Big board: 10 players Sacramento Kings could consider with No. 9 pick in 2021 NBA Draft
The Kings will have a number of options to consider after coming away with the No. 9 pick in Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery.
General manager Monte McNair and his staff will remain in Chicago for the draft combine over the next five days before returning to Sacramento to begin individual workouts with prospects. Players will rise and fall as we move closer to the 2021 NBA Draft on July 29, but we have a clearer picture of the prospects the Kings could consider now that the draft order is set.
The Detroit Pistons were awarded the No. 1 pick followed by the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors. Orlando will get a second top-10 pick at No. 8 before the Kings find themselves on the clock at No. 9.
Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham, USC center Evan Mobley, G League Ignite shooting guard Jalen Green, Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs, G League Ignite forward Jonathan Kuminga and Florida State forward Scottie Barnes are generally regarded as the top six prospects in the draft. There isn’t much consensus after that, leaving a pool of about 10 players who could be possibilities for the Kings.
Sacramento desperately needs defense and rebounding after finishing 30th in the NBA in both categories last season. Can the Kings find what they’re looking for at this stage in the draft? Will they package the pick in a trade? How much will these decisions be influenced by what McNair chooses to do with Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley III, restricted free agent Terence Davis and unrestricted free agent Richaun Holmes?
There are more questions than answers at this point as we move toward the draft and free agency, but here are 10 players the Kings could consider with the No. 9 pick in the draft.
Keon Johnson, SG/SF, 6-5, 185, Tennessee
Some analysts have Johnson coming off the board before Sacramento comes up at No. 9, but the Kings will want to do their homework anyway. Johnson, 19, is an explosive athlete with upside at both ends of the floor, though his game and his frame still need some work. He posted per-36 averages of 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals as a freshman at Tennessee, but he also averaged 3.7 turnovers and shot 27.1% from 3-point range.
Davion Mitchell, PG/SG, 6-2, 205, Baylor
Mitchell is another high-rated prospect who could be chosen at No. 7 or No. 8, but he might fall to the Kings at No. 9. Mitchell will be 23 in September, so he’s one of the older players in the draft, but he’s also more NBA-ready than most. He averaged 15.3 points, 6.0 assists and 2.1 steals per 36 minutes as a junior at Baylor, shooting 44.7% from 3-point range but just 64.1% from the free-throw line. He has improved as a shooter and playmaker while proving to be one of the most dogged defenders in this draft.
James Bouknight, SG, 6-5, 190, UConn
Bouknight, 20, is an explosive and versatile guard who can score at all three levels and play in multiple lineup configurations. As a sophomore at UConn, he averaged 21.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.2 turnovers per 36 minutes. He demonstrated an ability to get to the free-throw line and shot 77.8% at the stripe. Perimeter shooting is an obvious concern after he hit just 29.3% from beyond the arc, but he shot 34.7% as a freshman.
Moses Moody, SG, 6-6, 205, Arkansas
Moody offers more size than Johnson, Mitchell and Bouknight. He is a promising 3-and-D prospect who can space the floor and defend multiple positions with a 7-foot wingspan. He wasn’t rated as highly as others coming out of high school, but he established himself as one of the best freshmen in the college game at Arkansas. Moody posted per-36 averages of 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals while hitting 81.2% at the stripe and 35.8% from 3-point range on 5.1 attempts per game.
Franz Wagner, SF, 6-8, 205, Michigan
Wagner, who will soon turn 20, is considered one of the safer picks in the draft after two years with the Wolverines. He’s a two-way combo forward who can pass, shoot, rebound and guard multiple positions. He averaged 14.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks while committing just 1.5 turnovers per 36 minutes as a sophomore at Michigan. He isn’t viewed as the biggest upside pick, but he’s solid, skilled and ready to contribute.
Corey Kispert, SF, 6-7, 220, Gonzaga
Kispert, 22, is another NBA-ready prospect with the size, strength and skills to step into a rotation right away. He averaged 21.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per 36 minutes as a senior at Gonzaga, where he shot 52.9% from the field, 44% from 3-point range and 87.8% at the free-throw line. He might be the best shooter in the draft and would make a good understudy for Harrison Barnes, but how much can he help in terms of defense and rebounding?
Jalen Johnson, PF, 6-9, 220, Duke
Johnson, 19, could be an intriguing possibility for the Kings if they aren’t scared off by reported red-flag or orange-flag warnings. Some of the mock drafts have him falling out of the lottery completely after he left Duke early, but he would check a lot of boxes for any NBA team as versatile combo forward who can score, rebound and defend multiple positions. Johnson averaged 18.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.9 steals per 36 minutes in 13 games for the Blue Devils.
Josh Giddey, PG/SG, 6-8, 205, Adelaide 36ers
Giddey is a multipositional jumbo guard who passed up numerous Division I scholarship offers to produce triple-doubles in Australia’s NBL at the age of 18. He posted impressive per-36 averages of 12.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 28 games against pro competition, but he shot just 42.5% from the field, 29.3% from 3-point range and 60.1% at the free-throw line. He’s already an outstanding playmaker and rebounder, but he might need time to become an effective scorer and defender.
Alperen Sengun, C, 6-10, 240, Beskitas
Sengun, 18, was named MVP of Basketball Super League following an incredible season in Turkey. The young big man averaged 24.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.7 steals per 36 minutes for Beskitas. He shot 63.2% from the field, 79.4% at the free-throw line and showed the ability to knock down an occasional 3-pointer as well.
Usman Garuba, PF/C, 6-9, 230, Real Madrid
Garuba, 19, might be a reach for the Kings at No. 9, but he will get looks from NBA teams based on his size, strength and physicality at the defensive end of the floor. He posted per-36 minute averages of 9.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks for Real Madrid. He has a long way to go before he will be a good shooter or scorer, but teams will be intrigued by his elite potential as a versatile defender.
This story was originally published June 23, 2021 at 6:45 AM.
