Tag: Bogdan Bogdanovic

Kings play better in the Motor City but lose to Pistons 108-99

Published on by Charlie O. Mallonee2 Comments

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Pistons Little Caesars
The new Little Caesar’s Arena in downtown Detroit*

The Sacramento Kings played their best game of the three-game road trip on Saturday night in Detroit even though they lost the game 108-99. The Pistons (7-3) went on a 16-5 scoring run late in the third quarter and the Kings (1-8) were unable to close the gap after that run losing their seventh consecutive game. Sacramento finished 0-3 on the road trip.

The Kings played their best basketball against the most physical team they had to face on the road trip. Maybe the most important accomplishment was scoring more than 86 points in a game which they had not done in their last four contests. There are no moral victories but there are games where a team can show improvement. That is what the Kings showed on Saturday night. They showed improvement.

Dave Joerger went with a starting five consisting of veterans and youth. Zach Randolph and Garrett Temple were the vets who started. Third- year man Willie Cauley-Stein got the start at center while rookies Bogdan Bogdanovic and De’Aaron Fox were also in the starting five. Fox started at point guard because George Hill was not with the team due to personal reasons.

Joerger would also use a 12 man rotation versus the Pistons. Everyone on the Kings bench except Papagiannis played in the game.

The Kings managed to take the lead in this game. Their biggest lead was only one point but in was a lead. They stayed within three to four points of the lead for much of game.

Top Performers

Kings

Pistons Boggy
Bogdanovic drives the lane in Detroit*
  • Zach Randolph led the Kings in scoring with 19 points shooting 8-for-14 (57.1-percent) from the floor. Z-Bo also hit 2-of-3 from behind the 3-point line. Randolph played almost 30-minutes in the game.
  • Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 14 points against the Pistons hitting 6-of-7 shots from the field (85.7-percent). He was a perfect 2-for-2 from 3-point land. As usual, Bogdanovic played very strong defense as well.
  • De’Aaron Fox also posted 14 points but seven of those points came in the fourth quarter when the game was really out of reach. He dished out four assists in his 26-minutes on the floor.
  • Buddy Hield — who was nursing a sore ankle from the Boston game — put 13 up points and grabbed eight rebounds.
  • Garrett Temple had a very solid game with 10 points, three rebounds, three steals and one assist.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein who struggled in the first half really improved in the second half scoring eight points to go with three rebounds, four assists and two steals.
  • Frank Mason played an important role as the point guard for the second unit in the game. Mason played 21-minutes scoring seven points and distributing six assists.

Pistons

Pistons Drummond
Andre Drummond posted a double-double in the game*
  •  Avery Bradley led the way for the victorious Pistons with 24 points. He hit 10-of-15 shots from the floor (66.7-percent). Bradley played 32-minutes for Detroit versus the Kings.
  • Power Forward Tobias Harris scored 20 points, hauled in five rebounds, added five assists, had one steal and one block in the game.
  • Big man Andre Drummond posted another double-double scoring 16 points and grabbing 19 rebounds. He also had four assists, three steals and one block.
  • Point guard Reggie Jackson — who was the subject of trade rumors earlier in the week- scored 15 and dished out seven assists.
  • Former King Anthony Tolliver scored 10 points against his former team.

Team numbers

Sacramento

1-alt kings

  • The Kings shot an impressive 52.6-percent (40-for-76) from the field. They hit 10-of-21 (47.6-percent) of their 3-point attempts.
  • The Kings still did not make it to the free throw line enough on Saturday night. They made 9-of-13 opportunities. Sacramento needs to bring that free throw attempted number up to 20-plus.
  • Sac pulled down 32 total rebounds (3 off/ 29 def) which is on the low side and could be of concern if those numbers continue to be low.
  • The Kings had 24 assists and committed 18 turnovers which resulted in 18 Piston points. The assist to turnover ratio is well below the goal of 2-to-1.

Detroit

Pistons logo

  • The Pistons also shot over 50-percent from the floor as they hit 40 of their 79 field goal attempts.
  • Detroit was on fire from “downtown” as they connected on 13-of-24 (54.2-percent) of their shots from behind the 3-point arc.
  • They hit 15-of-22 attempts from the charity stripe.
  •   It was a low rebounding game for both teams as the Pistons hauled in 35 (8 off/ 27 def) rebounds.
  • Detroit came close to the 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio as they posted 28 assists versus 15 turnovers. Their turnovers turned into nine Sacramento points.
  • The Pistons had 10 steals against Sacramento Saturday night.

Up next on the schedule

The Kings flew home after the game and will be off until Tuesday when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden 1 Center. Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony should provide quite a challenge for the Kings.

The Pistons stay in Detroit and will return to action on Wednesday when the Indiana Pacers visit Little Caesar’s Arena.

*Photos by USA Today Sports

It was a painful game to watch on Sunday as the Wizards destroyed the Kings 100-83

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wiz beal drives on hield
Bradley Beal drives on Buddy Hield Photo USA Today Sports

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Washington Wizards opened the game with the Sacramento Kings on Sunday afternoon with a 13 – 0 run. By the time Sacramento head coach Dave Joerger mercifully called timeout with 7:16 to go in the first quarter, very few in the Golden 1 Center had any doubts about how the game would finish.

By the time the final buzzer sounded 48 – minutes later, the Wizards (4-2) had handed the Kings (1-5) their third consecutive defeat 110-83. Quite possibly more important than losing three-in-a-row is the fact the Kings are 0-3 at home this season. Even for a young team – there is supposed to be some semblance of a “home court advantage”. This young edition of the Kings has not established that home court presence as of yet.

Wizards were on a mission

wiz john wall scores
John Wall scored a game-high 19 points Photo USA Today Sports

Washington had been on a very tough road trip. The Wizards won the opening game of the trip in Denver, then everything fell apart in Los Angeles. After John Wall was very outspoken about the way he was going to go at Lonzo Ball, the Lakers beat the Wizards 102 – 99 in overtime. That loss led to some major headlines across the nation.

On Friday night, Washington had to face the Golden State Warriors in Oakland. The Wizards were in control of that contest until late in the game when the Warriors came alive to outscore the Wizards 33-20 in the fourth period. Golden State won the game 120 – 117.

That Warriors game also featured the “scuffle” between Draymond Green and Bradley Beal. The Wizards literally did not know until 90-minutes before the game whether Beal would be able to play or be suspended. The league chose to fine him and Beal played against the Kings.

Wizards head coach Scott Brooks made it very clear in his pregame remarks that his team had one goal and that was to finish the road trip 2 – 2. They met that goal.

The 3-point shot was the Wizards weapon of choice

Washington used the 3-point shot to perfection against the Kings on Sunday. The Wizards hit 17-of-34 3-point attempts (50-percent) in the game. That was not a franchise record. Washington has the 11th best 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA. Ironically, the team with the 12th best 3-point shooting percentage in “the Association” is the Sacramento Kings – except they shot only 27.3-percent (6-for-22) from beyond the arc on Sunday.

John Wall led the Wizards hitting 5-of-6 from downtown. Otto Potter Jr. sank three and Kelly Oubre Jr. connected on two from long range.

Every active player on the Washington roster played and scored in the game

$Wiz Dark

The Wizards had 12 men on the active roster Sunday afternoon and all saw playing time against the Kings. Every Wizard scored points. John Wall scored a game-high 19-points and dished out nine assists.

Otto Porter Jr. put up 16-points and grabbed five rebounds. Bradley Beal – who in this reporter’s opinion should have been on suspension for his actions last Friday night – scored 15-points. Mike Scott added 13-points and Jodie Meeks recorded 11.

Every active player on the Kings roster played in the game

1-Slamson icon

Dave Joerger planned on using a 10-man rotation on Sunday. When Garrett Temple sustained a cut over his eye, that changed the plan and all 13 Sacramento players saw time on the floor.

Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Kings in scoring with with 15-points going 7-for-9 from the field. Frank Mason III put up 11-points shooting 5-for-10 in his 21-minutes on the court. Skal Labissiere and Malachi Richardson each tallied 10 points against the Wizards.

Dave Joerger had some interesting takes on the loss to the Wizards

Wizards Head Coach Scott Brooks thoughts on the game

wiz scott brooks
Scott Brooks looks on as his Wizard destroys the Kings Photo USA Today Sports

“I thought we came out defensively and contested shots and made them miss shots. We were really moving the ball well, and knocking down 3’s. It was probably the best that we’ve played on both ends of the court. Our passing, leading to open 3’s were just terrific. Hopefully, we can continue that trend. Defensive mindset was really good tonight.”

Kings management must react to the “boos” and empty seats

1-Sac Block

Kings head coach Dave Joerger made some comments in his pregame news conference about the starting lineup and roster being about player development. Everyone understands that Kings are in a “rebuilding mode” but that does not mean they will be patient if they go into a “G-League” mode. Kings fans are paying top dollar for the opportunity to see their team play at the Golden 1 Center and they expect to see their team at least be competitive on the court.

Having George Hill and Zach Randolph on the inactive list against a team like the Wizards is not putting your best product on the floor. If you want to experiment with a young, inexperienced roster, do it in Indiana or Atlanta where their fans will love the “blow out” and not feel “ripped off”. At home, the Kings need to do everything they can to win games. They owe that to their fans.

It is not acceptable to hear boos at the end of the first-half and to have a half-full arena as the second-half tips-off. Kings fans have worked too hard to keep this team in Sacramento to suffer experimental lineup after experimental lineup. Experiment on the road and be competitive at home.

Up next on the schedule

1-SacPurple

The Kings head out on the road for a three-game road that begins on Halloween in Indiana with the Pacers. Then on Wednesday, they have the back end of a back-to-back set on the road in Boston. Sacramento wraps up the road trip on Saturday in Detroit with the Pistons.

The Wizards head back to Washington and will face the Suns on Wednesday and then must get ready for the Cavs on Friday.

No chicken dinner for Kings in Vegas as they lose to Lakers 75-69

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carter vs lakers
Vince Carter directs traffic in the Kings — Lakers game in Las Vegas Photo USA Today Sports

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The third preseason game of the year for the Kings was a premiere matchup between Pacific Division rivals. The Kings and the Lakers are both very young teams that are trying reestablish themselves as legitimate playoff contenders in the NBA Western Conference.

Frankly, neither of these teams will be playing a game after the end of the regular season in April. That being said — both the Lakers and Kings are going to be much more entertaining to watch in 2017-18 than they were last season with the players they acquired in the draft and in free agency.

The game on Sunday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was not a “beautiful game”, but it was an entertaining game. The Lakers established a big lead in the first quarter and then the Kings fought their way back into the game in the second period.

The Kings actually took the lead in game in third quarter behind 22-9 run but they would not be able to hold on to that lead in final quarter of the game. When the final buzzer sounded, the Lakers had held on to record their first win of the preseason 75-69 over the Kings before a decidedly pro-Laker crowd in “Sin City”.

There were really no losers on Sunday night in Las Vegas

Magic talks to crowd Lakers
Magic Johnson spoke to the fans in Las Vegas before the game on Sunday Photo USA Today Sports

Both the Kings and Lakers donated their proceeds from the game on Sunday night to victims and first-responders of the mass shooting that happened last Sunday in Las Vegas. The donations will go to the MGM Grand Foundation who will administer the distribution of the proceeds.

This was a very nice gesture on the part of both teams.

The Ball vs Fox matchup did not happen again

The summer league rematch between Lonzo Ball and De’Aaron Fox did happen due to an injury reported by Ball. That brought out many comments about Ball not wanting to be embarrassed by Fox the way he was in the UCLA — Kentucky matchup.

On Sunday, it was announced that Ball would not be available due to an ankle problem. Fox would not have been able to play in the second-half due to a lower back bruise suffered in the first-half of the game.

Do not worry. The big face off is going to happen during the regular season and it will be worth the wait.

Neither team had impressive stats in the game

Kings

Sacramento shot 25-for-80 (31.2-percent) from the floor. They connected on just 7-of-25 (28.0-percent) for 3-point attempts. Those are not the kind of shooting numbers that will win games in the regular season. Sacramento went 12-for-16 (75.0-percent) from the free throw line. The percentage was fine but the number of attempts was too low.

Sacramento grabbed 37 rebounds (5 offensive). They recorded 15 assists and 12 turnovers which is not an acceptable ratio. The Lakers scored 10 points off the Kings 12 turnovers.

Lakers

Los Angeles shot 41.4-percent (29-for-70) from the field. The Lakers hit just 6-of-24 (25.0-percent) from beyond the 3-point line. They were 11-for-15 (73.3-percent) from the charity stripe.

The Lakers hauled in 49 rebounds (2 offensive). They recorded 21 assists and 20 turnovers which is not acceptable to any coach. The Kings scored 18 points off the Lakers 20 turnovers.

Team Leaders

Sacramento

Z-bo vs Lakers
Zach Randolph was a team leader for the Kings on Sunday night Photo USA Today Sports

Zach Randolph led the Kings scoring attack with 16 points. Z-Bo was 7-for-15 shooting. Garrett Temple put up 12 points while Vince Carter added nine. Bogdan Bogdanovic, George Hill and Buddy Hield each added seven points in the game.

George Hill was the Kings top rebounder with eight. Kosta Koufos grabbed seven.

The Kings used just 11 players in the rotation on Sunday night.

LAK

Kuzma Lakers
Rookie Kuzma was a star for the Lakers on Sunday Photo USA Today Sports

Julius Randle posted a double-double by putting up 17 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Rookie Kyle Kuzma dropped in 15 points. Many observers feel that Kuzma could be a bigger story than Ball this season but remember this is just the preseason. Brook Lopez scored 12 while Jordan Clarkson added 10 points.

Kuzma also pulled down eight rebounds.

Alex Caruso led the Lakers in assists with four and Kuzma had three.

Interesting stat of the game

When you look at the stats, you know this was not a great field goal shooting game. It really became an “old style” NBA battle in the paint contest. Sacramento scored 24 points in the paint (12-for-28) while the Lakers scored 40 points in the key (20-for-34).

Up next

The Kings (1-2) will be back in action on Monday night in Sacramento when they will host the Portland Trail Blazers (2-1). Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Kings: There’s money in the bank and they need players; now they need takers!

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

porter -nba money stack

The Sacramento Kings have an estimated $59-million of available money under the $99-million salary cap limit for the 2017-18 season to sign free agents to play for the team. Part of that money — approximately $9-million — will go to Serbian shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic who the team signed to a three-year contract last week.

Porter - bogdan
Kings new shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic

 

The Kings obtained the rights to Bogdanovic last year in a draft-day trade that sent Marquese Chriss to Phoenix and ultimately netted the Kings Georgios Papagiannis, Skal Labissiere and the signing rights to Bogdonovic.

Bogdanovic refused to sign with the Phoenix after being drafted by the Suns in 2014. By waiting until 2017, Bogdanovic was able to bypass the NBA Rookie System and enter the league in the Free Agent salary pool. He rolled the dice, played well in Europe for Fenerbahce of Turkey who won the EuroLeague Championship in 2017. Now he is a member of the Sacramento Kings making big dollars.

Signing the 6-foot-6 shooting guard fills a major need for the Kings but does not complete the many needs the Kings have for experienced players at key positions. Sacramento is a very young team at point guard, small forward and power forward. They need some veterans to play vital minutes until very young players can be developed to take over those positions which could take one to three seasons.

The Free Agent Market Opened on July 1

NBA: Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards
Otto Porter Jr. of the Washington Wizards

The Kings have been active in trying to interest free agents to come to Sacramento. The Kings were rumored have been fringe players in the Andre Iguodala sweepstakes. Not that it was a realistic pursuit, but it does prove the team has their sights set high.

Currently, they Kings are rumored to have made an offer to Restricted Free Agent Otto Porter, Jr. Reports have the Kings meeting with Porter on Sunday and offering him a maximum contract of $106-million over 4-years to take over the small forward role for the club. The Kings lost their veteran small forward when Rudy Gay decided to opt out of the final year of his contract to become a free agent.

Porter had his best best year as a pro in 2016-17 for the Washington Wizards. He averaged 13.7 points per game in 32-minutes of playing time. Porter shot 51.6-percent overall from the floor (43.4-percent from 3-point range). He averaged 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

As a restricted free agent, the Wizards have the right to match any offer that Porter receives from another team. Washington has indicated they intend to match any such offers; however, matching a “max offer of $106-million over four years would put the Wizards over the salary cap and force them to pay luxury tax. Most observers feel the team really does not want to pay that tax and will let Porter walk.

If the Wizards are inclined to let Porter go because of the money, that does not mean he automatically winds up in Sacramento. He is reportedly meeting with the Nets on Monday and will be meeting with a third unnamed team this week.

Porter is just 24-years old so he fits the Kings youth movement perfectly. He also has four years of experience that would be very welcome on team that is so young and full of rookies.

 

 

Kings: Let the games begin -the Bogdan Bogdanovic negotiations are on!

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

bogdanovic-1

“We have (Bogdan) Bogdanovic coming over next season as another asset.” Sacramento Bee February 25, 2017

If you thought Serbian shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic was going to finish his season in Turkey and fly to Sacramento ready to put on a Kings jersey ready to play, you would be wrong. The Kings obtained the rights to Bogdanovic as part of a draft-night trade with Phoenix that sent Marquese Chriss to the Suns.

Bogdanovic was drafted in the first-round (27th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns. The shooting guard decided to remain in Europe to play for Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Super League in part to avoid the NBA Rookie pay scale.

Now that three years have passed, Bogdanovic can negotiate a contract that pays him up to the maximum of a free agent with 0-6 years of experience in the NBA. A max deal at that contract level is projected to be $26-million dollars per year under the new CBA. Bogdanovic is not going get 26-mil but he is throwing down the gauntlet that he is not going to settle for $3 to 5-mil per year. This guy and his agents are looking for a major payday.

After researching his value, I still have no real idea where to place the “Euro” shooting guard on the salary chart. My guess (this is a pure “WAG”) is that Bogdanovic’s agent will be looking for a 3-year, $30-million deal with a one-year player option. This player and his agent have played hardball for three years, this will not be an easy negotiation.

Bogdanovic is having a very nice EuroLeague season. He is averaging 13.3 points per game while shooting a 55.2-percentage for 2-point shots and 38-percent from 3-point range. He scored a season-high 27 points against  Olympiacos Piraeus on February 23rd. By all accounts, he is a talented and still developing player with a tremendous upside.

Here is the downside. If Bogdanovic joins the NBA next season, he will be 25-years old. That is almost ancient by today’s NBA standards where first-round draft picks are 19-years old. A team will be asked to make a veteran level dollar investment in a player who will have a shorter career in “the Association” and has never played a minute in the NBA.

Bogdanovic might come into the NBA and have an instant impact while becoming an All-Star. The more likely scenario is that he will come into the league as rookie with a big learning curve and struggle like most rookies do while he adjusts to playing basketball at the highest level in the world.

Bogdanovic at the advice of his advisers has already played a very dangerous game with the NBA in order to up his contract value. If he spurs the Kings for next season, he takes an even more calculated chance that teams will want to invest big money in a 26-year old rookie. The “Euro” star needs to remember the big, new CBA money will not stay uncommitted for long.

For the Kings, this is a time to be prudent. They now have two first-round picks in a star-studded draft. They really like Bogdanovic’s game or they would not have included him in the Phoenix deal, but they need to cautious. Before backing up the “money dump truck”, the Kings must remember Bogdanovic has played zero minutes in the NBA where it is a brand-new game.

Wrapping up the Kings 2016 draft

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

Boogie Photo with tweetBy Charlie O. Mallonee

Sacramento – This is going to be a vain attempt to wrap up the 2016 NBA Draft for the Sacramento Kings. The one thing we have come to expect from the Kings ownership and management is lots of surprises. They did not disappoint on Thursday night. What looked like a simple two pick night turned into a four selection event that has had the basketball world talking all day and not necessarily in a good way.

Pick Number 59

The Kings had the next to last pick in the draft. With that selection, they chose guard Isaiah Cousins (no relation to DeMarcus) of the Oklahoma Sooners. Cousins is a four-year player who helped his Sooner team make it to the Final Four of the 2016 NCAA Tournament. He showed his versatility moving from shooting guard to point guard as a senior.

As a senior at Oklahoma, Cousins averaged 12.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He shot 40.8-percent from the floor and 41.1-percent from beyond the 3-point arc. Cousins averaged 1.4 steals per game.

At 6-foot-5 and 191 pounds, Cousins has excellent size for a point guard. Scouts say he knows how to use his size to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. He is used to pushing the ball from running the up tempo Oklahoma offense. Cousins needs to improve his shot selection decisions and reduce his tendency to over penetrate the lane. He also needs to improve his free throw shooting.

Draft analysts like this selection by the Kings because it definitely fills a need. With Rondo’s status up in the air and Collison’s immediate future under the control of the courts, the Kings need point guards. If Cousins plays well in the Summer League, he has an excellent chance of winding up with a guaranteed contract.

Kings fans also remember a point guard named Isaiah that Sacramento drafted with the 60th pick that worked out pretty well. Unfortunately, Isaiah Thomas is now in Boston but he was an All-star last season.

Remember the name Bogdan Bogdanovic

One of the reasons the Kings made the trade for the eighth pick in draft with the Phoenix Suns was Bogdan Bogdanovic. In return, the Kings received the number 13 and 28 picks in the draft and the signing rights to Bogdanovic who the Suns drafted with the 27th selection in 2014.

Bogdanovic is from Serbia and plays basketball professionally in Turkey. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard had just informed the Suns that he would not be signing with them for the 2016-17 season. By waiting one more season, Bogdanovic will not be subject to the rookie salary limitations of the NBA. With his skill and experience, he may well be able to negotiate a “max” contract for a player of 0-6 years of experience.

For the Kings, Bogdanovic represents their 2017 first-round draft pick. Sacramento is still subject to losing their first-round selection to the Chicago Bulls in 2017 unless it is pick 1-10. Of course, the Kings are hoping to be playoff team and not a lottery pick team next season, so they had to make plans that would protect them should they not have a first-round selection next year. The rights to Bogdanovic is that protection.

“We got the rights to one of the best European players in Eastern Europe that Phoenix drafted a couple of years ago. Next year we are probably not going to have a pick because it is 1 to 10 protected by Chicago so I tried to think about next year too,” said Kings vice-president of operations/general manager Vlade Divac. “He’s definitely one of the best European player.”

Reactions to the Picks

Some analysts have been very critical of the Kings trading the eighth pick to Phoenix and passing on power forward Marquese Chriss. Chriss had been projected to go as high as third fell to number eight. The Kings do need help at the four spot but Chriss is a project that may be three to four years away from being a real impact player. At this point in time, the Kings are not a very patient team.

Georgios Papagiannis Round 1 Pick 13

The reaction to this pick has been harsh. Most of the criticism has centered on taking Papagiannis with the number 13 pick. Many of the analysts believe that the big man would have been available later in the draft which would have allowed the Kings to have addressed more pressing needs with this selection.

There have also been questions as to why draft another classic center which is exactly what Papagiannis is as a player. The Kings already have DeMarcus Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein and Kosta Koufos who play center.

This reporter is going to suggest that this is a selection for next year and beyond. DeMarcus Cousins will be a King for the 2016-17 season. Will he be with the Kings in after next season? Probably not. It will be the final year of his contract and the chances of him resigning in Sacramento are really “slim to none”. The Kings cannot afford to let their most valuable asset just walk away. A trade on or just before draft day next year is a very real possibility. At that point, the Kings may need a 7-foot-2 center who can fill the lane.

Malachi Richardson Round 1 Pick 22

This is the pick that does not yet officially exist. The Kings will trade guard Marco Belinelli to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for the number 22 pick Malachi Richardson. Richardson is a shooting guard out of Syracuse with good size who is an aggressive offensive player. The trade cannot become official until July 1st.

Reaction to the selection of Richardson has been very positive. Most analyst see him as being exactly the type of player the Kings have looking for at shooting guard. He is a good athlete who can score points in bunches. Richardson can also shoot the 3-pointer.

Skal Labissiere Round 1 Pick 28

The University of Kentucky connection continues. Labissiere is a “one and done” Wildcat that drew the attention of scouts from the beginning of the college basketball season last fall. Before we continue, no this selection was not part of a ploy to bring John Calipari to Sacramento. Please put that conspiracy to bed.

At one point, Labissiere was seen a lottery pick by many draft watchers. His troubles adjusting to the college game and the tough coaching style of John Calipari caused his stock to begin to drop. Labissiere’s inability to stay out of foul trouble on the defensive end also raised some red flags for many player personnel people.

Even with those difficulties, Labissiere is an intriguing prospect because of the natural talent he possesses. He did not play organized basketball until coming to the United States following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. In many ways, he is still learning the game. Labissiere is a project but to be fair most first-round picks in the NBA Draft are projects at this point.

Labissiere is quick and athletic for a big man. He can run the floor like a guard (think Willie Cauley-Stein). Even though he did not show it much at Kentucky, Labissiere has a nice touch shooting the 3-pointer. For the reason, look for him to be used as a power forward/stretch four in the Kings line up.

“We were really surprised that Skal fell to 28th and that talent you couldn’t pass,” explained Vlade Divac.

What is to come

At the conclusion of the draft, Vlade Divac expressed that there is a lot of work left to do for the Kings. “This just the first step. Like I said, free agency is coming. We have summer league. We have two or three months before we assemble our team.