Kings mailbag: NBA draft projections, Jaden Ivey sweepstakes, trade rumors and team needs
The Kings are the subject of numerous trade rumors as anticipation builds for Thursday’s NBA draft.
Sacramento jumped three spots in the lottery to secure the No. 4 pick, giving general manager Monte McNair the hottest commodity in this year’s draft. With Auburn power forward Jabari Smith, Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren and Duke power forward Paolo Banchero expected to be the top three picks in the draft, teams are lining up for the opportunity to draft Purdue guard Jaden Ivey at No. 4.
The Kings can keep the pick for themselves or trade back to acquire additional assets. What do the Kings want from this year’s draft? What do they need? What should they do?
You have questions and we have answers in this NBA draft edition of the Kings mailbag.
Note: Some questions have been edited for length or clarity.
@MaddenDude_ asks: What are the Kings’ top three needs, not just position but the type of player at each position they would desire?
The Kings have identified their biggest needs as shooting, size/length and defense.
They need shooting to spread the floor for Fox and Sabonis, who need proper spacing to maximize their respective strengths. They need size, length and defense to prevent opposing teams from running them out of the gym after finishing 27th in the NBA in defensive rating, 29th in opponent points per game (115.8) and 29th in rebounding percentage (.484).
Sacramento wants to build around Fox and Sabonis, neither of whom is renowned for their 3-point shooting or defense. The Kings will need to surround Fox and Sabonis with 3-and-D wings who can help them address their deficiencies.
@dark_gone asks: Are the top three really that much better than No. 4? If someone in the top three “reaches” for someone other than the three, who is most likely to jump?
The “Big Three” of Smith, Holmgren and Banchero have been widely projected as the top three picks for quite some time, but I’ve been saying for weeks this is actually a four-player draft.
The rest of the league seems to have come around to that idea with Ivey emerging as a top-tier talent. Ivey, the most coveted guard in this year’s draft, could be destined for stardom. Some of the scouts, executives and agents I’ve talked to have him in their top three. One high-level league source views Holmgren and Ivey as the two best players in the draft.
Ivey, 20, is 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds with tremendous athleticism and extraordinary leaping ability. He is a force around the rim and a capable 3-point shooter, although his ballhandling, playmaking and midrange game need work. He is considered a combo guard who spent a lot of time operating off the ball at Purdue, but many see him becoming more of a point guard as he develops his game.
Shaedon Sharpe is another young guard who has star potential, but with so many question marks around him, Ivey will be the one to jump into the top three if Smith, Holmgren or Banchero fall.
@PAULGUGLIELMIN1 asks: Should Sacramento trade back from No. 4 to No. 7 in the draft since Jaden Ivey does not want the Kings to pick him? Why?
Absolutely not. There are reports that Sacramento is not Ivey’s “preferred destination,” not to mention questions about his fit with Fox, but the Kings should not trade back unless there’s a move that makes sense for them.
Ivey and the No. 4 pick are in high demand, so that kind of deal could come together, but frankly it doesn’t matter what Ivey wants. Asset management is an important part of running an NBA team. The Kings have made more than their share of mistakes in that department over the years. They can’t afford to do it again this time.
@sac_kings_daily asks: Who do you think the Kings should draft, will draft and want to draft?
Should draft: Jaden Ivey unless one of the “Big Three” falls to No. 4 or they get a trade offer they can’t refuse.
Will draft: Jaden Ivey unless one of the “Big Three” falls to No. 4 or they get a trade offer they can’t refuse.
Want to draft: Smith and Holmgren are probably at the top of the Kings’ big board due to their talent, two-way versatility and potential fit with Sabonis. Iowa forward Keegan Murray has to be high on their list as well given his talent, fit and readiness.
@JbTochterman asks: What team wants Ivey bad enough to trade for him if he’s there at No. 4? And what would this team offer the Kings realistically?
Teams appear to be lining up for the opportunity to get Ivey at No. 4. We’ve already heard reports that the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards are trying to make a deal with the Kings. The New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Atlanta Hawks and others could try to get involved, too.
It’s hard to say which team wants Ivey the most without being privy to each team’s internal discussions, but the Pistons, for example, would probably have to offer the No. 5 pick along with Jerami Grant or Saddiq Bey and possibly additional draft compensation. The Pacers would have to package the No. 6 pick with somebody like Malcolm Brogdon or Myles Turner. The Blazers would need to offer up the No. 7 pick and someone like Josh Hart. The Wizards would have to give up the No. 10 pick along with Kyle Kuzma and a young player like Rui Hachimura or Deni Avdija.
@bandz81 asks: What is the best trade-back scenario for Sacramento?
The Kings might be able to extract the most value out of the No. 4 pick by trading back twice. For example, they might be able to trade back from No. 4 to No. 5 to acquire Grant from the Pistons and then trade back from No. 5 to No. 7 to get Hart from the Blazers.
In that scenario, Sacramento would add a starting shooting guard in Hart and a starting power forward in Grant. The Kings could then use the No. 7 pick to draft the best player available from a group that could include Murray, Sharpe, G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels, Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin, Duke small forward AJ Griffin and Baylor forward Jeremy Sochan.
This story was originally published June 20, 2022 at 4:00 AM.
