NBA mock draft roundup: Who will Sacramento Kings select with No. 4 pick in the draft?
Anticipation is building in Sacramento with less than three weeks to go before the NBA draft.
The Kings have the No. 4 pick in the draft, which will be held June 23 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. General manager Monte McNair will consider all options before deciding what to do with his first-round pick. He can keep the pick, try to trade up, trade down or trade out of the first round completely as part of a larger deal to acquire another potential All-Star to go with De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
Auburn power forward Jabari Smith, Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren and Duke power forward Paolo Banchero are widely projected as the top three picks in the draft. A clear consensus is forming around Purdue shooting guard Jaden Ivey at No. 4, but some analysts have Iowa power forward Keegan Murray, Duke small forward AJ Griffin and Kentucky shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe rated higher.
Murray, 21, is a readymade NBA starter who could slide right into the power forward spot in Sacramento. He’s 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds. He averaged 23.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals as a sophomore at Iowa, where he shot 55.4% from the field and 39.8% from 3-point range.
Murray probably represents the best combination of talent and fit for the Kings, but there’s something tantalizing about Ivey, a 20-year-old guard who averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a sophomore at Purdue.
At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Ivey is perhaps the most explosive athlete in the draft, drawing comparisons to Fox and Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant. There are questions about Ivey’s potential fit with Fox, but there is also intrigue over the possibility of pairing two dynamic guards with Sabonis, one of the best passing big men in the league.
What will the Kings do with their first-round pick? We will soon find out. In the meantime, here’s what a number of NBA analysts are projecting in their latest mock drafts.
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic
Jaden Ivey, 6-4/200, SG, Purdue
Vecenie’s analysis: Picking Ivey this high is all about his upside. He’s the best athlete in the class and was extremely productive this year at Purdue. He has a lightning-quick first step, can power through defenders on the move and finish with explosive leaps at the hoop. The way he uses his speed to create driving lanes and transition opportunities resembles No. 1 pick John Wall early in his NBA career.
Ivey’s main issues are his non-existent midrange game and sub-elite passing skills, both essential skills for an NBA lead guard. If he can’t improve those areas, it will be hard for him to take on a primary offensive role consistently. But if those parts of Ivey’s game come together, he could end up as the best player in this class.
The Kings have De’Aaron Fox in place already, but they did just fill the big position with Domantas Sabonis at the trade deadline. I would imagine this is purely a best-player-available situation, depending on which of the top four falls.
Jeff Goodman, Stadium
Jaden Ivey, 6-4/200, SG, Purdue
Goodman’s analysis: I know the Kings already have De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell, a pair of athletic guards who don’t shoot it exceptionally well from deep. But GM Monte McNair won’t be able to pass on Ivey — who will give Sacramento another ultra-athletic guard and also allow them flexibility. Ivey has a big-time burst that allows him to explode and finish above the rim, but he’ll need to become a more consistent perimeter shooter and also will have to improve his decision-making.
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report
Jaden Ivey, 6-4/200, SG, Purdue
Wasserman’s analysis: A backcourt of De’Aaron Fox and Jaden Ivey may be the NBA’s fastest. Unless the Kings become infatuated with Shaedon Sharpe’s upside, or they view AJ Griffin’s shooting as too good a fit, Ivey should get the nod as the best player available. He would give Sacramento a second option capable of putting constant pressure on defenses.
Brett Siegel, Sports Illustrated
Shaedon Sharpe, 6-5¼/198, SG, Kentucky
Siegel’s analysis: As of right now, there is a strong chance that this pick gets traded, as the Sacramento Kings have already begun some initial discussions with teams that have shown interest in the pick. Of course, no trade is imminent, but leading up to the draft, expect Sacramento to be very aggressive in trade talks as they look to pick up “win-now” pieces to pair alongside De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
Should they keep the pick, the Kings will have plenty of options to choose from. Already having De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell in the backcourt, they may trend away from drafting the top overall guard in this year’s draft class in Jaden Ivey and instead, take a chance on one of the biggest boom/bust prospects in Shaedon Sharpe out on the wing.
The Kings need scorers and difference-markers on the offensive-end of the floor and this is exactly what Sharpe projects to be in the NBA should he reach his full potential. In time, Shaedon Sharpe could very well end up being one of the best players from this draft class, but the Kings would definitely be rolling the dice taking the young wing here.
Raphielle Johnson, Yahoo Sports
Jaden Ivey, 6-4/200, SG, Purdue
Johnson’s analysis: This is the point in the draft where things could get really interesting. It feels safe to assume that the Kings didn’t pull off the deadline day trade headlined by Domantas Sabonis to continue treading water in the draft lottery. For that reason, it would not come as a surprise if this pick was used in an attempt to add a more established player to the roster. If the Kings hold onto the pick, Ivey may not only be the best available player from a talent standpoint, but also with regard to being the one best equipped to help the team immediately. New head coach Mike Brown would have a bit of a logjam to deal with on the perimeter in this scenario, but Ivey’s ability to play either guard spot would help matters.
David Cobb, CBS Sports
AJ Griffin, 6-6/222, SF, Duke
Cobb’s analysis: With the Kings deeply invested in De’Aaron Fox and also developing last year’s No. 9 overall pick Davion Mitchell in the back court, they should take a hard look at Griffin as an off-ball threat whose elite 3-point shooting would make him a nice compliment to those two on the wing. With Fox entering his sixth season, the Kings need to capitalize on his prime. Griffin can help as a 3-and-D weapon immediately and develop into more over time.
This story was originally published June 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
