Best shooting guard prospects the Kings should look at

[ElRey]

Jaylen Brown, Chris Dunn, Buddy Hield, Jamal Murray, Denzel Valentine... who do you want?

http://cowbellkingdom.com/best-shooting-guard-prospects-the-kings-should-look-at/

 

[KingMilz]

Devin Booker in a DMC deal

 

[lawlman91]

Denzel Valentine looks good to me. But I haven't seen enough to be confident in my opinion.

But he can handle the ball. So if Rondo walks or if we let him walk we have a PG lineup of a 6'0 guy and a 6'6 guy. Not too bad, especially on D. We can even play them together if DV does well. He's also 22 years old, just like WCS was coming out of college. Will probably contribute right away.

Apparently this kid can post up too

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Denzel Valentine looks good to me. But I haven't seen enough to be confident in my opinion.

I have seen enough to be very confident in your opinion. Valentine is an outstanding player.

 

[funkykingston]

Kris Dunn is a PG. Making him play SG takes away most of what makes him special as a prospect.

If we are imagining that Rondo, Gay and Cousins return then the best fit is Buddy Hield. He'd be the most plug and play rookie SG.

If the team is blown up or the roster changed substantially then who knows if SG is still the biggest hole to fill.

 

[Bosnian Diehard]

I think Buddy Hield will be the best SG from this draft and his shooting would be very welcomed here.

 

[ElRey]

Denzel Valentine looks good to me. But I haven't seen enough to be confident in my opinion.

But he can handle the ball. So if Rondo walks or if we let him walk we have a PG lineup of a 6'0 guy and a 6'6 guy. Not too bad, especially on D. We can even play them together if DV does well. He's also 22 years old, just like WCS was coming out of college. Will probably contribute right away.

Apparently this kid can post up too

I admit I haven't watched Valentine play, but from the highlights he doesn't look very explosive... Is he athletic and quick enough to be a good defender?

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I admit I haven't watched Valentine play, but from the highlights he doesn't look very explosive... Is he athletic and quick enough to be a good defender?

I think he'll be fine on defense. He's good at keeping his man in front of him, and he is really smart on both ends of the floor. You just don't see him out of position or getting taken advantage of on D. I think his lack of elite athleticism may be what is keeping him down in the mocks, but he's not a stiff out there or anything.

 

[206Fan]

Valentine is playing right now! Where does he play in the NBA? PG? SG? SF? I'd say he's a lot better player than Jerian Grant and Delon Wright(PGs) coming out of college. I guess we could play him as the point on offense, but have him guard the SG on defense. I think McLemore has shown that he can guard PGs a lot better than Rondo/Collison.

His talent level is extremely high. I think it would be a shame to limit him into some type of 3&D role.

 

[hrdboild]

Two SG failures in a row and you still think plugging a rookie into the starting lineup is a good idea? It's unfortunate we're looking at the draft again this year but please please please don't ignore every other good prospect in the draft just because you think we need a new SG desperately. There are a half dozen very good big men set to go in lottery range who could also develop into stars.

This isn't directed at anyone in particular by the way, just all of Kings fandom. Also, relating to the topic at hand, Dejounte Murray should be in the conversation. He was destroying opposing guards in the PAC 12 this year as a freshman without a jump shot. He's got great hands and long arms on defense and he was almost impossible to stop going to the basket.

 

[Glenn]

Two SG failures in a row and you still think plugging a rookie into the starting lineup is a good idea? It's unfortunate we're looking at the draft again this year but please please please don't ignore every other good prospect in the draft just because you think we need a new SG desperately. There are a half dozen very good big men set to go in lottery range who could also develop into stars.

This isn't directed at anyone in particular by the way, just all of Kings fandom. Also, relating to the topic at hand, Dejounte Murray should be in the conversation. He was destroying opposing guards in the PAC 12 this year as a freshman without a jump shot. He's got great hands and long arms on defense and he was almost impossible to stop going to the basket.

Take the best player available if you actually think you can figure that out. When was Leonard picked? When was Malone picked and on and on. It still is a bit of a crap shoot except perhaps #1 or #2. Remind me who was picked #1 the year of Durant.

 

[ElRey]

Two SG failures in a row and you still think plugging a rookie into the starting lineup is a good idea? It's unfortunate we're looking at the draft again this year but please please please don't ignore every other good prospect in the draft just because you think we need a new SG desperately. There are a half dozen very good big men set to go in lottery range who could also develop into stars.

This isn't directed at anyone in particular by the way, just all of Kings fandom. Also, relating to the topic at hand, Dejounte Murray should be in the conversation. He was destroying opposing guards in the PAC 12 this year as a freshman without a jump shot. He's got great hands and long arms on defense and he was almost impossible to stop going to the basket.

yes with the draft, you always draft the best player available, but BPA may just be a guard as there are 5 guards projected to be drafted in lottery based on the Mock Draft on NBA Draft express.

What other way is there to get a decent shooting guard? Free agents are hard to come by and we have to overpay. Trading involves giving up talent for talent.

But I agree with you in general...you think a player is going to be a STAR, you draft him and worry about it later. More than anything, this team needs talent.

 

[ElRey]

AT the rate we're playing lately, we are going to get a very good draft pick slot.

 

[hrdboild]

yes with the draft, you always draft the best player available, but BPA may just be a guard as there are 5 guards projected to be drafted in lottery based on the Mock Draft on NBA Draft express.

What other way is there to get a decent shooting guard? Free agents are hard to come by and we have to overpay. Trading involves giving up talent for talent.

But I agree with you in general...you think a player is going to be a STAR, you draft him and worry about it later. More than anything, this team needs talent.

Exactly. You can talk yourself into somebody who you think is a perfect fit, but that's what it is. Rationalization. And it causes you to miss important details.

Buddy Hield, for example, is a senior who's a little undersized to play SG in the NBA and may be an average defender. That's hardly a slamdunk. Yes his numbers are eye-popping this year but compare his freshman stats to this year's crop of one-and-done players and he looks less like a sure thing. Would you have drafted him in the top 10 after his freshman year? Of course not. So how much are 4 years of improving production worth relative to the potential of a blue chip 19 year old who's already one of the best players on their team? To illustrate that point, here are all of the seniors drafted in the lottery of the last 9 drafts: Frank Kaminsky (2015), Doug McDermott (2014), CJ McCollum (2013), Jimmer Fredette (2011), Terrence Williams (2009), Tyler Hansbrough (2009), Jason Thompson (2008), Acie Law (2007), Al Thornton (2007). That's it. This may ultimately mean nothing, but it's not an encouraging point in his favor.

Just keep that in mind. Nobody is a slam dunk (aside from Ben Simmons anyway) and guys get drafted in the late teens and twenties quite frequently who should have been top 5 picks. Consider everybody, look at skills and stats and factor in age and experience, don't pay too much attention to who the draft experts mock in the top 5, listen to Dick Vitale at your peril, and don't get too obsessed with "plug and play" players who you think fit nicely into our current lineup. Rosters can change very quickly but talent is universal. Having a surplus of talent is a problem every team would love to have. I've been following the draft closely since 2005 and that's the best advice I have for anyone else getting into it.

 

[Glenn]

Hield sounds like Jimmer.

 

[twslam07]

Exactly. You can talk yourself into somebody who you think is a perfect fit, but that's what it is. Rationalization. And it causes you to miss important details.

Buddy Hield, for example, is a senior who's a little undersized to play SG in the NBA and may be an average defender. That's hardly a slamdunk. Yes his numbers are eye-popping this year but compare his freshman stats to this year's crop of one-and-done players and he looks less like a sure thing. Would you have drafted him in the top 10 after his freshman year? Of course not. So how much are 4 years of improving production worth relative to the potential of a blue chip 19 year old who's already one of the best players on their team? To illustrate that point, here are all of the seniors drafted in the lottery of the last 9 drafts: Frank Kaminsky (2015), Doug McDermott (2014), CJ McCollum (2013), Jimmer Fredette (2011), Terrence Williams (2009), Tyler Hansbrough (2009), Jason Thompson (2008), Acie Law (2007), Al Thornton (2007). That's it. This may ultimately mean nothing, but it's not an encouraging point in his favor.

Just keep that in mind. Nobody is a slam dunk (aside from Ben Simmons anyway) and guys get drafted in the late teens and twenties quite frequently who should have been top 5 picks. Consider everybody, look at skills and stats and factor in age and experience, don't pay too much attention to who the draft experts mock in the top 5, listen to Dick Vitale at your peril, and don't get too obsessed with "plug and play" players who you think fit nicely into our current lineup. Rosters can change very quickly but talent is universal. Having a surplus of talent is a problem every team would love to have. I've been following the draft closely since 2005 and that's the best advice I have for anyone else getting into it.

A lot of your points are very fair and valid in regards to Hield.

Having said that, I think there are perks to drafting a guy like Hield that you may be overlooking. It's always tough to measure a freshmen's work ethic/thirst to get better. With a guy like Hield, he's given you hard evidence that he's willing to put in the work to better his game. Finding these diamonds in the rough is really about finding players who want it bad enough (e.g., Leonard , Butler, etc.).

 

[Dreadnought]

How do you guys feel about Jamal Murray? I don't think he'll be an All-Star but I think he'd be relevant on our team.

 

[KingsFanSince85]

Here's hoping PHILLY wins the lottery and we draw 2nd!

 

[hrdboild]

A lot of your points are very fair and valid in regards to Hield.

Having said that, I think there are perks to drafting a guy like Hield that you may be overlooking. It's always tough to measure a freshmen's work ethic/thirst to get better. With a guy like Hield, he's given you hard evidence that he's willing to put in the work to better his game. Finding these diamonds in the rough is really about finding players who want it bad enough (e.g., Leonard , Butler, etc.).

Good point! Lots of college players are skilled, almost all of them are great athletes. The NBA requires a whole other level of dedication though and not everyone is capable of it. Part of the reason I was so high on mid-lotto guys like Myles Turner, Stanley Johnson, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Devin Booker last year is that I read interviews with coaches and felt like all of them had the work ethic and the attitude that would drive them to continue getting better. And I do weigh that very strongly. Physically I just want to know that nothing is going to hold them back. But attitude is more important to me than skill level. Skill level can always be improved if the attitude is there. You never really know of course. You just try to do your homework and consider everything before making up your mind.

And I don't want to dismiss Hield completely, he needs to be evaluated fairly for his pluses and minuses just like everyone else. I've noticed a lot of buzz about drafting him though and I have to admit, it reminds me of the way Jimmer was instantly treated as the solution to our shooting woes before he played a single game. Different players of course, I wouldn't compare them directly -- just the tendency for fans who don't really follow the draft that closely to equate college success with NBA success. The draft is about pro potential and that's not always the same thing.

 

[upinsmoke]

Here's hoping PHILLY wins the lottery and we draw 2nd!

As I understand it we still own our pick as long as we are in the lotto this year it's the next 2 seasons after that Philly has the option to swap.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

As I understand it we still own our pick as long as we are in the lotto this year it's the next 2 seasons after that Philly has the option to swap.

No, they have swap options both for the 2016 draft and the 2017 draft, each provided that we do not convey the pick to Chicago in fulfillment of the J.J. Hickson trade.

 

[upinsmoke]

No, they have swap options both for the 2016 draft and the 2017 draft, each provided that we do not convey the pick to Chicago in fulfillment of the J.J. Hickson trade.

Agghh!

 

[bajaden]

Hield sounds like Jimmer.

Wow, absolutely amazing. Buddy Hield, probably the best SG in all of college, is now Jimmer. Look, I realize your basing you opinion on some of the ignorance on this thread, but make no mistake, Buddy Hield is no Jimmer fredette, other than he can shoot lights out like Jimmer. I'm amazed how someone can use Hields freshman stats against him. Hield did exactly what every NBA scout wants a prospect to to do. He got better every single year in college. And this season, he is hands down the best SG in all of college. He can hit the three in a spot up. He can hit the three coming off a screen. He can create his own shot with speed changes, ball fakes, step backs, hesitation moves etc. He can get to the basket and finish. He can score with floaters in the lane, or with fall aways. Offensively, there's very little he can't do.

More than that, he is the glue guy on that Oklahoma team. He's always rallying his teammates. He's always smiling. And, he's an excellent defensive player. Also, he's 6'4.5" in shoes, and has a 6'8.5"wingspan. When in god's name that become undersized? Just for the record, Ben McLemore's measurements are 6'4.75" with a 6'7.75" wingspan. Wow, McLemore is a giant next to Hield. Hield is also a very good athlete with good lateral quickness, and he's a terrific competitor.

Obviously Glenn I'm not just responding to your post, so don't take any of this personally. I like Jamal Murray as well, and he would be my second choice in a close match up. I think Hield is a little better athlete and a better defender than Murray. I love Valentine, but I question his ability to defend at the next level. I've seen him get beat off the dribble one on one without screen help time and time again. He certainly gives the effort, but doesn't have the horses to stay in front of his man. Other than that, Valentine is a terrific talent.

I think Dunn could make an excellent SG, but agree with Funky that you'd be wasting his talent there. He's the best PG in the draft and he's a terrific defender as well. As a final note, if one were to put Hield and Jimmer in a one on one matchup, it would be a no contest. Hield would destroy Jimmer. Just my opinion.

 

[Glenn]

I have never seen him play. The description of him sounded like Jimmer. Sorry. I cut out of your long note as you didn't seem to have a clue what I meant. Ciao! You don't need to be an arrogant jerk.

 

[bajaden]

Agghh!

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Philly enters the lottery with the worse record in the NBA and if they were to stay there, they'd have no reason to swap picks with us. The worse they can end up is fourth, and if for some reason we were to jump ahead of them, that's the worse we could end up. More likely than not, if Philly end's up swapping picks with us, we'll probably be picking second or third. Of course it's not first, but it's not a bad consolidation prize.

 

[bajaden]

I have never seen him play. The description of him sounded like Jimmer. Sorry. I cut out of your long note as you didn't seem to have a clue what I meant. Ciao! You don't need to be an arrogant jerk.

Had you read my entire post you would have read the part where I said I was mostly responding to all the other posts and not yours, other than you Jimmer comment, which I excused because you were listening to others that didn't know what they were talking about. You need to learn something about friendship. I have never called you a name, and never will. As a matter of fact, I'm sick of this crap. I'm done here. Get your info somewhere else.

 

[Dime Dropper]

In terms of SGs, don't sleep on the Euro guy, Timothe Luwawu. He looks like a very interesting prospect to me, potential to be a big time, two-way player.

 

[Glenn]

Had you read my entire post you would have read the part where I said I was mostly responding to all the other posts and not yours, other than you Jimmer comment, which I excused because you were listening to others that didn't know what they were talking about. You need to learn something about friendship. I have never called you a name, and never will. As a matter of fact, I'm sick of this crap. I'm done here. Get your info somewhere else.

Perhaps I was trying to be humorous.

This whole forum is getting pretty darn tense and a little giggle might help. Don't assume I am stupid especially in making this comparison. It's obviously absurd. Well, obvious to me. I can see why it irked you.

 

[LPKingsFan]

In terms of SGs, don't sleep on the Euro guy, Timothe Luwawu. He looks like a very interesting prospect to me, potential to be a big time, two-way player.

I read his DX profile and he just sounds like someone the Kings would love. Consider

1. He plays in Serbia (Vlade is on board)
2. His team plays a "wide open style of play" that he has succeeded in (Vivek is on board)
3. He "has pretty much everything you look for in a two-way role-playing NBA wing" and his "most NBA ready attribute is his defense" (everyone here should be intrigued)

He was in the 8-10 range on DX for a while but they now have him a 12. He definitely should be in the mix for us (assuming, as seems most likely now, that we have our pick)

 

[KingsFanSince85]

Devin Booker in a DMC deal

Solid player, not a solid idea.

The point is to improve the team. Losing your best player for the type of player that you can find on a dozen different teams doesn't accomplish that. If you can add a Devin Booker type player to a core of DMC, WCS, Rondo and Collison -- then you will have improved the team.