, I would not trade 13 to Washington for 26 and Kuzma and keep it.
You just can’t say Ok we can’t draft this one so maybe that one. Or that one. That;’s no way to run a franchise.
If I had to pick a “perfect fit” for the Kings in FA, Markenon is pretty close to it. There’s the obvious benefits he brings, my only concern would be the defensive end. Might take some elite GM-ing but if Monte could manage; Fox, Monk, Murray, Markenon and Domas would be a pretty solid starting 5 IMO.
I think it all depends which player/skill sets are you trying to replace or improve. All of these players have pros and cons – nature of drafting 13 in a “weaker” draft. Depends on what Monte values and who falls.
Carter – Mitchell
Dillingham – Monk
Holland – Barnes or Kessler Edwards
da Silva or Salaun – Vazenkov
Holmes – McGee/Len
It will be tough to judge on draft night, still dependent on trades and free agency. Hopefully we see the Kings really take some steps to improve their roster. I’d be open to trading Huerter and Barnes to upgrade the roster.
D. Carter seems like the prototypical MM draft pick.
I hope MM gets out of his comfort zone and drafts a high upside/high risk type of player for once. We need more high end talent on this roster.
Thanks for the work, Greg.
but I wonder if TKH is doing the draft broad this year? (I really like the take by members here)
as only around two weeks before the actual draft.
More fuel for the “they obviously aren’t paying attention to the Kings” fire.
I think the last thing this team wants or needs is another undersized guard, regardless of his 3 and D status.
He may make a fine player, but D. Carter isn’t what this roster needs and I wonder if he’s even the BPA at 13.
Dear draft prognosticators: uh, what?
I don’t think a lot of “draft prognosticators” follow the Kings much. They keep saying the Kings needs better defense when they finished middle of the pack for the season. Sure, more defense is always needed, but I don’t think the guard position is where they need it most. Adding a SF/PF or PF/C who is better defensively would be the ideal spot.
The starting SG job is Keon’s to lose at this point. No way Huerter gets that spot back, even if his offense comes back around next season. We all saw how the defense got better when Ellis played more.
Huerter Barnes, Lyles are not great defensively. Those are the positions that need a defensive upgrade, in my opinion.
Huerter is coming off the bench if he’s a King next year for sure, barring injury to Keon. I would argue that we might find a lot of value out of him using that approach.
All through the 2023-24 season, Huerter seemed like a guy who had completely lost his self confidence. Playing against other teams’ benches might be a great way to build that confidence back up. Plus, the bench needs shooting.
He’d be a pricey bench player but I like Huerter a lot. When he’s right in the head, there’s a valuable contributor in there. I suspect there’s around a 50/50 chance he’s even with the team next year, though.
Getting a power forward frees Huerter in many ways. Keon is making great strides but as a starter he is going struggle. Most likely going to be a combination of Huerter and Keon.
….unless one or both is traded.
IMO Huerter is a trade chip.
No doubt, it’s not a secret that Huerter and Barnes are on the block. I generally think that Huerter has more value and is probably more likely to be moved this summer. Although I like both players, I’ll be disappointed if they’re both on the roster this fall.
IMO they will both be moved maybe together or separately
I like Keon- he improves the D and was responsible, to a large extent with the late season improvement there. He inspires Fox.
But can only play one defensive guy at a time or at least in the starting unit- If Keon plays, need some offensive firepower at 3/4. Not HB, Lyles.
That’s where the new guy comes into play: Ingrahm, Markenon, Kuzma (ugh)
Keon has decent offense game when it comes to spacing. Maybe he can show more offensive skills as the season goes on.
I don’t see the Kings getting Ingram or Markannen, and I don’t think they pay the price that Washington is asking for Kuzma.
Lavine may be a cheaper reclamation project that provides an instant offensive upgrade. Not cheap in terms of contract, but cheap in terms of asking price if the Bulls want to move off of his contract. You might be able to get him without even including the 13th pick.
I’d be wary, given his tendencies as a volume scorer, but maybe he fits as a 3rd or 4th option that would definitely be an offensive upgrade over Barnes.
Year number 17 talking about Lavine coming to the Kings.
….Lavine, Kuzma….the standard list goes on.
Who are some players not on the standard list you like (and are reasonably gettable)?
A player well established in the NBA, not a G – league player, and a good player.
I don’t care how much it costs Vivek. No Kings fan should. Luxury tax is meaningless for winning teams. Kuzma is definitely obtainable.
The only player on the roster that is untradeable is Sabonis.
I like Cam Johnson and Keldon Johnson. They wouldn’t have to be first or second go to guys but would help the Kings. Cam and Keldon could also play SG.
Johnson & Johnson
I like that, baby!
I’m sorry NO Lavine.
The only reason I suggest Lavine is that you could probably get him just by matching salaries cause the Bulls want off the contract. Everyone wants to trade Barnes and Heurter for an upgrade to the roster. Lavine is probably the only upgrade to the starting 5 that Barnes and Heurter are actually worth without including other good assets.
IMO we aren’t going to get Lauri so replace him with Michal Bridges. Probably can’t get him either without giving up the bank. So between Ingram and Kuzma if we can get some kind of guarantee he would stay after 1 year then IMO the one to go after is Ingram.
I don’t think the most common names mentioned on TKH are going to happen (kuzma, Collins, Ingram, Lavine). It will probably be some random guy that nobody has really thought would work or was avaliable.
I think John Collins has a chance.
Out of the 4 I mentioned above, he would be the easiest to get and maybe the best fit.
Is it too much to ask for a real PF? Unless Carter is the next Ant or Donovan Mitchell why would the Kings get another SG? Remember when the best SG we had was Marcus Thornton? Dark days.
I think Kel’el Ware is great fit next to Sabonis….Athletic, can block shots…
But definitely not at #13
But if you like Ware at 13, draft Ware at 13. This draft is not a strong one (at least, not on paper), and that devalues the draft picks at least a bit. The risk is not worth the reward to try to swap down a few slots if Ware is who you want. That is how you wind up with Papagiannis instead of Sabonis.
A cruise through the most recent mocks shows Ware going as high as 15-16. What do you think that you can get for a draft slot or two? A future 2nd round pick? And is that worth the risk of getting the rug pulled out from under you if Ware is your guy?
If the Kings like Ware or da Silva or Holmes, I hope that they don’t get cute. Just draft the guy you want.
#13 doesn’t seem too early for someone who may turn out to be the super man we need!
It’s interesting watching the national writers opine about Monk potentially leaving and the Kings needing to replace him. I get it – they are doing the 20,000 foot overview thing and the Kings are just the Kings, after all. But it is amazing that it overlooks that whatever guard would have to be all that and a bag of chips to crack the rotation (even if Monk leaves), while a stretch four (da Silva, maybe Holmes) would have a much cleaner path to the core rotation.
I think that these guys just don’t take the time to notice that the Kings got absolutely eaten alive by long wings last year, and they are fixated on Monk’s free agency.
I think it’s more about offensive role than position.
when discussing the Monk situation …
Fair enough, but the reality is that a guy like Carter is far more likely to battle Colby Jones for roster position than Fox, Ellis, Huerter or Mitchell. I mean, if he’s that good, he’s not falling to 13, especially in this draft.
I get your point, but as a counter-point, Giannis fell in a poor draft.
If we take Carter because we see all-star talent, great. But as a Monk replacement? Not this year, so the reasoning seems very flawed to me.
As far as a rookie Monk replacement, Jared McCain looks like Monk stepping into a three, but I only see part of the package. There will be some really nice looking shooters available, some defensive talent, even some ball-handlers, but no one as dynamic as Monk. Not year #1.
Who in your choice would replace Monk if he goes?
If Monk goes I am starting Fox and Ellis and using Huerter as my primary bench scorer. Mitchell backs Fox. Jones’ role grows as an injury plug.
My biggest effort would be to get a stretch 4 that would send Barnes to the bench to also bolster second unit scoring (although that is unlikely to happen via solely the 13th pick).
If Monk goes, you are not replacing him in the draft or free agency. There is no one at 13 that will replicate Monk’s impact, and in free agency you will be limited to MLE level players – Monk is the only one that you can really jump the cap as he is a re-sign. Your only hope would be (to paraphrase Brad Pitt / Billy Beane) to recreate him in the aggregate. Get more out of the sum total of Ellis, new stretch 4, Huerter and Barnes than you got last year.
I wish we had gotten a little more of a look at Jones last year. If Monk is gone, I’d like a better sense of whether Jones can meet the moment.
You bring up a good point. If Monk signs elsewhere, that certainly increases the likelihood that the Kings keep Huerter for his shooting off the bench.
Could happen but I don’t think so.
IMO I think Huerter and Barnes both will be traded either togerher or separately. IMO it will be hard to replace Monk but with some thinking IMO Monty can work around some of this.
I see your point with roster redundancy. Carter and Ellis have a lot of similarities with role.
I don’t think you can call two players redundancy. Injuries are too common. 3 or 4 of the same type? Yeah maybe, but it’s hard to have too many 3&D players that can pass.
Barnes, Lyles, Vezenkov, Murray? That’s redundancy. Luckily , one of them stepped up defensively.
If the Kings are going to draft a guard, I kinda hope it’s Topic falling to them. Carter has the same skillset as Ellis and Mitchell. Topic offers a high end finisher and playmaker that thrives in the pick and roll. If Monk leaves, the Kings will be sorely lacking a primary ballhandler outside of Fox.
That said, I can’t see there being a guard at 13 that is so head and shoulders above the wings or bigs available that you absolutely have to take him.
Right now Ellis is a starter and with Carter we really don’t know possitivelly he will wotk out.
Also, they can’t imagine a decent FA returning to Sac, or a FA coming to Sac to fill that hole, and it’s assumed the franchise is too inept to make a trade w/o getting robbed, so the draft is the only avenue the team can realistically pursue, as they see it.
What trades did Monte make that he got “robbed”?
Monte inherited the Kings reputation for trading long-term value for marginal immediate improvement. Much of the national media view the Sabonis trade in the same light.
IMO Jalen Smith is worth looking at. Kings can get him with mle or part of it.
He can do well here.
I agree. Ingram, Kuzma J. Collins Tari Eason all good power forwards. That would leave Murray a SF which IMO that is where he should be.
Keon Ellis is the starting 2 guard. And his numbers with the starters prove it. I didn’t see it coming, and apparently neither did Mike Brown, but he got his opportunity and he claimed it. I was wrong about him. I don’t care what it looks like on paper. Even if he didn’t prove himself, he proved his type as ideal next to Fox. Carter looks like a younger, bigger version of Keon, and rebounds like Josh Hart. Not a Monk replacement, but no one likely is. I see him as adding more of a good thing. While I would like the pick, I’m not sure I’d love it.
If Huerter starts over Keon next season will be Brown’s last. The choice to stick with Huerter cost the playoffs. I can’t help if wondering if Brown realizes that. If not, he should be let go. I understand that I’m second guessing a superior basketball mind. Not saying I’m smarter, but I was confounded that as much as no one seemed willing to defend Huerter’s performance in his role, no one seemed ready to move on from him. I’ve defended Huerter as a valuable player, and I wish the team had more use for his talents on the court. I can see he’s the right type of human, wrong type of guard.
I didn’t want to waste time explaining the obvious, but Keon was the best thing that happened to Kings basketball this season. We are entering the Keon Ellis era.
Agreed. I don’t want to get out over my skis, but I’m cautiously optimistic about the value the Kings will get from Keon over the next two years. There will be some bumps this next year, but the team’s defensive rating jumped with Keon starting. The eye test also confirmed that the Kings were a different team on defense with him.
He doesn’t have to be the number 1 2 or 3 go to guy next year. He will be the one who will guard the other teams 1 2 or 3 player. Any offense and there wiill be is a bonus. We need him out there.
Knowing Brown’s irrational love of Kevin, I can’t consider Keon to be the starting 2 until he’s officially named to the spot.
If Brown is any kind of coach he should know that Keon earned that spot and deserves to be the starter at SG.
Now your talkin!
IMO Huerter will be traded this season.
another player to look at: Jonathan Mogbo. big wing. can play the 4.
Might place him in my top 10 with Salaun and Scheierman.
nah. Mogbo is not a lottery guy. fun player to look at though. might go in the 1st round.
We need Dalton K…trade sasha and the 13 to spurs for 8.
You know pop would have Sasha getting an efficient 12+ a game and he fits well with wemby
Knecht is a bit of a conundrum. Yes, he’s a wing that can score at all three levels and shoot the hell out of the ball. Polished scorer for sure and is effective without the ball in his hands. A player like that is always useful to have. But, he’s also already 23 and he’s an absolute turnstile on defense. You’d be betting on a very old rookie making a huge leap defensively, or just hoping to score 150 points a game.
Sounds like the McNair special.
“Turnstile on defense.” Really? Come on.
Yes…really.
Someone in the NBA actually wants Sasha?
Sasha hasn’t openly declared he wants to go back the rec league in Europe?
Much of the league is looking to cut salary. He’s a $6 mil. expiring contract worth $12 in trade. It’s not the player. The NBA is a business, it’s the contract.
It does though present you with a opportunity to criticize. And you pounce. Strange habit for a Kings fan.
It is a business. Sasha is choosing to leave. An expiring contract is good at times. That is his only worth.
Nobody wants him as a player. He doesn’t want to play in the NBA. That is my point.
Not criticizing anything.
He sounds like a good player just draft him and adjust the roster later through trades
Use #13 as a trade chip. Period
Anybody have any thought on TSJ from Illinois now that his case is settled? Would be an older rookie that could instantly contribute with his scoring. Has the size for SF, but ideally has a nice 6th man potential. I’m for the keeping of Keon in the starting unit but he can play beside either fox or keon with different lineups
I was on Bub Carrington over a month ago on another forum I frequent, that Monte seems to have a burner account to since he’s matched my draft wishes on 4 occasions it looks like (as Bub is the only high profile candidate who has worked out so far so he might join Tyrese/Davion/Keegan as prospects I wanted predraft so far) if the Kings draft which I dont think they will
has anyone taken a look at Quinten Post? 7 footer with a plus wingspan, hit over 40% of his threes over last two years at decent volume, over 80% from the line, skilled and agile.
yeah, Quinten Post should be a lottery pick. Needs to add an unblockable go-to move (got blocked in final minute against Virginia). With his touch, coordination, skill, and repeatable mechanics, he should be able to add that. Maybe a one-legged fadeaway? He does not appear to be a lob threat – his catch radius is not that big. He’s mostly a two-handed player so I don’t envision the Vlade/Webber passing, but he could achieve Brad Miller’s level of passing.
In a relatively weak draft when we’re looking at shooters with weaknesses on defense and in other areas, why not look at the 7’1″ shooter who can also dribble and pass, and who has good feet, mobility, coordination, and court awareness, and who processes quickly.
Salaun, Scheierman, and Post.
As a backup to Sabonis that can replicate parts of what Domas does, sure. He isn’t lottery though. Late 1st as the highest, maybe even undrafted. With pick 45, take him if he is there.
Totally different players. Although they both pass well, both move well, both can handle the ball, and both process quickly, the difference is Domas wants to attack the basket and Post wants to shoot.
So not totally different players…
different primary strengths. The appeal with Post is that he is a 7’1″ shooter, who also has role versatility. 43% from three and 83% from the line over the last two years on decent volume. (73/170 and 144/173).
If you want a good backup for Sabonis then trade for Zach Collins don’t do it in the draft.
I watched a lot of Post this year, as my son was at Boston College. I also saw a lot of N’Faly Dante at Oregon, as my daughter goes there. I would take Dante over Post, and it’s not particularly close. And I’m betting that both of them will be available after the 2nd round of the draft is done. And that’s fine – that’s how we landed Keon Ellis.
Dante is not a shooter, so the two players cannot be compared.
What are your reservations about Post?
I don’t think that he has the athletic chops to play in the NBA. I’m not against a camp invite, but I would not invest any draft capital in him, nor do I think that you have to. There are 58 picks in this year’s draft, and I don’t think that any of them will be invested in Post (or Dante, for that matter).
I saw the Clemson and Virginia games. seems to move pretty well. he banged around with the Clemson mob. switched onto Reece Beekman a few times. I’ll watch a couple more games.
Is there a particular game where you think his lack of athleticism showed?
Nope. Just the sum of his work. And while age does not concern me as much as it does others, he is pretty old for a rook (24).
Again, this is more about prudent use of draft capital. I will be shocked if anyone spends a pick on him. I’d rather draft Oso Ighodaro at 45, for example.
I will add that Post is a much more finished product than Dante and would project to contribute at a professional level more quickly. That is, I would see Post as the better international player, or even G League player at this point. And Dante is no baby (22), either.
Long story short, they are camp invite players, with neither meriting a pick at 45, much less the 1st round. Also, I know nothing.
in this same thread, you said this:
“But if you like Ware at 13, draft Ware at 13. This draft is not a strong one (at least, not on paper), and that devalues the draft picks at least a bit. The risk is not worth the reward to try to swap down a few slots if Ware is who you want. That is how you wind up with Papagiannis instead of Sabonis.”
I’ll watch at a couple more games of Post, maybe a Duke game and an NC State game.
Yes. There is a huge difference between where Ware is being ranked and where Post and Dante are being ranked. And while the rankings of people that I have a modicum of respect for such as Vecenie and Givony (I respect their prospect rankings, mock drafts are a fool’s errand) are not perfect, you can reasonably put most players in tiers, and Ware, as a prospect, is a few tiers above Post and Dante.
Put another way, Ware will not be available once the draft is complete. Dante and Post likely will be.
okay fine. I just saw his worst two games. Against Duke and NC State. he’s a tweener on D. mobility of a 5 without the physicality, rebounding and rim protection of a 5. Bad hands for catching also. He can shoot if open, but haven’t seen an ability to create his own shot. 2nd rounder or undrafted.
Still have Salaun and Scheierman in my top 9. Looking for another prospect to make it an even 10.
Yeah, and I’m not campaigning for Ware. My point was that if you liked him at 13, don’t futz around with trading down for him, as he is at least projected in that range, and the reward of some future 2nd round pick is not worth the risk of losing him if you like him that much. In that same regard, if you love Post that much, you draft him at 45. I would not, but then again, no one has ever offered me a job in this industry, and I needed to create a site account to even offer an opinion, as my opinion on such matters has never been in high demand.
I’m not high on Ware either. If he goes lottery I think he’s a bust.
I see your point about Post after watching the games mentioned above. I’d still consider him at 45.
Imagine how great your prospect analyses would be if you had thirty-five kids!
I would hope for your sake, that some of them get to school on scholarships.
The boy offset about half of the $320k that was BC. The daughter is coming in closer to $240k. I can’t imagine navigating this if I was not healthy enough to work past 65. The cost is out of control – the socioeconomic inequality in this country is embarrassing.
Agreed on all fronts Educational costs are an obscenity, especially where universities with nine or ten-figure endowments are concerned. State schools are a bargain by comparison, but they aren’t particularly affordable.
As many know, a college education used to be free in California, and was seen as an investment by the state in its people. More educated population, higher-paying jobs, research work gets done in the state, and yields huge benefits, such as Silicon Valley (opinions of which vary greatly.) A certain governor killed all of that half-a-century ago.
Something lost in that transaction was schools outside the state needing to compete with California. If you can get a world-class education at a UC school, why would you seriously consider going into debt to go to Vanderbilt, Princeton or Stanford? A strong incentive for colleges to keep prices down disappeared,and now…
Well, see Rob’s post above.
Context:
yes the inequity is both embarrassing and dangerous. A college education is not everything to every person but it sure does help many. That is way too expensive Education-college and other- ought to be seen as a national asset and treated as such.
That said, both Post and Dante will not get drafted.
For Monte- if there are no great deals out there, keep 13- there are a few choices for these rookie scale contracts. Otherswise use 13 as a valauble asset and get a starter- not a bench guy. Leverage the pick + players into a starter who will out-perform the departing ones.
While not as many as in the past, there are a few teams who want to dump quality players and their salaries for expiring and draft assets. The Kings can take advantage of that. and there may be a few teams who could get an offer that they can’t refuse- Nets or Utah.
Some of us are still focused on the starting unit. Many may not realize how positive their stats were as a group, after the Huerter/Ellis swap. The bench dragged them down, especially after Monk was hurt. Huerter was the problem.
PF is the next position to upgrade, but they can compete with Barnes in the starting 5.
I agree on a power forward or if you play Murray at the PF spot then a 3 and D SF. I would rather have Keegan at SF though. There are some PF’s out there but will cost something. I really agree on the bench. This is a place where the Kings need improvement especially if Monk is gone.
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Barnes is too inconsistent. At his age I don’t see him getting better. Fine off the bench but not a starter-level player anymore.
My son graduated from Oregon in ‘21. Cost us about $200K. Daughter just finished at Arizona last month. She got scholarship $$ but still not cheap. So glad those tuition and apartment and food bills are their problems now!
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Interesting. Rumors of Sasha’s departure may be greatly exaggerated?
Sean Cunningham: While Sasha Vezenkov remains frustrated with the lack of playing time in his first NBA season with the Sacramento Kings, I’m told by several sources that there is no truth to the report of his desire to leave the NBA. One source close to Vezenkov called the report “off base” and that he will honor his contract. I’ve also been told the Kings want to keep him, but there’s also a market for him. Sacramento or perhaps another team that offers a larger rotational role remains to be seen.
This could be a simple diversion tactic. If the Kings and Vez really are kaput, it doesn’t serve the Kings for other teams to think they’re desperate to trade him.
I still think that Vez is capable of being an above-average NBA player. It’s hard to fault Brown for the limited minutes; there just weren’t many occasions where Vez was good enough to convince anyone that he should be getting 15-20 minutes per game.
My hope is that he needed a year to adjust, and will get off to a fast start in the fall. I don’t see him leaving Sacramento in the next twelve months. He has no trade value at the moment, and doesn’t cost that much. And if he does evolve into a solid rotation guy, you’d have no reason to trade him, barring an offer of a caliber that I am currently unable to conceive.
market?? I am interested in that.
To take another step forward the team can add an upgrade at 4 and send Harrison to the bench. That improves the starters, and the reserves. And the Kings need more quality wing depth w/o obvious limitations. Barnes’ career is at that point anyway. He’s too expensive to move (likely), he’s a locker room guy, knows the system, and the team, and he’s just become too inconsistent as a starter, too manty games MIA. Sending Huerter to the bench damages his career at this point, and at his age. I don’t see a solid role there for him anyway, and his defensive woes are just too much for this roster.
Send Huerter/Lyles out for, let’s say Kuzma, throw-in #13, Sasha, Davion or Duarte, depending on how much salary Wash. wants to take-on, and who they like. Kuzma (or Collins, Grant, Ingram, Randall?) upgrades the starting PF position, and Barnes upgrades the bench. If Malik re-signs, that’s seven deep. Use the MLE on a back-up big, maybe Achiuwa, J. Smith. That’s an eight player rotation, with a solid starting five, and quality reserves at guard, in the paint, and on the wing. That’s what I’ve got right now.
I personally like Collins over Kuzma.He fits better, rebounds better, doesn’t have to be a go to guy, defends the weakside better and that in its self is why he is a better fit, shoots the 3 better and will cost way less to get.
Collins has 2 more years at $26.6 mil, the second is a player option. That deal could work well for Sac if he plays well and extends. Him opting out could also be good, freeing cap-space for Keegan. If he doesn’t play well, that option season could feel pretty weighty.
IMO if given a chance especially on a contender he will step up and be a good player for the Kings.
The prospect of adding an upgraded forward to pair with Keegan is very complicated still. We can think of Monte’s conundrum like chess considering how each move effects the following. Some moves will need to be set-up, so you have to be thinking ahead, but the way to prepare for successful moves down-the-line is making the best move right now. How to balance strategies for the future with current imperatives? The real difficulty is in managing the contracts in coordination, and the timing. Maybe they can afford another major piece squeezed into their cap structure if the contract expires before extensions for Keegan and Fox become too expensive, but then what? Or a declining contract, like Kuzma might be optimal.
Also, is Keegan best suited to the 3 or 4? Maybe the best pairing for Keegan moves him to the 4. I’m not sure we know yet. We haven’t seen him with a dynamic small forward, and I would question how dynamic Keegan can be at the 3. Maybe Murray is the future starting PF, and they should be looking at guys like Mikal Bridges, or Derrick Jones Jr.. Can Huerter give them minutes at the 3?
Another less explored option is adding another big to play the 5, and Domas adjusts to minutes at the 4. Jerry R. discussed using Valanciunas this way a bit in the last podcast. I think it would take adding a better big than they’re likely able to.
With time on his own contract, and a natural abundance of caution, Monte will be looking, this offseason, to be opportunistic, and not risk his beloved “optionality” moving forward. This offseason forecasts to be very active, league-wide, with many major contracts moving. Monte will likely try to horn-in on some big deals that will require a third team to make the money work, and try to improve incrementally w/o committing too much long-term. With as much help as some deals will need to facilitate, Monte could get lucky and score some big wins. One teams trash is another teams treasure.
I think Kyle Filipowski should be considered at 13. I’ve seen several of his games and have noted a tendency for him to come out like gangbusters, hitting threes, running the floor, driving to the hoop, making plays. At 6’11”, he would have a chance to compete for a starting spot right away. Maybe not finish the game, but he could provide some good minutes at a position of need. Doesn’t make many mistakes out there. Has role versatility. Not sure about his hip durability, but whatever, he can play now. and that conference is physical.
I think I’ll put him at 10, right behind a group which includes Salaun and Scheierman.
I think Filipowski is a good prospect for this draft
yeah, when he was playing freely as a perimeter oriented big, the results looked good. I think that’s how he’ll be utilized in the nba.
for me the next tier would include Topić, Knecht, Carter, Cody, Clingan and a few others.
Interesting to hear Leandro Barbosa confirm that we just got too comfortable this season.
That it is not solely a players’ problem; it is also a coaching problem (and probably a FO problem too). So I hope that the whole organization will learn from it.
https://x.com/NBCSKings/status/1802151730752426109
Most interesting thing about that clip is LB is 41 year’s old and has the hairline of a teenager, impressive! Some guys have all the luck.
wow you really are grant napear
Since I haven’t been paying too much attention in recent weeks, and the fact that the draft is just 10 days away, have the Kings worked out or interviewed anyone projected to go in the lottery?
According to Hoops Hype who lists players who have had work outs, the Kings worked out only Carter as a projected top 13. Workouts are often clandestine so who knows and there is still time.
I strongly suspect a trade. I would still like to end up with a late first- say Washington’s #26 as a switch. There is potential at that spot DaSilva, Holmes, Ware, Filipowski, George.
This statement hints at a Kuzma trade. Not first choice but have to do something. First choice would be Bridges (Nets), Markenon. Second- Ingram
Third- Grant, Kuzma, LaVine
Any of your trade options could be my first choice depending on the terms of the deal, and the commitment involved in acquiring the contract. As for who would be most productive in Sac.? It’s probably Bridges based on his defense, and his ability to handle, and distribute at the 3, with Keegan moving to the 4, where he can focus on defense, rebounding, and hitting shots. Markkanen would be deadly though, in the same front-court next to Domas.
In my opinion, if Carter is there at #13 and the Kings take him, it means Monte has the inclination that Monk is gone. Carter may end up being a replacement…someday, but the needle will not be moved from a fringe playoff team. They will continue to tread water while remaining in the bottom 1/4 of the league in spending.
yes, if Carter is picked or McClain or even Walker- the hint is Monk is gone
There’s been a lot of talk about the Kings and J Grant for good reason. He’s talented, and seemingly too expensive for their roster, as it is now, and the Kings would like to upgrade the 4 spot. But if Monk leaves, a dynamic ball-handler becomes the new top priority. If the Blazers are intent on keeping Grant and still need to cut salary, their next biggest contract is A Simons at $26.6 mil this coming season, and $27.7 expiring the following. He might fit the bill of a 3rd ball-handler/scorer, if their willing to take back some salary expiring after ’24-’25.
Simons makes a ton of sense for Orlando. They problem there is the Magic will need to move contracts to make a trade happen. Monk is still the cheaper and easier version of that type of player for Orlando.
A little reminiscent of Jalen Brunson?
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