Mock Drafts and the Kings

#1
Mock drafts

Currently here are how some of the more major sites have the draft unfolding for the Kings:

DraftExpress

#5 De'Aaron Fox
#10 Zach Collins
#34 Jordan Bell

The Ringer

#5 Josh Jackson
#10 Dennis Smith
#34 Kyle Kuzma

Sports Illustrated

#5 Josh Jackson
#10 Dennis Smith
#34 Tyler Lydon
Seth's Draft House

#5 De'Aaron Fox
#10 Malik Monk
#34 Ivan Rabb

USA Today

#5 Dennis Smith
#10 Lauri Markkanen
#34 (No 2nd round)
CBS Sports (Parrish)

#5 De'Aaron Fox
#10 Luke Kennard (with Collins, Markkanen and Mitchell still on the board)
#34 Jordan Bell

CBS Sports (Forgrave)

#5 Jayson Tatum
#10 Dennis Smith
#34 Ivan Rabb
 
#6
Wow! 5 of 7 mocks have us getting Jackson or Fox!! That is just too cool

We really need a Pick from Portland for a contract so we can put 10 and Portland pick to move up a few spots
for the other pick we will need

Please Vlade no 5and 10 trade, no Russell, no trading Buddy, Just get us two awesome picks!!
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#7
These mocks are giving me false hope... I'm still 98% sure we're gonna get Tatum and not a PG because that's exactly what I don't want.

Prove me wrong, basketball gods. You already did once by giving us 5&10. Just one more good break plz!
 
#8
These mocks are giving me false hope... I'm still 98% sure we're gonna get Tatum and not a PG because that's exactly what I don't want.

Prove me wrong, basketball gods. You already did once by giving us 5&10. Just one more good break plz!
Tatum worries me so much I just try not to think about it.
 
#9
With No. 5, Kings *should* have the choice of one of Jackson, Tatum or Fox. I'm actually okay with any of the three. Wasn't a Tatum fan initially, but he's growing on me a bit.

Hoping Kings can move up from the 10 somehow and grab either Isaac or DSJ depending on what 5 brings.

I live in Portland and have heard absolutely nothing about dumping contracts or trading off 15/20....which means they're likely in play!
 
#10
I think I'd be happy with any one of Jackson, Fox, DSJ @ 5.. and Collins, Mitchell, Ntilikina, Monk, Isaac @ 10..

My favourite combos being (#5 Jackson #10 DSJ), (#5 Fox, #10 Collins) (#5 Fox #10 DSJ) (#5 Jackson, #10 Collins)

(#5 Jackson, #10 Mitchell)- This combo really intriques me... Massive defensive upgrade at two spots..I can envision Mitchell working out well beside Bogdonovic- Both players would initiate the offense kind of like Christie and Bibby used too.
Then we could bring Buddy off the bench in a Ginobili/Crawford scoring role.
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#11
I wish Jackson at #3 were true, but there is just so much talk about teams wanting Jackson I find that hard to believe. Unless every team is blowing the same exact smoke...
 
#12
I think I'd be happy with any one of Jackson, Fox, DSJ @ 5.. and Collins, Mitchell, Ntilikina, Monk, Isaac @ 10..

My favourite combos being (#5 Jackson #10 DSJ), (#5 Fox, #10 Collins) (#5 Fox #10 DSJ) (#5 Jackson, #10 Collins)

(#5 Jackson, #10 Mitchell)- This combo really intriques me... Massive defensive upgrade at two spots..I can envision Mitchell working out well beside Bogdonovic- Both players would initiate the offense kind of like Christie and Bibby used too.
Then we could bring Buddy off the bench in a Ginobili/Crawford scoring role.
Jackson and Mitchell would be amazing... Not a lot of shooting but a whole lot of athleticism and defense.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
#16
If Jackson is the pick at 5 then PG needs to be a heck of a lot more dynamic than Ntilikina. Surely someone like Dennis Smith Jr then has to become a serious option. If not then Mitchell.
Why Jackson specifically? From what I've seen he's a better playmaker than Isaac or Tatum. I would think if you got Jackson with the 5th pick that would put less pressure on the team to find a pure playmaker at PG and more freedom to explore a less usage-dependent lead guard with Buddy, Josh, and Skal all capable of creating their own shots. I don't see why we need to get both positions covered in the same draft anyway. We should just get the best player we can at #5 and then a good fit at #10. Next year has some really good big men, some really good wings, and at least one really good PG. Rome wasn't built in a day. Trying to find the perfect combination of players to fit all of our needs with those two picks is unrealistic and is liable to lead to mistakes.
 
#17
Why Jackson specifically? From what I've seen he's a better playmaker than Isaac or Tatum. I would think if you got Jackson with the 5th pick that would put less pressure on the team to find a pure playmaker at PG and more freedom to explore a less usage-dependent lead guard with Buddy, Josh, and Skal all capable of creating their own shots. I don't see why we need to get both positions covered in the same draft anyway. We should just get the best player we can at #5 and then a good fit at #10. Next year has some really good big men, some really good wings, and at least one really good PG. Rome wasn't built in a day. Trying to find the perfect combination of players to fit all of our needs with those two picks is unrealistic and is liable to lead to mistakes.
I actually like Smith as the PG option most if the pick at five were Isaac or Tatum.

If it's Jackson at 5 then I think Ntilikina is fine as he adds shooting and Jackson helps out with the playmaking.
 
#18
Why Jackson specifically? From what I've seen he's a better playmaker than Isaac or Tatum. I would think if you got Jackson with the 5th pick that would put less pressure on the team to find a pure playmaker at PG and more freedom to explore a less usage-dependent lead guard with Buddy, Josh, and Skal all capable of creating their own shots. I don't see why we need to get both positions covered in the same draft anyway. We should just get the best player we can at #5 and then a good fit at #10. Next year has some really good big men, some really good wings, and at least one really good PG. Rome wasn't built in a day. Trying to find the perfect combination of players to fit all of our needs with those two picks is unrealistic and is liable to lead to mistakes.
If you draft Jackson at 5, you have no other player on the roster who can be a genuine scorer. Skal in time maybe...Buddy is a shooter but no one that can create their own shot when the team needs it. I think you have to have a player like that if you want to go anywhere and neither Jackson or Ntilikina are not that type of player IMHO.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
#19
If you draft Jackson at 5, you have no other player on the roster who can be a genuine scorer. Skal in time maybe...Buddy is a shooter but no one that can create their own shot when the team needs it. I think you have to have a player like that if you want to go anywhere and neither Jackson or Ntilikina are not that type of player IMHO.
It depends on what you're looking for in a scorer I suppose. No those guys aren't going to isolate and make a play for you like Kyrie Irving can but I see 4 players there who can catch the ball in a triple threat position and they're all capable of shooting, making a smart pass, or putting it on the floor and getting by the first defender. It's incredibly unlikely that we're going to pull a LeBron out of a hat. Going with the "no weak links" strategy might be more practical. I liked the energy we saw from our young guys to close out the season and I'd be happy to see us continue to play that way with no designated scorer every game just move the ball, work for good shots however you can get them and then feed the hot hand.

And also I just don't see any potential superstars in this draft -- the best guys on the board are more likely solid starters who might get to a couple All Star games if they go to the right team. There might be some bigger stars in next year's draft if we get a high enough pick. Ayton, Porter, and Doncic in particular look like they could be franchise guys. So I'm less worried about nabbing our best player for the foreseeable future this year and more worried about making sure we don't pick any busts.
 
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#20
It depends on what you're looking for in a scorer I suppose. No those guys aren't going to isolate and make a play for you like Kyrie Irving can but I see 4 players there who can catch the ball in a triple threat position and they're all capable of shooting, making a smart pass, or putting it on the floor and getting by the first defender. It's incredibly unlikely that we're going to pull a LeBron out of a hat. Going with the "no weak links" strategy might be more practical. I liked the energy we saw from our young guys to close out the season and I'd be happy to see us continue to play that way with no designated scorer every game just move the ball, work for good shots however you can get them and then feed the hot hand.

And also I just don't see any potential superstars in this draft -- the best guys on the board are more likely solid starters who might get to a couple All Star games if they go to the right team. There might be some bigger stars in next year's draft if we get a high enough pick. Ayton, Porter, and Doncic in particular look like they could be franchise guys. So I'm less worried about nabbing our best player for the foreseeable future this year and more worried about making sure we don't pick any busts.
There is no reason why you can't continue to play the same way as when the kids finished the season but the point is that if you are going to be good at any point in the future, you need to have players capable of isolating their defender and creating a shot for themselves. None of those guys can do it.

You look at GSW and they have player who can ISO up when they need a bucket but overall they play fluidly as a team. You need those guys and this is as good a draft as any to try and make it happen. If the draft is as good in the top 10 as the experts are saying then it would be a pretty weak effort to walk away from the draft with two players selected in the top 10 and neither of them is capable of being your go to guy. That would be a massive failure. Nice role players is not what this team needs at this point. They need the alpha dogs are are willing to play team ball but step up when their number is called to give us a bucket in the crunch time.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
#21
I think if you read around a little more you'll find out that the draft isn't as good this year as we initially thought -- it's not just me saying this, a lot of the experts are scaling back the enthusiasm as well. Boston traded the first overall pick for one thing which almost never happens so that should tell you something. The Lakers are stockpiling picks to trade, Phoenix may or may not be contemplating a move for Kevin Love that would cost them their #4 pick. The more everybody looks into these guys the less any of them seem like franchise players, Fultz included. Absolutely if there's a franchise altering talent on the board we need to pick them but if that guy isn't there there's nothing wrong with maximizing your draft capitol by picking high-level role players or almost stars like an Otto Porter or a Kemba Walker. These are the types of guys that routinely get passed over for "high ceiling" picks who ultimately wash out or settle in as journeymen. In fact, my bet at this point is that if any player emerges from this draft and challenges for league MVP at some point in their career it will be an IT level surprise not one of the guys we're all talking about.

There is no reason why you can't continue to play the same way as when the kids finished the season but the point is that if you are going to be good at any point in the future, you need to have players capable of isolating their defender and creating a shot for themselves. None of those guys can do it.

You look at GSW and they have player who can ISO up when they need a bucket but overall they play fluidly as a team. You need those guys and this is as good a draft as any to try and make it happen. If the draft is as good in the top 10 as the experts are saying then it would be a pretty weak effort to walk away from the draft with two players selected in the top 10 and neither of them is capable of being your go to guy. That would be a massive failure. Nice role players is not what this team needs at this point. They need the alpha dogs are are willing to play team ball but step up when their number is called to give us a bucket in the crunch time.
 
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