if the kings land a top 3 pick in the draft

[KMart23]

i know this might be premature but if the kings land one of the top 3 picks in the draft who would you select and why?

1.
2.
3.

i haven't looked at any of the prospects but i'd prefer to select a big man.

[Kings113]

LeMarcus Aldridge or Shelden Williams.

Still 10 games and the tournaments left though.

www.nbadraft.net

I really expect us to draft a big man. We have no youth there other than Sampson, and who knows what becomes of him. I assume that is Petrie's next area of focus this year for drafting.

[VF21]

??????

Wouldn't it really depend upon what, if anything, happens between now and Feb. 23?

[HndsmCelt]

i know this might be premature but ...
No might be, no buts... it IS premature.

[SoupIsGood]

Your record isn't that bad is it???

[Kings113]

We have the 9th pick right now at 19-26. That's obviously gonna change.

[SacTownKid]

Your record isn't that bad is it???

We're in the lotto right now, but would have to luck out big time to get 1-3.

If it was me, I'd have to go with talent. Can't draft by need. Would rather have a guy like Williams, but if Morrison or Rudy Gay are on the board you'd have to take one of those guys.

[Bricklayer]

Barring a real collapse, there is probably less than a 10% chance of this happening if we end up later in the lottery so...

Aldridge would be the obvious pick for us.

I'm not sure Williams is going to translate well into the NBA, but he's there.

Also that Tyrus Thomas kid at LSU has a lot of buzz around him, and Tiago Splitter is back in the draft this year.

[artestG]

i think its safe to say the cats we got running our team will make sure we at least get 6th spot in the west, if not higher. we got rid of the players that were holding us back and our roster esspecially our back court is full of guys with heart ready to get the job done

[Kings113]

6th spot? I don't know about that... be pretty amazing though.

I'd say 8th, possibly 7th.

[Bricklayer]

6th spot? I don't know about that... be pretty amazing though.

I'd say 8th, possibly 7th.

6th is nearly impossible. Right now its being held down by a team (Memphis) on a 48 game pace. Last year it was won by a team that won 50.

Even if it was "only" 48 wins to get it we'd have to finish the season 29-8. In other words, really not happenning.

[Kings113]

lol, yup

[GoSACtown]

i want the last pick in the nba draft

[SacKings384]

Drafting European big men is tough... If you take a look at all of the past European Big Men drafted, they are extremely soft. (Darko, Dirk, and Pau) being the ones that come to mind. Of course I wouldn't mind Dirk or Pau, but you get the point.

[Evenstar]

i didn't think we were THAT bad this year.......

[SLAB]

If we end up with a lottery pick, I would like to pick Tiago Splitter...A seven foot Brazilian.

The guy can score, and rebound on some occasions. Ive read his potential as a defender can grow.

[nbrans]

Depending on what happens with trades, my top 3 are Aldridge, Rodney Carney and, based on what I've heard, Tyrus Thomas (haven't seen him play). The Kings need athleticism, and these guys have it.

I agree with Brick, I don't think Shelden Williams' game will translate to the NBA. He's undersized, he's not that athletic, he struggles on man to man defense and has given up career games to good power forwards.

P.S. If the Kings have a pick around 13-14, I'm all for Matt Haryasz. He's athletic, good rebounding skills, good on offense inside and out. He'd be a good fit for the Kings.

Here's his last six games, against some very good Pac-10 teams:
Cal: 24/10
Arizona: 25/7
ASU: 27/10
WSU: 22/9
UW: 24/10
Oregon: 24/14

[KMart23]

correct me if i'm wrong, don't they have the ping pong balls to decide who gets the 1st 3 picks? the 3 worst teams get the most chance but you can't always guarantee that if you have the worst record (portland trailblazers last yr) i'm just assuming we hit the lotto and won one of the 3 picks. i'm hoping we don't sneak into the playoffs only to be knocked out of the 1st or 2nd round. relax folks, this all speculation and having some fun.

[CaminoChaos]

We will take the best available player. People assume that we will take a "Big" every year. But we never do. Petrie has made it clear that if the best available player is another swingman than that's who we will take. He does not draft out of needs.

[Kings113]

Last year I expected the best available player, this year, I do not, indeed. ;)

I'll be surprised, and fine with it if we get a swingman (there are a whole bunch of nice ones), but I'd prefer a big man.

[UclaKingsFan]

If we somehow landed one of the top three, my wish list would look something like this:

1. L. Aldridge
2. R. Gay
3. A. Morrison

[SacKings384]

If we somehow landed one of the top three, my wish list would look something like this:

1. L. Aldridge
2. R. Gay
3. A. Morrison

A. Morrison? No way in HELL does he fall far enough for the Kings to get him. He's going in the top 3 no doubt...

[nbrans]

A. Morrison? No way in HELL does he fall far enough for the Kings to get him. He's going in the top 3 no doubt...

You might want to check out the title of the thread.

[UclaKingsFan]

A. Morrison? No way in HELL does he fall far enough for the Kings to get him. He's going in the top 3 no doubt...

The title of the thread and the very first sentence of my post should have been some kind of indicator as to what we're talking about here.

[AriesMar27]

i guess we should draft a big man but with thomas and reef on the squad until 2009-10...... maybe we should go after a energetic, playmaking point guard.....

[Bricklayer]

i guess we should draft a big man but with thomas and reef on the squad until 2009-10...... maybe we should go after a energetic, playmaking point guard.....

You are assuming far too much there.

[Kings113]

^ Indeed.

Besides, it wouldn't have to be a power foward, we could go after a center or combo big man.

[Bricklayer]

^ Indeed.

Besides, it wouldn't have to be a power foward, we could go after a center or combo big man.

A big combo 4/5 is actually what I would PREFER for that spot. Give us real size and ability to take whichever was the tougher frontcourt matchuop, and also would kill two birds with one stone (could swng to backup C when Brad was out).

Pure 5 would be problematic, and rare of course. Have to be a special athlete to be able to play alongside Brad. Doesn't look like there are any of those high in the draft this year anyway.

[BibityBobtyBoom]

man, i hope we slip to top three taht would be awesome

[West_Gunslinger16]

For the love of God! Petrie, draft a really good rebounder/defender/scorer and a tall one. Don't commit the same mistake again on the next draft! He did draft a good defender/scorer but the height of Garcia isn't good enough to stop Tim Duncan, Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett.

[Kings113]

Lots of 6'7"-6'9" PFs this year, but so far (players decisions, scoutings), there are a handful of 6'10"+ big men.

[Vlad]

Drafting European big men is tough... If you take a look at all of the past European Big Men drafted, they are extremely soft. (Darko, Dirk, and Pau) being the ones that come to mind. Of course I wouldn't mind Dirk or Pau, but you get the point.

Don't make Pau and Darko victims of your generalization. A couple of months ago, 'Sheed told reporters: "I'm telling you, Darko is a Serbian gangster," Rasheed Wallace said. "Darko's got some bodies back there (in Serbia). He can go psycho on guys."

[SacTownKid]

One thing about Shelden Williams is even though he is around 6'8" or 6'9" his arms are so friggin' long! I can't wait to see what this guys measurements are. A guy like Splitter could be a good choice if we could land him.

[Kings113]

I agree, STK.

[Kings113]

http://www.nbadraft.net/2006positional.asp - nice piece on top prospects

I'm liking a bunch of the bigs there, and of course a few of the swingmen and PGs

[Padrino]

i don't know what draft pick the kings land this offseason, but i hope with every ounce of my being that we can draft a big man who will be able to hold his own in a starting role, at some point. aldridge would be a dream come true, but it just aint gonna happen for the kings. hopefully we can get a channing frye (drafted 8th overall) type of player. his rebounding (almost 6 a game) isnt necessarily what the kings need, but he's a difference making kind of player. it'd be nice to get a big man with enough of a defensive upside that we could really use him. drafting the most talented player is one thing, but we're stacked at the combo guard position. as bad as hart is, he's still our backup pg, an we have price sittin on our bench as well, and garcia is proving to be a capable ballhandler. its the F/C spot where we need some improvement, so i think management should take whatever risk they have to in order to draft a big man who could help improve our rebounding.

[Kings113]

What I've been saying for awhile, Padrino. Agreed.

On Price, I don't think he's just some young guard, Petrie really wanted him and I see him sticking around. Especially with how most of Hart's season has gone so far.

[Venom]

Don't make Pau and Darko victims of your generalization. A couple of months ago, 'Sheed told reporters: "I'm telling you, Darko is a Serbian gangster," Rasheed Wallace said. "Darko's got some bodies back there (in Serbia). He can go psycho on guys."


That's clearly hyperbole, but I would still trade for the guy and move him to the 3, shifting Artest to the 2. I just think his true skills are not being utilized at his current position. A coach like Adelman could really bring the best out of Darko.

[VF21]

If the Kings land a top 3 pick in the draft, this will all be academic. Most "fans" will have jumped off the Tower Bridge by that point.

Reminder: This isn't the trade thread.

[Kings113]

http://www.nbadraft.net/draftbuzz048.asp

[Vlad]

That's clearly hyperbole,
For real? For a second there, I thought Darko had really murdered some people back in Serbia...:D

[Venom]

http://www.nbadraft.net/draftbuzz048.asp


I agree with a lot of that. Put me on the Josh Boone bandwagon. Insert Boone at the 4 spot, and he is an immediate difference maker for the Kings. I would even put him above Shelden Williams because there is no concern about Boone's height. While I think Williams will be very good in this league, there is a real concern that he could bust. Boone plays better in big games as well, as plays within himself. As the scout says, Boone can work himself out of a slump without complaining for more touches, and he has improved each year.

I also agree on Powe, but I doubt that his draft stock gets better with time. His knee will continue to be a concern, and the drafts are going to get considerably stronger after this year. If Cal makes a run, he should go. I think Powe will have very good individual workouts, and may even sneak up into the mid-first, a la Corliss Williamson. He's also a great pick for established playoff teams looking for bench help. Shoot, Simien, despite all his injury and size concerns, was a first last year, and he is nowhere near as polished as Powe.

Splitter seems to be the latest product of the Euro hype machine. I think he falls victim to the Curse of Skita. Couple that with the Lopez fiasco of last year, and teams will probably be a lot more discerning in taking player's with Splitter's credentials.

Ronnie Brewer, who I have not seen this year, reminds me of Joe Johnson. He looked like a stud before though, and I imagine a late lottery team rolls the dice on him.

[bozzwell]

Splitter seems to be the latest product of the Euro hype machine. I think he falls victim to the Curse of Skita. Couple that with the Lopez fiasco of last year, and teams will probably be a lot more discerning in taking player's with Splitter's credentials.

I know that Tiago plays in Spain (even has dual Spanish-Brazilian nationality, I believe), but he is Brazilian so Curse of Skita does not apply to him. Amazing specimen and could do well. Doubt he will last until we pick.

[MaNiac42]

too early to discuss draft...8th seed atleast is what im seeing...hopefully all the way?

[Kings113]

I agree on Josh Boone, I've been mentioning him a lot ever since draft talk started.

[Venom]

too early to discuss draft...8th seed atleast is what im seeing...hopefully all the way?


It's never too early to mention the draft. Besides, it's quite simple to ignore threads one does not have an interest in. This thread is at 3 pages now, so clearly there is some interest from at least a niche group of fans. Besides, talent evaluation is a fluid thing. You think Petrie is not currently evaluating talent? He darn sure better be if he is considering trading our first.

[Kings113]

There's also been draft discussion over at the nba forum, and in a few threads before this.

[Kings113]

Will Thomas Stay At LSU?14th February, 2006 - 3:56 amDraftExpress.com - Tyrus Thomas’ camp has actually been trying to get out the message all year long that he is not ready by any means to enter the NBA draft and will need at least another season or two of polish before he even considers doing so.

And after watching him closely over the past three games, it’s pretty tough to argue with that. His lack of strength has really become a hindrance to his game, being outmuscled badly in the post both defensively and on the glass, struggling to establish any type of rhythm for himself offensively as he’s constantly pushed off the block, and looking very frustrated with himself and a lot more raw than most people initially thought he was.

He’s still a top prospect for any draft he decides to enter because of his incredibly high ceiling, but it might be wise to take a step back and let him fulfill his wishes as well as those of his family of becoming a truly dominant NCAA player before he makes the leap to the next level.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/39128/20060214/will_thomas_stay_at_lsu/

Since reading about him, I've thought he should stay 1 or 2 more years.