The NBA tossed around some ping-pong balls last night, but for the first time in a long while, the Sacramento Kings didn’t care about the NBA Draft Lottery. When the 2023 NBA Draft arrives on June 22, they don’t have to approach it looking to select a savior. They don’t need to draft a perfect fit with De’Aaron Fox at #2, they don’t have to draft a culture changer at #9, and they don’t have to draft an 87 game starter at #4. If they keep their pick at #24, they can draft just another player – someone who could play a role next season, or maybe not. The Sacramento Kings will have options, and for the first time in a decade and a half, they can approach the draft as a good basketball team.
Draft history has always shown that guessing on picks later into the drafts is nearly impossible. Variance between the big boards for teams, professional prognosticators, and armchair scouts expands tremendously as we drop later and later into the first round. A year ago, Santa Clara guard Jalen Williams, Kansas guard Christian Braun, and Auburn center Walker Kessler were all over the place on public big boards, ranging from late lottery options to totally out of the first round (h/t to the magnificent Brett Huff and his Big Board tracker). The Thunder shocked the world when they drafted Williams at 12, Braun went 21 to the Denver Nuggets, and Kessler went 22 to the Timberwolves. All three picks were applauded and mocked by fans and experts alike – and all three became key players for their teams this year and in the future.
In the 2023 draft, the Kings could select someone we all know and are excited for… or Monte McNair could pull a Geoff Petrie in 1996, when the Kings GM earned boos from the Sacramento faithful after taking some random dude named *checks notes* Predrag Stojakovic, over some bigger-named college prospect no one remembers. Being a fan of a good team later in the draft may mean lower emotional stakes for draft fans, but it also means trusting the front office folks who are doing their homework.
Assuming the Kings do draft at pick 24 (and my gut is giving me 50% odds they trade the pick), it’ll be interesting to see McNair’s philosophy. His first three 1st rounders—Tyrese Haliburton, Davion Mitchell, and Keegan Murray—were all high-instinct players who could fill clear roles early in their careers. The Kings haven’t taken a project player in the 1st round in McNair’s tenure. Does drafting in the 20s change that approach?
While I’ll aim to check out players who could be in the Kings draft range, this will be a challenge for many reasons. Gone are the days where Sacramento faithful could realistically guess and get hyped about the 10 or so players the Kings may take with their lottery selection. If the Kings do draft at #24, they could end up taking someone we all thought was in that range, or snag someone we didn’t think would fall that far, or draft someone who wasn’t in the top 30 on anyone’s (other than Sacramento’s) big boards. As such, the players I’ll check out over the next few weeks may or may not be in true contention for the Kings when their pick comes up. Some of my targets – and guys I’ll be profiling – include Iowa’s Kris Murray, Xavier’s Colby Jones, Alabama big Noah Clowney, Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Duke’s Dariq Whitehead, to name a few. If you have any 1st round targets that have really caught your eye, make sure to mention them in the comments.
But regardless of the draft outcome on June 22, the times have already changed in Sacramento. And if McNair and company are smart, they’d send out this quote from Keegan Murray to the agent of any prospect they are interested in talking to. Gone are the days when agents should be scared of sending their players to Sacramento.
“I feel like it’s one of the best starting points that I could have had. I was incredibly blessed to be picked by them at fourth in last year’s draft and feel like I’ve been put in the best position possible.” – Keegan Murray on if he feels at home in Sacramento
— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) May 1, 2023
Long live the Kings.
Very well-written Bryant!
I think your last point might be the biggest takeaway from this season: the Kings (finally) showed they can develop players. Whether it was from game to game (Murray), within a game (Davis), or just overall (Fox, Sabonis). They’ve also made very good use of Stockton, although I can’t really speak to the development of Queta, Ellis or others.
Whether they draft someone or not, it’s just nice to finally trust the decision-making by the Kings. Look at us.
“They’ve also made very good use of Stockton.” No, they haven’t. Queta and Ellis were #14 and 15 on the bench, and save one game where Queta scored 10 points, they were non-contributors.
Thoughts on this guy: Long, athletic wing kinda fits the need profile!
https://www.tankathon.com/players/bilal-coulibaly
I’m already championing that kid. All are welcome aboard his train. He’s my pick at #24.
from what I’ve gathered. He’s in the mold of a Mikal Bridges, or a jack of all trades modern wing.
I’m on the train as well. I have seen comps to Mikal Bridges, Keldon Johnson, and OG Anunoby made about him.
I mentioned the other day I would be happy if he fell to us!
I’m on the train!!!!
Bilal CoulibalyTEAMMetropolitans 92 (France)YEARInternationalPOSITIONSFHEIGHT6’6″
AGE18.81 yrsDRAFT AGE18.90
Remember when being on the train meant…
&ct=g
I like him, Sidy Cissoko, Rayan Rupert, Leonard Miller, 1000% GG Jackson if he falls, Bobi Klintman, and Brandin Podziemski.
Podz is another one I’m high on. I have a feeling he is going to rise to the 1st round and will go in the 20s. He is an outstanding rebounder for a guard, has sort of like a Josh Hart, but he can also shoot lights out, is quick, and can jump out of the gym. He had a 39″ vert at the combine.
If he is there at #38, I’d take him.
Who’s your guy if couliby isn’t there at 24?
Ha! It just might be Podz at the moment. The only issue is he’s not a draft for fit. IMO, he could be a better all around version of Huerter. Podz is a guard, not a wing, so getting him is a bit redundant with Huerter and Monk.
So to Bryant’s point, are the Kings drafting for talent, fit, or upside?
all 3 Euros are intriging – not as high on Rayan Rupert.
Jackson? not sure. Klintman scored about 5 ppg but fits the profile. Podz will go between 25 and 38.
Rupert had a late growth spurt. Look for his interview with Rafael Barlowe on locked on nba big board. I like the kid.
I like him. I don’t believe he is a “monte-type” pick but could be wrong.
I’m onboard but he projects to be drafted around 15-20 so I’m just hoping Monte can trade up to get him. He can be our future 4 with his height, length and offensive upside.
If a long while is since 2019, then you are right (thanks, Vlade).
The West is still incredibly competitive, and a few teams could get better rather quickly (Portland, Spurs, Thunder), while others may or may not crater.
Monte cannot rest on his laurels and hardy’s. But I have much more confidence in him than in Vlade.
Let’s go Kings.
Snarky man, but the Kings absolutely cared in 2019 if just for embarrassment factor of possibly seeing their 14th overall pick jump to the top 4 when they didn’t control it.
I’ve read two mock drafts this morning and at the 24th pick, both mocks had the Kings taking… Kris Murray. Now, as it happens, I think he would actually be a pretty good pick at that spot given his skill set and the fact that he’s another big wing which we sort of need anyway. But I can’t be convinced that he wasn’t the selection there for any other reason than people want to see him play with him brother.
I don’t think other KM will be around at twenty-four, and if he is, I don’t know that Sacramento ought to choose him. Obviously, he’s very similar to Keegan, but definitely not as good a shooter, and doesn’t fill a position of need.
I like Sissoko if he’s there. Very strong and quick for a wing at 225 pounds, he’s the kind of smart, switchable player that McNair loves, as do we all. He’s a good complement to both Murray and SV, since he’s strong enough to switch up, and athletic enough to switch down. He’s not a reliable guy from three, but his mechanics seem sound, and we have shooters. *
*You know what the asterisk is for, don’t make me say it.
Kris will get snatched up before 24.
need a serious rebounding defender to compliment Sabonis. There is no legit power forward on this team. Draft or free agency it should be priority 1.
IMO we could use the 24th pick plus a player or two to get what we might be looking for to play along side Sabonis or shore up our backup center. I’m not sure we could do this with just the 24th. pick.
kp center
This.
My hope is that the Kings pick a rotation-quality SF who plays defense. Or a rim protecting PF/C. If Sasha comes over that’s going to be like getting a mid teens pick as well, IMO.
Jalen Wilson, Julian Strawther, Sidy Cissoko would be my choice for the 24th pick. I’m really intrigued how Monte approaches this draft and how he would select given that the pick is not in the lottery. Will he continue to go with a prospect that has an established skillset rather than going with a total unknown?
If he decides to trade the pick, he should kick the tires on Keldon Johnson and see if we could get him.
Strawther is a real shooter who can drain 3s from Ryan Anderson range. Yeah, worth a look.
John Wallace. I absolutely remember this.
And I remember Petrie introducing Stojakovic at the downtown Plaza when he first arrived in Sacramento. Many Kings fans there were like “who is this dude?”
and so started the legacy of In GP We Trust.
The Kings were in the playoffs/draft pick
1999 Ryan Robertson (45)
2000 Hedo Turkaglu (16) Jabari Smith (45)
2001 Gerald Wallace (25) Maurice Jeffers (55)
2002 Dan Dickau (28 ->ATL) Corsley Edwards (58)
2003 No PICKS
2004 Kevin Martin (26) Ricky Minard (56)
2005 Francisco Garcia (23)
2006 Quincy Douby (19)
The last of the picks with Rick Adelman coach (though he was dismissed before 2006 draft). Still these are Petrie picks (prior pre-playoff gems include
1994:Brian Grant (8), Michael Smith(35), Lawrence Funderburke (51),
1995:Corliss Williamson, Tyus Edney (47), Dejan Bodiroga (51)
1996: Predrag Stojakovic (14), Jason Stasser (41)
1997:Tariq Abdul-Wahad (11), Anthony Johnson (40)
1998: Jason Williams (7), Jerome James (36)
What does this trip down memory lane all mean?
An accomplished super draft picker (GP) wasn’t infallible. Who you pick also has to gel with the coach, and available minutes.
The Kings have many choices here – Brown did an absolutely stellar job with Keegan Murray, but this team’s needs are different.
And what about your other development projects – Davion Mitchell, Kessler Edwards? As they didn’t play Keon or Queta I am guessing they are out? PJ Dozier- out or in?
This new joint partnership of GM McNair amd Coach Brown is exciting to me about what they can develop in addition to their improvements to the team.
Would love to pick up Kris Murray if he is available at 24. Him and his brother – both long and great shooters.
If the Kings keep their pick(s), they can basically use them on anything.
They currently need depth at the three and the four, and even after Barnes, Lyles and Vez are resolved, they will at the very least need depth at the three. You don’t want to just hand the keys to Kessler Edwards.
3rd string PGs can be plucked in free agency, or maybe Keon Ellis kinda sorta becomes that guy. But you never know what trades could be brewing, so you can’t completely ignore PG.
The bar at backup C is Alex Len, so there is an opportunity there, though Len may stave off any rookie in 2023-24.
And with this offense, you can never have enough shooters, and Terence Davis is a free agent.
I really like Trayce Jackson-Davis behind Domas if he can shoot even a lick from range, but I suppose if he shows that talent pre-draft he may not last to us. Kris Murray would be a nice story and probably on the higher side of plug-and-play bench help. Taylor Hendricks was my pre-season person of interest, but he has played his way into the lottery.
With the Bulls, Knicks and Sixers not having a pick, and the Cavs, Suns, T-Wolves and Bucks picking 49 or later, I could see some demand for the Kings pick at perhaps 24 and definitely at 38. I would not be surprised to see the Kings draft zero, one or two rookies this year. I will be surprised if they use all three picks.
Packaging the 24 and 38 to move up a few spots might also be a good idea.
Could happen. Might even strengthen the idea of a trade.
TJD is listed at a 4, but I think I definitely see him more as a 5 in the nba due to him not shooting basically at all this past season. He’d definitely bring some high level rim protection and rim running to the team. If Domas can spend all off season with coach Loucks and add a smidgen of stretch 5 to his game, I can see the pairing work out if I squint real hard. Add in he’s an upperclassman that seems to be up Monte’s alley in terms of what he’s drafted so far.
Between getting Sasha and seeing how the draft shakes out makes this off season still a really fun and exciting one for me. Still tons of talent from 24 and beyond
TJD is Dale Davis’ kid, and everyone can decide for themselves whether or not this is a so-called “fun fact.”
Indy has picks at 26, 29 and 32. Done deal!
Dad wasn’t a big scorer, but he sure could rebound. The kid is a bit smaller, but maybe he has the nose for boards.
And his shot mechanics look pretty good from what I’ve seen, which is a bit surprising since in four years at IU, he only took three shots outside the arc and didn’t make any. If he can be a credible threat to stretch defenses, he has a lot of other facets that are impressive.
Trayce will be there at 24 and probably into the 2nd round. I like his blocks to fouls ratio and assists to turnovers ratio. But he will slide because he’s a tweener. His standing reach is not so high and I read that he had difficulty with bigs who could leverage their size on him like Hunter Dickenson.
It seemed that Sabonis had trouble with Looney because of where their shoulders locked up. When Sabonis went to box him out, Looney put his shoulder on top and although he could not get closer to the basket, Looney covered a larger area.
Tschiebwe sort of does what Looney does, although his shoulder height might be a couple inches lower than Looney’s. Adem Bona might be able to rebound that way. James Nnaji has the reputation of a superb rebounder. One of those guys might be able to help Sabonis figure out how to deal with it before the playoffs start, and possibly earn a role as a rotational big.
yeah, I could see Trayce at 24. Trayce, Cissoko and Tschiebwe would be my targets at 24.
Mark this:
Whichever team that takes a flyer on Grant Nelson of North Dakota will be lucky.
7 footer with handles, can shoot, defend and rebound.
Kings please work him out!
I just watched the Box and One w/ Adam Spinella on youtube where he broke down Nelson. Seems fairly one dimensional offensively, and needs some work with playing in a team concept (lots of ISO plays, minimal ball movement). Maybe with a 2nd round pick he could be worth the investment in a few years.
I’ve seen lots of Kris Murray going to the Kings online and not just from fans. I honestly don’t see a downside. They have to have incredible chemistry on the court and probably push each other to be better. The way the team has welcomed Keegan, how happy would they be to welcome his bro. If he’s the or even borderline BPA, I say take him in a heartbeat.
I really like Colby Jones, think he will fit in at the 5th guard and maybe some SF minute.
Another guy is Jaime Jacquez (UCLA). Smart player, crafty, good size but not overly athletic (fast/jump heighth).
Cissoko would bring needed defense, physicality and depth at SF.
not sure why Jalen Slawson is ranked so low. Could be a Matt Barnesish player.
bobi klintman looks like a young Trey Lyles but it sounds like he has a 1st round promise somewhere.
i like a handful of bigs, probably in the 2nd round.
possible Draft n stash picks for length and shooting: Ousman N’Dyiaye and Tristan Vucevic.
a lot of other players worth a look.
The Cissoko Kid?
was a friend of mine
waa waa waa waaa
It is officially B West draft season, baby!! Would love to know your analysis and projection on Bilal Coulibaly.
Also, nice savior comment 😉
I think there’s a good chance the kings are looking for a 3 and D guy. I’d love to see some info on Bobi Klintman and Jordan Walsh or anyone else you think better fits this mold who the Kings could snag.
Can anyone explain why the Heat, Lakers, and Warriors are picking before us even though they advanced further in the playoffs than we did? What sort of playoff tanking is this?!
We had a better regular season record.
I thought that was implicit to my question, apologies.
It’s been 17 years since I’ve cared about something like this but I thought in other sports, and hence the NBA, that the further you advanced in the playoffs the later you would pick in the first round. Or does it only affect making the finals and/or winning it all?
John Wallace from Syracuse. That’s the guy most fans wanted instead of an 18 year old Serbian playing in Greece who was not and would not be ready for the NBA for 2 years- a year away from being a year away.
Monte has gone for safe, proven, guys with a track record. His “reach” is about 8 inches.
At 24, there are lots of possibilities- 3 Euros including my favorite (reach) Bilal Couligby.
The safe ones: Kris (the other twin), Colby Jones and a big reach J. Jacquez.
Sidy Cissoko might be a good compromise- Euro, defender, long, good passer,? shooting.
I am betting on trade.
I hope Brice Sensabaugh slides
With coaching changes and top picks that change lineups, there may be some players available.
My sleeper FA: Yuta Watanabe. Plays defense, hits the 3. And Nets have about 60 at his position.
Yuta’s corner 3 pt percentage was insane, and then look at the amount of them he took. It’s not a small sample size. He made over fifty percent, and about half his shots came from there.
I agree with you on Yuta. He could be a sneaky signing if Brooklyn is willing to let him walk. He is Cam Johnson light who could provide similar help at a much better performance to contract ratio.
Just glimpsed Cissoko after reading this comment and no way is this guy available at #24. The defensive versatility, transition play, passing, size and shooting is too projectable. He looks like Josh Hart to me.
He’d be a perfect fit in the backcourt next to Fox or Davion, and working off Sabonis would mask his inability to create for himself. I’d be thrilled if we could get this guy.
Previous Sacramento Kings picks somewhere around the number (24) we are picking at:
23: Omri Casspi
23: Francisco Garcia
26: Kevin Martin
25: Gerald Wallace
27: Pete Chilcutt
23: Anthony Bonner
Honestly, that’s not a bad pull from late in the draft. There are two very solid starters in that group along with 4 role players.
IMO, the Kings have done worse in the past 16 years in the lottery than they did drafting around #24.
Pretty crazy that in those 16 straight lottery years, we only drafted two All-Star/All-NBA players (DeMarcus Cousins and De’Aaron Fox); I guess you could also throw Tyrese Haliburton in there as well since he was technically an All-Star this season, but not with the Kings. The vast majority of the other lottery picks ended up either being end of bench guys eventually or out of the league altogether.
Yo….Fox. 😉
But It’s true. KMart, although not drafted during the drought, was apart of it. In 16 seasons it’s really only been DMC, Fox, and Hali that are impactful players drafted in the lottery. Hat tip to IT for being the #60.
Haha, I noticed that I forgot to put Fox the first time, so I edited it.
It’s probably not good GM’ing but I’d sign our #60 pick Isiah Thomas as our 3rd PG right now.
This would make me so happy.
I’m intrigued by several of the prospects listed by everyone. Some guys that I’d like to see breakdowns of that might be available at 38 are James Nnaji, DaRon Holmes, and Jordan Walsh
Holmes definitely gets you rim protection, boards, and dunks. Walsh and Nnaji are both interesting prospects as well.
Actually the most impactfull drafted Kings player in Kings history was I. Thomas just not for the Kings . Finished 3rd in MVP race , Ave 29 pts 7 assists on a 53 win Celtic team and a 51 point effort in a game 7 Also on a damaged hip which later ended his career . Very sad .
Vukcevic scored 21 points in 16 minutes in his first scrimmage, looking like a taller Ryan Anderson. Probably shooting up draft boards and might be worth consideration at #24. Length and shooting.
but his athletic limitations also showed. probably a 2nd rounder.
Toumani Camara is ready now. The numbers are there. Physically he’s there. He can contribute now.
He should stretch the floor, too. A similar physical profile to Sissoko, although probably not as skilled as a ballhandler/distributor. With a couple of selections in round two, definitely worth consideration.
Haven’t looked too hard at the prospects yet. I understand they won’t be available at 24, but the only guys that have really interested me are Jarace Walker, Cason Wallace, and Ryan Rupert.
I see Leonard Miller and Trayce Jackson-Davis are both projected first round picks this year, and I graded them as late second rounders in last year’s draft. Maybe they’ve both taken significant steps, but based on what I know about them I’d rather package this pick for a higher-caliber player that can play now (I’ve been beating the drum for Siakam very hard this offseason) if this is the caliber of prospect we’re looking at in our range.
If Siakam wasn’t in the last year of his contract, I’d be more enthused. A great player to be sure, but with the possibility of being a six-month rental, the acquisition cost would be highly determinitive. Toronto is going to want teeth with roots.
It’s because he’s in his last year that I think he’s such a perfect target. Toronto looking to get younger and the leverage they have to demand full teeth is waning by the day.
Of course it’s a terrible trade if Siakam walks next year, but I feel like a playoff run next to Fox and Sabonis may be as compelling an argument as we could make to him to resign.
Ive thought similarly, and between him and OG I think the latter would cost more and be harder to retain despite Pascal still being the better player and honestly the better fit. How a deal like this effects Murrays position definition becomes a discussion but in almost all other ways Siakam addresses the majority of the teams major holes. The expiration of course is a risk but also the grounds to which the Kings have any chance of garnering a player of his level.
He has a case as the most underrated players in the league in my view. Something that seems partially reflected in hypothetical deals for him. Age being a bit disjointed from the core is fair to note. Yet one has to acknowledge he is in his prime, just turned 29 and playing his best basketball. An extension over 4 years may look a little troubling on the back end but its likely of value for 3/4ths of his next deal. By then we enter a similar choice as we have with Barnes but on a better player. If the picks aren’t that outbound to garner him, its not inconceivable the Kings could retool if the core is still here.
I see other stars listed and the prospect of retention of the Kings expense for the opportunity worry me. Siakam is an elite player, in my view one of the top 20 guys and an egregious all nba omission this season. Factor position and uniqueness of skillset on both ends and the list of players with comparable impact that are also not usage dependent may move that rank higher.
I think there are other deals for plus end starters that are maybe worth exploring first, but if the team wants to swing big, his name seems the smart place to play out scenarios.
Oscar Tschiebwe looks like he can hit the corner three. That means he might be able to play next to Sabonis.
Kings had Oscar in for workout on first weekend. Sometimes that’s a cover- like a guy, work him out early and other teams forget. I bet he is a candidate for post (non drafted signing. like Keon.
or second round
or first round
Do you think Trayce is draftable at #24? Probably not your first choice, but if your favorites are off the board already, do you think he’d be a good role player at $2 million a year.
Gotta Love that there is a thing called
Playoff Jimmy
Butler has been an absolute ruler. I read where someone said, if they only watched playoff basketball they would think Jimmy Buckets was the best player ever.
Ain’t playoff basketball great. I’ve been wstching, but it’s different when you are a part of it. Man, we have been on the sidelines too long.
Is De’Aaron be that guy who can be the playoff master for Sac?
Woooo! Two more wins and the Nuggets go to the NBA Finals!
Loved what coach Malone had to say after the game.
Glad the Nuggets have kept him in place.
Zach Randolph would’ve approved what he said.
https://twitter.com/LakeShowYo/status/1659407276665638913
Huge Nuggets fan.. but only because the Kings lost… so I am on the Joker train
I’ve been rooting for Denver since the Kings lost. Big reason is because I want Michael Malone to win it all.
Absolutely. I want to see the Heat v Nuggs. In all honestly in my heart I’d like to see the Heat take it but after the King’s FO disposed with Malone and IMO I thought he ways a very good Coach. There is no way to tell or to know how things would have turned out but I’ve always felt that single absurd decision by vivek alone set the Kings back at least three years.
So I’m right with you in supporting the Nuggs because it would be karmically perfect justice to see Coach Malone rise up and succeed because he wouldn’t be in his current situation without the Kings fucking him over.
Toumani Camara had a pretty good Combine. Hunter Tyson showed up in my homework as well and also had a good Combine. Invites Please! I’m looking for more “now side” than “up side” right now in my homework. Maybe I have a minority opinion, but I think there needs to be more of a sense of urgency because that window of opportunity is right now. The Kings are younger than Lebron, Curry, Durant, CP3, etc, but they’re not spring chickens either; the window is now. Vezenkov needs to come over now.
I nearly posted on here that I wondered if Jordi would get any consideration for one of the coaching vacancies.
Looks like there’s a report the Suns are interested.
I think Jordi brings a lot to this team and would be sad to see him go.
Olivier Maxense-Prosper could be draftable at #24. 6’8″ slasher who really attacks the basket in a Pascal Siakam sort of way. High energy.
Many of your targets are guys who are interesting to me, but another guy that’s interesting to me is Jaime Jaquez.
yeah, he’s still on my list also. good basketball player. I’d like to see him get drafted by a team that will give him a role.
Denver is one win away from eliminating the Fakers!!!
Jordi paid attention in Denver with Michael Malone- Big Kudos to #1 seed Denver giving it to the #7 Lakers despite some 8 v 5 action-
my bias is showing, but this made me think of SaTown squad
https://twitter.com/katywinge/status/1660159818718674944?s=46&t=LRRFdoSPcReEZERgnElWRA
Reminds me of the spirit of mutual support and respect in Kings’ locker room.
Agree! (SaTown should be SacTown).
Miami looks connected that same way. Just meaner, tougher and Spo, Bam and Jimmy-er
I read SaTown and assumed the legendary San Antonio
Badge Legend