Kings mock drafts: Why a two-man race is being dominated by one young playmaker
The Kings believe good karma played a role in moving up five spots in the lottery.
Originally slotted to pick seventh if the draw played out to odds, the Kings won the No. 2 overall selection when the lottery was drawn May 15.
For a team that has the longest current postseason drought in the NBA (12 seasons), a little luck helps. Now the Kings will hope the player they choose can help them become a winning team again.
NBA draft analysts across the nation have weighed in on whom they think the Kings will take when the draft tips off June 21 in Brooklyn. It's basically a two-man show.
▪ Deandre Ayton, a 7-foot-1 center from Arizona
▪ Luka Doncic, a 6-8 Slovenian guard who played for Real Madrid
No other players were tabbed in the mocks sampled — not Duke's Marvin Bagley III, Michigan State's Jaren Jackson Jr. nor Missouri's Michael Porter Jr., who recently called himself this draft class' best player.
Here's a sampling of what the analysts had to say:
The Sacramento Bee
Updated May 16
The pick: Doncic
Kings beat writer Jason Jones has Sacramento taking Doncic, who recently became the youngest player in EuroLeague history to be named MVP. He also was awarded Final Four MVP honors. Jones says Doncic is "a skilled playmaker who has been a star playing for Real Madrid this season."
ESPN (Insider)
Updated May 15
The pick: Doncic
Draft analyst Jonathan Givony also had good things to say about Doncic. "Doncic hit a bit of a wall after playing 18 straight months without a break," Givony wrote. "He's an electric transition player with elite instincts on both ends, especially creating out of the pick-and-roll."
Sports Illustrated
Updated May 21
The pick: Doncic
Draft analyst Jeremy Woo likes what Doncic could do with some of the Kings' current personnel. "Doncic’s aptitude for moving the ball, ability to make reads as a ballhandler and overall developed skill set make him a safe bet to become a quality contributor, and his unselfishness should help set the tone for the rest of the team," Woo wrote. "While the outcome of this pick is far from clear cut, Doncic would actually benefit from playing off of De’Aaron Fox, whose ability to penetrate defenses will generate favorable secondary playmaking opportunities."
The Ringer
Updated May 22
The pick: Ayton
Draft analyst Kevin O’Connor is the first to have Ayton available for the Kings. "A star center prospect whose body was built by the basketball gods, with a potentially elite two-way game," O'Connor wrote. He says Ayton shows shades of Patrick Ewing, Karl-Anthony Towns and another former Kings lottery pick, DeMarcus Cousins.
CBS Sports
Updated May 22
CBS Sports has multiple analysts offering mocks and analysis. For these purposes, we'll focus on the most recent mock, done by Reid Forgrave. Follow the link above for more from CBS.
The pick: Doncic
Forgrave joins the Doncic party. "The 19-year-old Slovenian dominated this season while he played against grown men in the Spanish league," Forgrave wrote. "Doncic was 15th in the Spanish ACB league in points, fourth in assists, and 12th in rebounds. He's a remarkable shot creator and shot maker — a smart, shifty, versatile, confident player. Think Manu Ginobili."
The Sporting News
Updated May 23
The pick: Doncic
Add analyst Sean Deveney to the list of Doncic fans. "Doncic spruced up his case to be the No. 1 pick with his MVP performance for Real Madrid in the EuroLeague Final Four," Deveney wrote. "If he’s not, it’s hard to see how the Kings pass on him. He’s a polished, (6-8) guard who is still only 19 years old and will bring significant credentials into draft night."
Bleacher Report
Updated May 22
The pick: Ayton
Zach Buckley is only the second analyst to move Ayton below Doncic. He explains why Phoenix would take the Slovenian. "While this decision could go down to the wire, Doncic comes out on top for his already decorated career — youngest ever MVP of the EuroLeague and the EuroLeague Final Four — and connection with (new Phoenix Suns coach) Igor Kokoskov," Buckley wrote. "Grabbing Doncic would allow Devin Booker to focus on what he does best — scoring at will. Doncic's creativity could also unlock previously unseen production levels from Josh Jackson, Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss."
NBADraft.net
Updated May 17
The pick: Doncic
The site compares him to former NBA player Toni Kukoc and another whom Kings fans know well, Hedo Turkoglu. And that was what they thought of him in 2016 when he was only 17.
This story was originally published May 24, 2018 at 3:55 AM with the headline "Kings mock drafts: Why a two-man race is being dominated by one young playmaker."