Best shooting guard prospects the Kings should look at
- Thread starter ElRey
- Start date
If we were to deal Cousins, and I'm still hopeful that it doesn't come to that, but if we do deal him, I want him traded to the eastern conference. The last thing I want to do is face him four times a year, and then perhaps in the playoffs for however many games. Nothing against Booker, who I like a lot, and think he could be a star in the league. I have nothing right now to suggest instead of that trade. I just don't want him in the western conference.
Eeeeesh.
Not only is that a massive gamble on Embiid but trading Cousins to Philly would be awful for the Kings. It would mean they keep their lottery pick next year instead of sending it to Chicago but the the Sixers (who should then be much better than the Kings) would invoke the pick swap. And they'd still be owed a Kings 1st rounder in 2018 or 2019, likely the latter since a rebuild probably means the Kings finish in the bottom 10 in 2018.
The Kings would have to make removing the pick swap and getting back their pick part of the trade and it's still a huge gamble.
But the sad part is that I think Philly says no anyway. They are still invested in Embiid and the elder Colangelo and Cousins have a history.
Not only is that a massive gamble on Embiid but trading Cousins to Philly would be awful for the Kings. It would mean they keep their lottery pick next year instead of sending it to Chicago but the the Sixers (who should then be much better than the Kings) would invoke the pick swap. And they'd still be owed a Kings 1st rounder in 2018 or 2019, likely the latter since a rebuild probably means the Kings finish in the bottom 10 in 2018.
The Kings would have to make removing the pick swap and getting back their pick part of the trade and it's still a huge gamble.
But the sad part is that I think Philly says no anyway. They are still invested in Embiid and the elder Colangelo and Cousins have a history.
Well, I don't think it has to be looked at that way. The draft shouldn't be looked at as a way to save the team. It should be looked at as one piece of a larger puzzle. Every once in a while you get lucky, and your draft pick turns out to be a bigger piece than expected. I know you didn't mean it the way it sounded, but I think some people tend to take things to the extreme. If you criticize a player, you then hate him. If you speak in general terms, someone will still take it personally. Sometimes it's nice to have a civil back and forth conversation without being accused of having an agenda.
Dejounte Murray, Cat Barber and Caris Levert (assuming he's not red flagged medically) are all guys that I think will move up draft boards before all is said and done. Barber reminds me of Ish Smith or Dennis Schroeder though he doesn't have the latter's huge wingspan. I don't know that he's a starter quality PG on the NBA level but as a change of pace guy with a great handle and elite quickness I think he'd be a great backup for a lot of teams. Especially if he's asked to be more of a scorer and not a playmaker, something he's still not great at.
And my point was that counting on the draft isn't 100% guaranteed. Sure, there are the Tim Duncans but there are also the Greg Odens. As a Kings fan, which one do you think we'd be more likely to get? 
As an aside, why doesn't anyone seem to like Jamal Murray?
He put up impressive numbers as a freshman. I know he has the size of a combo guard and didn't show great PG skills, but I think he can play SG and some PG, and he is a great shooter. I think people are sleeping on him because he doesn't have elite athleticism.
Murray is really bad laterally, doesn't break anyone off the dribble and all 90% of his 3pt shots were assisted on a team that as usual for Kentucky was facing pseudo 2-3 zone most of the time. When Cal let him run the offense, it was quite a disaster. Granted his ability to get past people and overall running of offense might've been affected by the fact that he was the only true spacer on the team.
Assuming Kings retain Curry, they have 3 SGs on the roster none of which is good enough to start, so acquiring an SG prospect should not be really high on Kings to-do list. What they do need is shop around for a low-level starter at SG.
Assuming Kings retain Curry, they have 3 SGs on the roster none of which is good enough to start, so acquiring an SG prospect should not be really high on Kings to-do list. What they do need is shop around for a low-level starter at SG.
I like Levert a lot, and my only reservations about him is that he has missed the better part of the last two seasons due to injury. I will say this, if for some reason, and it won't happen, but if he were sitting there when we pick at 59, I'd grab him in a heartbeat. I'd also do the same with Barber, who would be a good change of pace backup PG off the bench. Don't see him as a starter, but I like you comparison to Ish Smith. He's one quick dude. The irony with Barber is that due to his quickness, and excellent ball handling, he can get to the basket almost at will, but is a poor finisher. Correctable of course with hard work and and added strength. I'm not as high on Murray, but if he can indeed play the point, he has terrific size for the position.
I don't think its that we don't like Murray, it's that we like Hield more. I like Murray, but he has a few more flaws than Hield. Yes, he's a very good shooter, but he's more of a spot up shooter, and had trouble creating his own shot. Kentucky was running him of single and double screens to get him open, while Hield is capable of getting himself open. Of course Murray is a freshman, and a talented one. The question is, what is his future potential, and although we have a need at SG, is that need great enough that we pass up a player with more potential at a different position?
For instance, if I have to choose between Jakob Poeltl and Murray, I think I'm leaning toward Poeltl. I realize that some might see it differently, but Poeltl is the best center in the draft in my opinion, and although we don't have a need at that position right now, who knows what the future holds. Having said that, I wouldn't have a problem with drafting Murray. He just wouldn't be my first choice.
For instance, if I have to choose between Jakob Poeltl and Murray, I think I'm leaning toward Poeltl. I realize that some might see it differently, but Poeltl is the best center in the draft in my opinion, and although we don't have a need at that position right now, who knows what the future holds. Having said that, I wouldn't have a problem with drafting Murray. He just wouldn't be my first choice.
Agreed on Murray - I don't see him succeeding as a SG. I saw a comparison to Shaun Livingston which struck me as very lazy. People forget how good Livingston was in HS. He was a true playmaker with elite size. Murray isn't a natural PG, he's much more of a combo. Which means he either needs to become more of a floor general and passer or he's going to need to succeed as a bench scorer.
Mostly because he's only going to be a SG in the NBA. Not only does he lack PG skills, but he also lacks handling skills. He's a tad undersized at 6'4 207lbs with an average wingspan of 6'6.5".
You pair his undersized frame with his lack of lateral/foot speed, then you realize that he's not going to give you much at all on defense.
Honestly at this point, he seems to be more of a JJ Reddick type player. He has a high ceiling, granted that he improve his handling. He needs to show that he can create his own shot at the next level.
If he could've shown that he was a decent ball handler at Kentucky, his stock would be a lot higher. D'Angello Russell is another combo guard who lacks lateral quickness, but he went #2 overall because he had great ball handling skills, could create his own shots, create shots for teammates, and had good vision. Murray is lacking all of these things which is why he's viewed strictly as a SG now, and not a top tier prospect like Russell.
You pair his undersized frame with his lack of lateral/foot speed, then you realize that he's not going to give you much at all on defense.
Honestly at this point, he seems to be more of a JJ Reddick type player. He has a high ceiling, granted that he improve his handling. He needs to show that he can create his own shot at the next level.
If he could've shown that he was a decent ball handler at Kentucky, his stock would be a lot higher. D'Angello Russell is another combo guard who lacks lateral quickness, but he went #2 overall because he had great ball handling skills, could create his own shots, create shots for teammates, and had good vision. Murray is lacking all of these things which is why he's viewed strictly as a SG now, and not a top tier prospect like Russell.
And my point was that counting on the draft isn't 100% guaranteed. Sure, there are the Tim Duncans but there are also the Greg Odens. As a Kings fan, which one do you think we'd be more likely to get?
Nobody thought that about Oden, Bennett, Brown, Olowokandi or any of the other #1 picks who flopped. They were drafted on potential and often in weak drafts to boot.
Your comment about the Livingston comp, might've been for Dejounte Murray? That would make more sense lol.
I think with Jamaal Murray, people have started to value 3pt shooting more and more. Murray benefits because he's an elite 3pt shooter. I think his potential ball handling skills+19yearsold help make his ceiling enticing for teams. Combo guards are becoming more common in the NBA, and I guess that's where a team would want to take a player like Murray.
I think with Jamaal Murray, people have started to value 3pt shooting more and more. Murray benefits because he's an elite 3pt shooter. I think his potential ball handling skills+19yearsold help make his ceiling enticing for teams. Combo guards are becoming more common in the NBA, and I guess that's where a team would want to take a player like Murray.