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Kings Pulse: 2022 March Madness NBA Prospects Preview

Bryant West joins the show to talk about the top prospects in 2022 and how they fit with the Sacramento Kings.
By | 22 Comments | Mar 14, 2022

Sadly, it’s already time to dive into the 2022 NBA Draft class since the Sacramento Kings are all but mathematically eliminated from the play-in.

Bryant West, The Kings Herald draft expert, joins the pod to help provide a better idea of the top prospect’s profiles, skillsets, strengths/weaknesses, potential fits with De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, and current rankings.

We dove deep into our top-six picks, which are actually realistic targets considering the Sacramento Kings currently own the sixth-best draft lottery odds at the moment.

Our first topic is the dream scenario… the first overall pick. We debate between Chet Holmgren from Gonzaga and Jabari Smith Jr. out of Auburn. In their current position, the Kings would have a nine percent chance of landing the top pick in the upcoming draft. Who would you prefer to see them take?

I ask Bryant what he thinks about so many people saying that Chet Holmgren is too thin to be an elite NBA player. And, what is it specifically that makes his such a special talent? How would Holmgren fit alongside Sabonis?

One spoiler I’ll reveal… I love Jabari Smith Jr for reasons that are explained deeper in this episode. His size and shooting make him a very interesting potential addition, but, what does his upside look like?

Duke’s Paolo Banchero is a hot topic of discussion at the moment as well. Trying to figure out how the 6’10” forward would fit alongside Domantas Sabonis is not as simple as some of the others. But, is he talented enough that it doesn’t matter?

Jaden Ivey from Purdue was the next up. Can they really draft another point guard?!?! Well, it turns out the fit might not be as bad as one might initially think. Would you consider taking Ivey for the Kings in the top-5?

https://youtu.be/wIUCg3pysuY

After those four, AJ Griffin from Duke and Keegan Murray from Iowa are the hot topics of conversation for a good bit in this one. Bryant explains why it feels pretty likely that we are hearing the names Griffin and Murray debated for months from now until the NBA Draft eventually arrives.

Griffin and Murray are both GREAT fits with the Sacramento Kings core of Fox and Sabonis, as we dive into.

Some other players that we also covered in this episode include:

  • Johnny Davis (Wisconsin)
  • Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona)
  • Jalen Duren (Memphis)
  • Tari Eason (LSU)
  • Shaedon Sharpe (Ignite)

The Kings Pulse podcast is available on all major listening platforms and is now also uploaded in video form on YouTube!

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March 14, 2022 9:52 am

Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to search for prospects again
Because of losing loudly creeping
Left its playoff hopes while I was sleeping
And the vision of success that was planted in my brain
No longer remains
Within the sound of Sacramento

RobHessing
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March 14, 2022 10:47 am

We probably need a breakdown of Jerami Grant for when we trade the pick for him.
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rockbottom
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March 14, 2022 10:48 am

The thought of Murray or Griffin sounds good to me ! Talent and fit !

RobHessing
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March 14, 2022 11:59 am
Reply to  rockbottom

The “good” news is that the Kings have no shortage of needs.

BestHyperboleEver
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March 14, 2022 12:13 pm

Small correction. Sharpe is at Kentucky (but not playing). Not with Ignite.

My personal top 10 for the Kings probably currently looks like this:

Holmgren
Smith Jr.
Sharpe
Banchero
Murray
Jovic
Daniels
Griffin
Ivey
Davis

eddie41
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March 14, 2022 5:32 pm

Thanks for this list. I’ll take a longer look at Sharpe when I get a chance (whatever footage is on the internet?). And listen to the rest of the podcast. I’ve only had time to hear their take on Chet and Smith Jr thus far. As far as they said Smith Jr. would be a perfect fit for his shooting, wouldn’t the same be true of Chet? And as far as his lanky build is concerned, are there other lanky guys we can think of who’ve had success? It’s often a lanky 3 who can play 4, like Kirilenko or tayshaun Prince. Or is Chet’s build more reminiscent of a young Porzingis?

cloudyeyes
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March 14, 2022 11:16 pm
Reply to  eddie41

And as far as his lanky build is concerned, are there other lanky guys we can think of who’ve had success?

Kevin Durant was actually pretty skinny coming out of college. Just compare Chet and Durant in college and they’re not so far apart.

eddie41
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March 15, 2022 7:27 am
Reply to  cloudyeyes

Or how about Poku with a better shot, more refined, and better in every category?

BestHyperboleEver
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March 15, 2022 3:58 pm
Reply to  eddie41

He’s kinda a more refined Poku with more toughness and aggression. Despite his extremely skinny frame, Holgrem plays physically and aggressively in a way skinny guys rarely do. Now, that’s not to say he’s always successful in those physical battles, but he does battle.

andy_sims
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March 14, 2022 12:25 pm

My issue with Holmgren is one that I have with a lot of Gonzaga players: They spend better than half of their games beating up on what are essentially Division II teams. We saw it with Jalen Suggs this year, and I’ll throw in Kispert as well. I do think that Suggs will have a nice career, but he had a ton of hype last year, and I really didn’t understand it.

I do understand why Holmgren is getting the hype, he is certainly very skilled, particularly with his size. I’ll watch the tournament and see if I can sell myself on the kid.

Which will be a waste of time since the Kings aren’t drafting 1/2.

Kingsguru21
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March 14, 2022 2:56 pm
Reply to  andy_sims

This brings up a good point: How important is NCAA competition? Especially when it comes to playing in the NBA.

I’ve never thought it matters because I don’t think the SEC, ACC, Big East, Pac 12, Big 12, Big 10 necessarily prepares players for the NBA stage. They just get on National TV more than the smaller lesser conferences like the Big West.

Anyway, just my half baked thought on the topic. I don’t really understand why collegiate competition actually matters when talking about if a guy is NBA ready.

andy_sims
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March 14, 2022 3:51 pm
Reply to  Kingsguru21

I think you’re reverse-engineering this a bit. The reason those conferences are on TV more is because overwhelmingly, they have the best players. The very best players are either NBA-ready, or well on their way.

My feeling is that playing against other legitimate NBA prospects 25-30 times a year has got to be of more use than running roughshod over guys who didn’t start their senior year in high school.

And there are certainly great players that come out of mid-majors, and other places that aren’t pipelines to the NBA. The problem there is that the smaller schools almost never have one of these guys, and never more than one.

It’s standard for the more preeminent schools to schedule cupcakes ahead of conference games, and it’s good for everyone since the sacrificial lambs get a nice payday. Gonzaga’s problem is that the conference schedule is always weak. I think you have to take that into account with Gonzaga players.

If I had the #1 spot, I’d take Smith and not look back.

BestHyperboleEver
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March 14, 2022 4:21 pm
Reply to  andy_sims

I think that makes a lot of sense for message board hobbyists like us. We don’t really have the access or time to see as much of the non-prestige guys, not the scouting acumen to identify the flashes of potential and areas of growth that can carry these guys to stardom if things go right. I wouldn’t chastise anyone for taking Smith Jr first. He probably has the highest floor in this draft. The chances that he’s at least Rashard Lewis are pretty high.

Last edited 2 years ago by BestHyperboleEver
BestHyperboleEver
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March 14, 2022 4:04 pm
Reply to  Kingsguru21

It’s certainly something to consider, but personally I wouldn’t put a ton of stock into it. The level Chet sees over that course of the season isn’t all that different than someone playing at a prestige school. To take it a bit further, the gap in overall talent level faced between Chet and, say, Smith Jr. is probably smaller than the gap between Smith and someone getting minutes in the top levels in Europe.

andy_sims
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March 14, 2022 4:29 pm

That’s an interesting way of putting it. I’m not sure I agree, but it gives me another angle to consider.

Kingsguru21
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March 14, 2022 4:45 pm

To take it a bit further, the gap in overall talent level faced between Chet and, say, Smith Jr. is probably smaller than the gap between Smith and someone getting minutes in the top levels in Europe.

There’s no doubt that someone like Luka who was a star in the ACB at 18 years old winning the EuroLeague Final 4 MVP over there is a much bigger deal than winning the NCAA Final 4 MVP over here.

Then again, it is a grown professional league over there, too. That’s why there’s more money over there than other pro leagues.

rockbottom
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March 14, 2022 6:54 pm

Jay Bilas said almost the same thing on PTI regarding Gonzaga and stated they have better record in the NCAA in the last ten years than any program ( includes Kentucky, Duke, Carolina and Kansas ) ! Impressive

eddie41
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March 15, 2022 7:51 am

Re: Paolo Banchero, if he is the BPA, I hear the “fit” concerns, but could the team install a high post offense with him and Sabonis like they did with Webber and Vlade? Because that was a pretty good fit.

andy_sims
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March 15, 2022 8:50 am
Reply to  eddie41

Except that it couldn’t manage restaurants or professional basketball teams.

eddie41
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March 15, 2022 12:21 pm
Reply to  andy_sims

just going off the logic in the podcast. They either have him ranked 3rd or are thinking about it. They’re getting into the whole fit vs BPA debate, which has in the past caused mistakes in draft selections. One of them even said they might be overthinking it. And despite the low 3 point percentage, they say Banchero has been efficient from the high post, and has a number of diverse skills and abilities, which include passing, dribbling, driving, etc., and is extremely athletic for someone of his size and length. So it seems to be worthwhile to not jump to conclusions about the lack of “fit” especially for a team that showed the world how good basketball could be with not one but two, yes count them, two players through whom you could run their high post offense, who happened to be Chris Webber and Vlade Divac.

BestHyperboleEver
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March 15, 2022 4:01 pm
Reply to  eddie41

I don’t think there’s should be too much of a fit concern (even if we’re to accept fit as an important criteria). A Sabonis/Banchero front court with be slightly under-sized (though they both have good bulk to play up), but it would be highly-skilled and Banchero’s skillset is more perimeter oriented so they wouldn’t really be fight for the same spots on the floor.

eddie41
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March 16, 2022 7:48 am

Okay, so that sounds like his higher percentage area is more “mid-range” than “high post”. (Which may appear identical on the shot chart) so maybe he’s better suited to be a wing initiator than a high post initiator (or both?) But the important thing is not to use the jump to conclusions mat about lack of fit if he happens to be the BPA.

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