The 2023 NBA Draft kicks off this evening at 4:30 PM PT, meaning Victor Wembanyama will be announced as the first overall pick somewhere around 4:45 or 5:00 PM PT. From there Sacramento Kings fans will, barring a trade, wait a couple hours before the Kings are on the clock with the 24th pick.
Feels a bit different this year, right?
After a decade and a half of dwelling in the lottery, it’s a nice problem to have. The Kings are no longer seeking a savior, but instead looking for a player who can make an NBA roster and provide depth or trade fodder. That’s not to say you can’t find a star with a later pick, but the expectations are just a lot lower when you’re out of the lottery. It’s a good problem to have.
Of course, that assumes the Kings hold onto the 24th pick. While the pick cannot be officially traded until after the selection is made, there’s a real possibility the Kings will be picking on behalf of another team tonight. The 24th pick would be included in the outgoing package for any big impact trade, such as the rumored pursuit of OG Anunoby.
The Draft provides a deadline that often spurs action, so it should be an exciting day of rumors and trades around the league. Last night saw a three-team trade sending Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies, Kristaps Pozingis and two first round picks to the Boston Celtics, and Tyus Jones to the Washington Wizards.
Use this thread to discuss any league news or rumors throughout the day. And of course, if there’s any Kings-specific news we will be sure to cover it.
Work your magic Monte…whether it’s keeping the pick(s) to draft someone or trading it as part of a deal. Definitely a weird feeling to not be wondering as hard who the Kings will draft after 16 straight lottery years. We shall see how today goes down.
Yup, I don’t have the nervous butterflies of wondering who might be the franchise saving pick taken in the top 10. I’m gonna just sit back and watch the sparks fly. I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a wild ride for the league today.
It seems like the back half of the first round is a complete unknown at this point and there will definitely be some surprises.
Maybe Wembanyama slips to 24?
Lots of scouts saying he’s too tall for the modern NBA.
They asked Vlade Divac, if he were the GM of San Antonio if he would choose Wemby –
He said he would pass, as he wouldn’t want Wemby to interfere with Domas.
I’m good with a Murray 2.0 ..
I can has Kriz Murray?
I can has KAT?/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72368686/1200227394.0.jpg)
off the bench?
Draft day is just the best…. Oh wait……………… Naw it’s still the best.
Heard a report that the Hawks might be shopping De’Andre Hunter. How would he fit with the roster? I haven’t seen much of him but heard he his a 3&d type of guy.
Apparently everyone on the Hawks is on the block. It wouldn’t surprise me if John Collins and/or Saddiq Bey (who Monte tried to acquire in the past) were Kings by the end of the day.
Just spitballing: Holmes, Monk, Edwards and the #24 for Collins and Bey works in the trade machine.
I don’t see Monk leaving. Maybe Mitchell gets thrown in there instead (money wise may not match up).
I think the only reason Monk gets included in any deal is because some other team really values his expiring contract with the new CBA starting July 1st. I just threw out ATL because I’d imagine they’d really like to get out of Collins deal. Hawks currently have the 4th highest payroll going into next season.
The fit of Collins next to Sabonis would concern me. Theoretically he fits in the sense that he can space the floor on offense and rim run with Fox, but on D I think Collins and Sabonis would be undersized. I keep thinking back to Green and Looney destroying us on the interior in the last few games of the playoffs. We need some more size at the 4 than what Collins offers.
I’ve been totally disinterested in Collins for this reason. And he’s expensive with mediocre shooting. Not interested in giving up long term assets to be tied up with him. Bey or Hunter would be worth a call tho.
After seeing the price Memphis paid to get Smart (2 first round picks), I’m not sure OG is going to get the Raptors 2 firsts. Smart is locked up for 3 more years and is a DPOY, while OG is still promise but is on an expiring deal. Could Monte pull off an OG trade by giving up the #24 and filler, or will it take an additional pick?
It’s nice that it’s Toronto who’s under pressure, and not Sacramento, and I’d be disinclined to add a second pick for OG.
Siakam, on the other hand…
Unfortunately, all reports indicate Masai is acting as though he isn’t under pressure and is stubbornly sticking to demanding an outrageous return for any of his assets. That can, of course, change at any time.
Let’s see how bold he feels at the trade deadline with an All-NBA guy on an expiring contract that doesn’t fit the team’s timeline
Right, but that’s the point as far as today is concerned. Masai isn’t operating as though he needs to make a trade today because he can wait for the deadline.
I think that’s the key – if Masai does not see a market that he likes right now, he’s more than willing to ride it to the deadline. I think that in his mind, if he is going to have to sell for what he sees as less than his perceived value, what’s the hurry? The risk could be a few ping pong balls and maybe a pick, but the reward could be a trade partner on a title run willing to pay a hefty price.
Adding, if I am Masai I am in no hurry to enter the market that has been polluted by the Wizards.
Weird- last year Minnesota polluted the market by paying way, way too much for Gobert. Now Washington pollutes by giving away a real good player (with an outrageous salary) for simply negative cash value- that is, trade Beal to get off his salary and get nothing in return. CP3 was just a tool, and he will be released, costing Washington something but not the 50M in Beal salary.
Then Washington traded Porzingis for meager future assets.
There are no bars, no limits, just varying levels of perplexity.
I’m fine taking a hard pass while Ujiri tries to maximize his returns. Especially if the target is OG vs Siakam.
their timeline passed 3 years ago
Masai is a sharp guy, and unlikely to make a move that will place landmines in his future.
I hate guys like that who don’t work in Sacramento.
Mind you those are also two non-top 20 firsts that MEM gave up (assuming the duds are decent next year), so really a pittance that MEM had to give up for the former DPOY.
Beal also went for next to nothing, obviously for different reasons.
This could be the NBA re-valuing draft picks with the new CBA and therefore unwilling to relinquish multiple firsts in a trade for non-superstars like an OG or Beal.
Memphis looked at this as- we could not get Smart with the #20 but now we can and all we give up is a future from GSW.
Boston got stuck- wanted to unload one of their guards and had Brogdon to LSAC who rescinded that deal.
Memphis was greedy- needed some D with Smart because of losing Brooks and with Ja out, needed Smart as PG. The 2023 first round pick was late. And who plays SF? Z. Wiliams, Konchar? Bane moves over.
T. Jones was on the block for some time. He was good when Ja was out.
Toronto seems irrational- asking way too much.
I really do not think this is the year that the Kings throw caution to the wind and go after either an aging player (Beal. ) or a home run swing for a good player that costs much of the bench and future.
I suggest keeping as many assets and flexibility as possible (Barnes)
I think Toronto wants 24, filler, Davion + 2 more picks.
I agree, this offseason has been wonky in terms of trade value. Don’t commit any big money and assets, let the market play out with the new CBA and work on internal growth.
Sometimes I have to recheck what I’m reading… 24 for OG? Possibly one more pick?
Isn’t is wonderful that we don’t need to draft some kid to be a savior and make all of our dreams come true?
But it doesn’t matter! Our pick will be the missing piece that launches us into contention! That’s just how it works!
for 16 years, we got maybe 3 decent players out of the lottery. and a ton of mistakes.
and #24 might have just as high of odds to make a difference. Cannot be less valuable than Nik, Jimmer, B-Mac, T-Rob and all the rest.
In those sixteen lottery years, we only drafted four players that ended becoming All Stars: DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton (with IT and Hali becoming All Stars after they were no longer on the Kings). Pretty wild stat line.
There are a lot of guys that have piqued my interest at 24, so many that more than a few of them will still be there at 38. The front office has earned more than a bit of faith, so at this point it’s ride it out and wait for the dust to settle.
Coulibaly, Lively, Jacquez, Sensabaugh, Miller, Murray, Prosper, Clowney, Whitehead, Lewis, Jackson-Davis, Cissoko, Sasser, Strawther, Sheppard, Bailey, Smith, Clark, Tshiebwe. Any two of these guys would make me happy with Monte’s stamp of approval.
.
.
.
Oh, and Marcus Bagley at 54.
The ranges for some of these guys are just nuts. I’ve seen Sissoko as high as 20, and as low as 48, which is so broad as to be informationally useless. TJD has been spotted all over, too, so I guess the question, assuming that Sacramento holds strong interest in both, is which guy do you grab at 24, and which guy do you think is more likely to be available at 38?
There are a million other factors, which also makes my post informationally useless.
yes.
and I agree with your binary choice. IMO TJD will be gone at 38 but maybe not Sidy. Denver has 3 picks in there and wants a Joker backup.
IMO there is a pivot point in the draft at around #20-22.But someone might drop.
Then there is another pivot at about 35 and someone might drop
I worry about Denver who wants the same type of stuff as the Kings- they have 3 picks between 24 and 38 and will “ruin” the 38 pick.
Hence the Kings, IMO, have to decide waht is key and 24 and not try to play it cute. If, for example, they want a backup to Sabonis and want TJD and feel he might drop to 38, don’t risk it because Denver is lurking.
#24 could be either a backup for DS or could be size, length on the wing. (OMP, Sidy, Jaquez)
If Monte really likes TJD, I think he needs to grab him at 24 and try to select a defensive wing with the 38th pick (Kobe Brown, Julian Phillips).
That’s my take, too. If Sissoko is there at 38, fantastic, but if not, there should be several players that would be nice fits in the near or longer-term.
Yeah it would really depend how the FO view TJD. Me personally, I’d rather have Cissoko at 24. If TJD is there at 38 then great. If not, I’d still go with one of Kobe Brown, Julian Phillips, Julian Strawther.
Then at 54, grab Oscar Tshiebwe
Can rights to Vezenkov be traded in a package? Maybe to move up or future pick? I wouldn’t say patience is running thin with him and his ball club…but…
That would be a tough trade to swing unless he explicitly agrees to go to the other team. If he was a 20 year old Euro-stash it would be a different story but his situation is now-or-never.
I theory yes, but he has no value right now. If his rights are traded, the Kings would have “disrespected” him and thrown away the negotiation effort. He would not want to start negotiating again with another fickle suiter.
He cannot sign anything or agree to anything until July 1- there is no nod, handshake, wink etc. available
His value to the Kings far outweighs his value anywhere else.
He is not Kings property except as a stash, right now.
Will there be Deja vu today? Or will there be a trade? Or will there be shrewd draft we all scrutinize that ends up fantastic? At least the pressure is off.
So many directions to take
all these futures up in the air,
For the Kings its a piece of cake
when your GM is Monte McNair.
Where’s JMan when you need him…
I expect to see him back at the first summer league game preview article.
Celtics absolutely won their trade. KP and two firsts for Smart. Adding a 23/8 player to Tatum and Brown. Brogdon and Derrick White a serviceable PG rotation. Would like to see the Kings do a deal as good as that.
I agree. Two late firsts and Smart for a player that fits snugly with Tatum and Brown. If he can stay healthy he’ll solve a lot of the problems they’ve faced the last five years in the playoffs. They still need a distributor type of PG though.
Sure, I’ll be watching the draft today, but not with the angst that usually comes with it. I hope Monte doesn’t go crazy and gut some of our chemistry by getting rid of Monk or Davion unless the return is exceptional. Giving up a pick or two today to get a lower pick is fine with me. I’d rather have the proven Cam Johnson and Naz Reid over unknown draftees.
Holy crap, Chris Paul getting traded the Warriors, and Jordan Poole going to Washington.
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1671959234701828106?t=BXIcbC49jFnIONe4VZRAuA&s=19
wow. I thought the Jordan Poole contract was untradeable and would handicap the dubs for years. CP3 will help them win games and they can always trade him for an expiring contract at the trade deadline if that umpteen billion luxury tax bill ever gets bothersome.
I’d think that going forward, Poole will be easier to trade than whatever contract Paul would have gotten for playing well into his forties. I don’t like Poole’s contract at all, but he’s young, and could eventually earn it.
DC is obviously dumping the season, which is probably the sensible move. The fact that they aren’t accumulating much in the way of assets is likely to make a rebuild difficult, even over several years.
Glad it ain’t us.
nah. CP3 only has two years left and he’s a coach on the floor.
we are in full vortex now because this trade is as significant for the dubs as the Dunleavy / Murphy for Jackson / Harrington trade and it’s the first move made by new GM Dunleavy.
Looks like a salary dump (Poole) to me. Keep CP3 for a year but get rid of 3 years of Poole.
CP3 won’t help them that much- he is not a scoring threat and slows the game down.
They probably intend to resign day-day and probably give klank the “legacy deal” he wants next year.
Championship? That’s in the rear view mirror.
What the hell are the Wiz doing? They get out of Beal’s bad deal to get into Poole’s bad deal?
Seems like a dumb trade on the Wiz’ end. And that 2030 first rounder is top 20 protected. Just when I thought that franchise was turning the corner and embracing competence they trade for Poole’s sorry arse.
So are they planning on building around the backcourt Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones?
I guess one way to look at it is Poole will assist their tank…perhaps that’s their angle. Just let him play no D and chuck bad shots and rake in the L’s.
Assist their tank for how long? He’s got 4 years guaranteed at $128M!!
He’s their tank commander and gonna have value after he breaks away from
Mike TysonDraymond. They got picks which is what they really want.They got a top 20 protected pick in 2030 and a second round pick. That ain’t much. That 2030 pick may not even convey.
A lot of team are going to be looking to cut salary with the new CBA and the Wiz had an opportunity to have space with CP3’s expiring deal. I think they would have been better to just sit on Paul and trade him at the deadline then take on Poole’s long term deal.
Backed up by Monte Morris, Delon Wright, and Johnny Davis
Too bad Draymond is an ******* because he’s the exact type of player this teams needs. Still many players out there available via FA or trade.
Hope either the duds or fakers sign him to a rich contract. Draymoron is close to falling off a cliff.
I hope Green signs with Washington, just to fuck with Poole.
That would probably be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen in professional sports but poor Jordan. Lol
Poole will fuck with Greene and the Wizards would have his back. The Warriors are corrupt.
Exactly, the enabling of Green will end once he is no longer a dud.
His BS isn’t going to be tolerated by another franchise.
Looks like the Warriors fans just got some bad news.
I love Baseball………………………………………………………………………
Getting back to the Kings and the draft, I’m not looking for any home runs. The Kings have 3 young players in Murray, Mitchell and even Edwards, with upside. They need the ball to try to reach it. Even Edwards could become a solid 3 and D defender against 1s, 2s and 3s. So, there was no need for a trade for Beal, because he would offensively suffocate Murray and the others, at least the young players that didn’t go to the Wizards.
OG, he would fit well, but after that, not looking for a player that would inhibit Murray’s development. He’s a potential star. So, I’m hoping for a good selection at 24, maybe a trade for OG, that’s about it. The Kings are in an enviable position, the team doesn’t need to make risky moves to improve.
Murray, Jones, Trayce, and O-Max are my preference for the safe choice at #24. Any one of those guys could play 15-25 minutes per night right now.
Sidy, Rupert, and Clowney are my upside guys.
There are a lot of talented players in this draft and I think even #38 will end up a good player. I’d like Podz, Kobe Brown, Sasser, Jaquez, Sheppard, and Strawther in that range.
That Smart trade…….?
They Atilla don’t have someone to organize their offense, that was their biggest issue.
*still
Rock
Draft:
for 24
Drops- L. Miller, Whitehead, Kris, Sensabaugh
probably take any of them in that order
the expected: OMP and J. Jacquez- take one of these if no one drops
38- pray for TJD but I bet Denver bites on that.
then Sidy, C, Jones, A. Jackson (almost for sure to Denver), K. Brown, GG Jackson and Sasser ho will probably go to Celts.
#54- BPA
Badge Legend