With 48.1% of the vote, Keaton Wagler is off the board for the Kings Herald Community Draft Board. He joins Kingston Flemings, Darius Acuff Jr., Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson, Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa off the board.
This is the readership’s opportunity to create a democratic draft board which represents the order in which we as a collective would like the Kings’ draft board to look like. It does not represent the desires of individual writers or fans, but some semblance of the community’s collective thinking.
When a choice comes up, pick who you’d want the Kings to pick given all the players remaining. Note: THIS IS NOT A MOCK DRAFT. This is a draft board, a ranked list of prospects you’d like to see the Kings pick. In other words, if we were the Kings front office, when our pick came up, we’d take the top name left on our board. So pick your choice, not who you think Scott Perry or anyone else would choose in a slot.
Explain your choice in the comments, and lobby for who should be added to the next pick’s choices. We’ll be doing this every weekday morning over the next few weeks.
Up until now I think I’ve been voting pretty much with the consensus (I did have Peterson over Wilson but that’s it). Today I think I’m going to split and am voting for Brayden Burries over Mikel Brown Jr. I totally understand those who would rather the Kings take a swing on a guy like Brown and I wouldn’t be upset if that’s what they actually end up doing. I however am just a bit worried about the inefficiency that Brown showed as a freshman, combined with him dealing with a back injury at such a young age.
Burries on the other hand is someone who I have learned to really like through my draft research. The biggest question with him is if he can become a lead guard, which I think he can. He’s got great size, competes hard on both ends and is exceedingly efficient. I think there’s a decent chance Burries ends up a better pro than some of the guards that will be taken before him.
Understandable. I voted Mikel Brown Jr., but I love Burries. He feels like a supercharged Jalen Suggs.
Supercharged Jalen Suggs would a very good player.
Assuming that supercharged includes learning to shoot and staying reasonably healthy.
I think it’s whatever Suggs can do, Burries can do better. And that includes shooting and health… hopefully.
Burries can shoot. Not only did he shoot 40% in college, some of those shots were deeeeep. He’s got range.
I took Brown here, but what you state here makes perfect sense. Coin flip.
Going Burries. Mikel Brown Jr. just has too many concerning things to me, including injuries. He may end up being really good, but I think he may also be a Kangzy type chucker. The dude likes to shoot, but doesn’t really do it at an elite level.
Burries, on the other hand, doesn’t do anything great, but does just about everything pretty well. Fells like a solid glue guy on a good team. Likely not a star, but a winner. \
On another note, according to Hoopshype’s workout tracker, the Kings are the only team in the top 10 to NOT workout out a first round projected player. They are also of the two teams in the top 7 to not work out a lottery bound player. Memphis has worked out Kao Peat, who is mocked in the 20’s. The other 5 have worked out lottery projected players. Bulls have now worked bout both Flemings and Brown Jr. We are 20 days from the draft.
I recall the player survey which stated both Memphis and Sac are two of the top 3 teams players do want to play for.
I will say that some teams might not be advertising all of their workouts. Also there was a report the other day that Scott Perry had met with Kingston Flemings family in San Antonio so we know they’ve at least been in contact with that prospect.
Ok, good. I’m guessing Hoopshype is only reporting workouts? Personally I think face to face meetings are just as important, if not more important.
They only report what is given to them by teams or agents. I think some teams and/or agents are keeping things close to the vest.
Back injuries are tricky. It seems Brown had “lower back spasms” during the season. Such a vague diagnosis/injury. Could have been overuse, poor lifting form, or a symptom of something more serious. Teams will have to trust their medical staff, and make sure they do some digging to see if there was anything that caused it.
Obligatory.
And an obligatory rec.
The “not a star” commentary around Burries is overblown. He was the leading scorer on a final four team that included a lot of solid scorers. His athleticism showed out at the combine too. He’s got all the tools and shot 50/40/80 in college. He played good basketball. I’m not sure where “not a star” comes from other than he didn’t consistently take over games. He didn’t need to, but when called upon he was solid.
If the medical stuff is cleared up, It’s Brown Jr. He has the star upside that this team needs to take a chance on. Based on the improvement from last year’s rookies, it gives some optimism that the Kings developmental staff can cut out some of the erratic play that Brown showed in college.
If the medical info doesn’t check out, it’s Burries. Get a solid contributor and see what he can become.
Keegan was a double, the guys from last year are singles and/or doubles. This team needs to eventually take a swing for the fences.
If the medical side is fine, I’d go Brown or Yax, leaning towards Brown. I think we might have seen a sophomore slump sort of thing from Brown after growing a few inches senior year, balling out at U19. Talent is there. Even with shot selection and turnover stuff, he’s like Monk or D-Lo, which is not bad. Potential to be better.
Though I am loath to say anything nice about players from the damnable school up north, there was something Lendeborg that jumped off the screen during the tournament. He shoots well and could play SF/PF/C depending on the lineup, he’s a good shooter (and improving), rebounds the ball, and would finally let Keegan play SF and cover wings, which lets him extend his career by avoiding all the pounding from much bigger PFs.
I agree. Straight facts about Yax.
He also has a good assist to turnover ratio and is able to get stocks without fouling a lot. Good playmaker for the position. Versatility to fit in a lot of systems, offensively and defensively. He started playing basketball seriously at 18 years old.
Voted Okorie. ACC scoring leader as a freshman. ACC 1st team. Is that really going out on a limb?
i don’t think it’s going out on a limb to include him in the same tier as Flemings, Burries and Philon.
My Arizona bias wants me to vote for Burries, but team need pushed Yaxel ahead of him. I think they are the same tier of player. Giving Keegan a switchable counterpart would really raise the floor of the starters I think.
+1 if Burries is drafted as a lead guard, I would have voted for him ahead of Keaton and Kingston but not Acuff. Right now my ranking of him is based on being off ball
So you think Burries can be a lead guard?
I think he is more than talented enough to grow into being a lead guard. Growing pains should be expected and having other facilitators on offense would help prop up that development. Someone like Domas would be perfect for him.
End the debate—
Pick Burries at 8!
Vivek got you down?
Turn it around and select Brown!
I’ll see myself out…
I’d be remiss if I weighed in
and not choosen Brayden
I voted Yaxel, simply because he answers this question:
Can he play SF?
Yes.
I hear the upside of Landeborg but the Kings adding another 24 year old draft project (they are all projects) is off putting for me.
Burries has shooting, rebounding and leadership and is a solid defender by the stats. I’m choosing him as the next selection (at 8). Maybe he can be what Clifford is supposed to be – but younger and more productive (sorry/not sorry for the negativity).
Mikel Brown, Jr. has been compared to LaMelo, D-Lo, Malik Monk – these are the types of players that march to the beat of a different drummer and that, IMHO, is the last type of talent that should be here in Sacramento. Big NO, from me. Monk without Fox to balance him, as wonderful of a personality he is, just don’t belong here in Kangzland. . He has a lot to offer, but it just doesn’t play well on a team like this.
I see the argument for Burries, potential for Brown, but can’t support picking another guard. I vote for Yax as he might be one of the most complete players.
Burries…another all-around guard who plays solid defense and jack of all trades on offense like Flemings minus the speed. I understand the potential of Brown Jr, the dude has speed and size, but his shot selection is so streaky. He chucks even when he’s missing like crazy. Seems like the ultimate hit or miss guy this draft. Still, I wouldn’t be a gambler at #8, maybe #9 when there are way more question marks surrounding players. Seems like 9+ is loaded with dudes who have potential but need to develop their game more, like Ament.
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