by Charlie O. Mallonee
The Sacramento Kings will have the sixth selection in the 2015 NBA Draft on June 25th. The Kings did not improve their position in the lottery, but more importantly, they did not lose a position as the New York Knicks did on Tuesday evening.
The Kings must now decide whether to keep the pick or trade it for experienced players.
Vlade Divac – Vice-President of Basketball & Franchise Operations – told the Sacramento Bee:
“We have some options,” Divac said. “I think this class of rookies are very strong. We should be able to get someone who can help us next year.”
That could mean trading the pick. The Kings are intent on improving as fast as possible, raising the possibility of a deal for immediate help.
“I think we should be very open,” Divac said. “Our goal is we want to improve next year. We want to be much, much better.”
Scott Howard-Copper of NBA.com sees the Kings drafting center Willie Cauley-Stein, 7-0/245, of Kentucky:
He is an ideal fit next to DeMarcus Cousins as a big who will win games without needing shots. Questions about his passion for the game will not go away, to the point that WCS himself is mentioning the criticism without being asked, but the special level of defense and athleticism could also push him into the top five. “I actually think that Cauley-Stein is a little underrated,” one executive said. “I think people have focused so much on his lack of offensive skill that they’re not looking at just how good a defender he is.” He will head into the draft with preparation unmatched from the college game: three seasons of experience in pressure situations, three seasons against top competition and, best of all, three seasons of Kentucky practices filled with future NBA players.
CBS Sports and Bleacher Report agree with Howard-Cooper. They both see the Kings taking the talented Cauley-Stein who has been compared to Tyson Chandler.
USA Today thinks the Kings will select Emmanuel Mudiay, PG/G who skipped college to go pro in China:
Have seen some “Mudiay to the Lakers” tweets, which is crazy, given the potential to add Rondo, the rookie year of Clarkson, and the fact that even in a wing league, explosive guards are more easily found than true post players. Mudiay would be a terrific fit for the Kings, who could bring him along slowly in year one, backing up Darren Colllison. How about a trio of Mudiay/Gay/Cousins?
NBA Draft Room says Mudiay is faster than Tyreke Evans.
I believe the Kings would love to see the very talented Mudiay fall to number six, but most experts see him being taken by the Knicks at number four if they do not deal the pick away for veterans.
NBA Draft Room believes the Kings will go with Kristaps Porzingis PF 7-1 of Latvia who is playing professionally in Spain. They see Prozingis as:
A long and skilled 7-footer with intriguing upside. A very fluid and mobile big man with high skill level. Shoots the ball with nice form with range out to 3. Has great length and suprising coordination.
Lacks power and strength. Will have to make an adjustment to the American game.
NBA Draft Room compares Porzingis’ game to that of former NBA great, Rick Smits.
Porzingis would be the answer to the Kings wish for a “stretch four forward”. Drafting the Latvian would allow the Kings to keep Rudy Gay at small forward.
Assuming the Kings retain the pick, the question becomes do they draft for need or do they take the best available athlete?
Drafting for need is always a very dicey proposition. If you pick and miss with the selection, a team can be saddled with a Jimmer Fredette type situation where you have a great young man that does not help your team on the floor one bit.
If you draft the best available athlete, a team has a valuable asset that can be traded for proven, veteran players who can fill needs that exist on the roster. The Kings must come away with value from this draft. They cannot shoot and miss.
The 2015 NBA Draft will be held on Thursday, June 25th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Sports Radio Service will provide coverage live from the Kings’ Sacramento draft headquarters.
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