I don't buy the story that Petrie had his eyes on Lillard. Not one bit. It makes no sense.
He already had Kyle Lowry, a PG, on the table. If he liked Lillard more than Lowry, also a PG, it means he must have thought Lillard could be an All-Star because Lowry was already a pretty good player. If you know a kid is going to be a potential All-Star, your next move is to bypass him and pick a PF that you've never worked out and didn't believe could replace your scrub vet? I don't think so. It's all just Monday morning quarterbacking.
And even if Petrie must have a big man, there was a guy named Drummond that many could see was just what the Kings were looking for - size, athleticism, and shot blocking. Yes, he was raw but he was the only big man who checked all the boxes. We were desperate for size and shotblocking and Petrie drafted an undersized who couldn't block shots. Even if T-Rob turned out better he still isn't what the team needs.
I could buy the story that the Maloofs fell in love with Jimmer. The moves surrounding that draft were just odd. Petrie went away from tough and gritty players that he had been drafting and picked a no-defense finese shooter, traded away a pick, traded away a tough and gritty SF, and got a selfish ball-hog on the downhill plus Hickson. To top it off the Kings offered mad money to lure AK47 from Russia just weeks after trading for a starting SF. Geez, second guessing yourself much?
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First, I know what I know, and that's all I have to say about it. You can believe me or not, doesn't matter to me at this point. That aside, what your forgetting about Petrie, is that he always looked to draft the best player available, regardless of what position they played. Just about every team in the league, including myself had serious reservations about Drummond prior to the draft. Drummond did nothing in college to help himself. Not one GM doubted Drummonds abilities, they doubted his desire. Go back and read any of my posts about Drummond prior to the draft and you'll find they were very consistent.
No, I'm not second guessing myself, because I know what I'm saying is the truth, and not speculation on my part. You can twist it anyway you want, but I happen to know the truth. As I said, believe it or not. Everything that happened toward the end of the Maloofs reign had to do with money. It was either something that they hoped would bring in more money (Fredette), or is was a trade to cut costs either in the immediate, or the future. In Robinson's case, the team did need a PF, and the Maloofs wanted to draft one. Robinson was the best on on the board according to national pundits. Therefore, he has some press clippings and might get people excited about the Kings picking him. A lot of people didn't even know who Lillard was. He didn't play for a major school, and at the time, some people thought he would be a risky pick.
Petrie made his reputation by plucking unknown players out of the fray. He did that by being a good judge of talent, and also knowing who would fit best. Do think he suddenly forgot how to do that? Who the hell ever heard of Kevin Martin before the Kings picked him? Peja? Hedo? Do you think he just woke up one day and got stupid? I'm not saying he was perfect. Everyone makes a mistake when your dealing with human beings. But when it came to the draft, don't you find it interesting that almost all his so called mistakes came at the end of his reign, when the Maloofs were out of money, and were trying desperately to sell and move the team?
