Does Geoff Petrie still have what it takes?

Can he still hit the long ball?

We'll learn more about the Kings basketball president today, at least uncover a few clues, when David Stern announces the club's first-round draft selections at Nos. 4 and 23, or in the alternative, reveals that Sacramento has swapped picks or players in a dramatic, deadline-pressured maneuver.

The old Petrie, of course, stretched for the flamboyant Jason Williams, plucked Gerald Wallace, stubbornly shook his head when peers wondered what he saw in Hedo Turkoglu and Brian Grant. He went with his instincts, relied on his personnel officials, and assembled critical pieces for the successful Kings teams earlier this decade.

But this time is different because everything has changed. The economy stinks. Petrie's subsequent free-agent signings and questionable trades thrust the franchise into a massive funk. The coach needs better players. The community needs a reason to re-engage. The owners need to sell tickets to pay salaries and reduce losses and, at some point, gain momentum to replace outdated Arco Arena.

Can he still hit the long ball? Does he still have his masterful draft touch?

Who knows?

This is the first time in Petrie's Kings tenure that he's spinning a top-five pingpong ball, and while his team has never been worse – coming off a 17-win season – he has never been more advantageously positioned for the draft. He is accustomed to drafting among the later lottery teams, midway or deeper into the first round, stealing off to Europe and coming back with a prize, occasionally trekking to the mountains of North Carolina for a skinny, unappreciated scorer named Kevin Martin.

As 5 p.m. approaches, let's hope he has another revelation. Safe is for crossing guards. It doesn't excite fans or put fannies in the seats. With the rebuilding Kings sure to struggle for another season or so, this isn't the time to forget who made the Kings matter and who threw all those beautiful passes: Williams. Chris Webber. Mike Bibby. Vlade Divac. Doug Christie. Turkoglu. …

In the dead heat of another Sacramento summer, the city could relate to another celebrity besides that politician who drives a Hummer.

Petrie has much to ponder, the tension intensifying at Arco by the day. As of late Wednesday, the Kings' brain trust apparently was mulling whether to draft Jonny Flynn, the forceful, low-maintenance (if undersized) point guard who is said to be most capable of contributing immediately, or whether to select a prospect with greater star potential, even if he takes longer to develop.

The names haven't changed. Memphis star Tyreke Evans dazzled during his workouts at the practice facility, benefitting immensely from his size and strength advantage (a wide, long-limbed 6-foot-5). But what's his position? Can he share a backcourt with Martin? Some scouts who love Evans' talent acknowledge he commits too many turnovers, fails to make teammates better and tends toward one-on-one play. However, when asked which player not named Blake Griffin has the best chance to emerge as a special player, Evans is most often mentioned.

Ricky Rubio visited Sacramento twice, worked out once and, because of his ranginess, pure point guard skills and obvious charisma, offers a tantalizing wealth of possibilities. Plus, the Kings desperately need someone to distribute and run an offense. Nonetheless, Rubio's playmaking brilliance is tempered by his unpolished offense. He is not Pete Maravich. A better comparison might be a young Jason Kidd; the former Cal star didn't shoot much above 40 percent in his first three NBA seasons, though he amassed the assists (8.8 per game average) and rebounds (5.7).

Stephen Curry is a superb shooter, though it's hard to imagine him paired alongside Martin. Hasheem Thabeet? A few Kings officials are fans, though unless he morphs into the skilled Divac overnight, it's highly unlikely Petrie leans on the big fella.

But again, who knows whether Petrie still has the swagger or has gone conservative on us? We do know he has to be right this time, particularly if he bypasses the entertaining, highly publicized Rubio. And surely, he knows this, too.

Call The Bee's Ailene Voisin, (916) 321-1208.