Kings select for the 8th pick - Nik Stauskas

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

I'm more upset with the overall lack of team improvement than I am about the pick, but I suppose there is more time to do that. We'll see if it actually happens, because our biggest asset is now gone.

I still firmly believe that Ben needs to go.

And I'm once again looking towards Milwaukee. What are they going to do with all those forwards? Antetokuonmpo, Illyasova, Henson, Parker, Middleton ... You'd think something has to give there. A young Ben McLemore might make some sense over there.

 

[Tetsujin]

I'm more upset with the overall lack of team improvement than I am about the pick, but I suppose there is more time to do that. We'll see if it actually happens, because our biggest asset is now gone.

I still firmly believe that Ben needs to go.

And I'm once again looking towards Milwaukee. What are they going to do with all those forwards? Antetokuonmpo, Illyasova, Henson, Parker, Middleton ... You'd think something has to give there. A young Ben McLemore might make some sense over there.

The Stauskas pick really makes sense in the context of the Pistons trade rumor that was building up steam during the week. Bring in Josh Smith for Landry/D-Will/Outlaw and Stauskas's shooting and ability to play some 3 becomes an absolute necessity. Same probably applies for a Larry Sanders move.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

The Stauskas pick really makes sense in the context of the Pistons trade rumor that was building up steam during the week. Bring in Josh Smith for Landry/D-Will/Outlaw and Stauskas's shooting and ability to play some 3 becomes an absolute necessity. Same probably applies for a Larry Sanders move.

I mean, without the 8th pick to trade and with our lack of cap room, taking on a bad contract with talent is one of the ONLY ways for us to improve.

So in that regard, I would agree that Josh Smith makes some sense from a pure talent upgrade standpoint. He has plenty of flaws, but would I take him over some cluster of JT/Landry/Williams/Outlaw/Terry .. probably.

PDA mentioned that they still wanted to get a shot blocker after the draft last night. He sorted of hinted that it would come via trade. Sanders and Smith are really the only two shot blockers that come to mind that could be had via salary dump.

If we are trading Ben, other doors like Henson certainly open up.

But now that we are just about out of assets, point guard seems like the biggest need on this team right now. And I don't know how IT fits with a team consisting of Smith/Gay/Cousins.

One thing rattling in my head was a sign and trade with Boston for Rondo including IT and Ben. Would make sense that it couldn't be done until after the draft.

That's all we have left to play with. Ben McLemore and IT sign and trade. Other than that, we are out of things other teams want.

 

[chasen4r1]

After watching the Draft Express video on Stauskas, i decided to find their video on Ben before last years draft. It was nice to see a reminder of how good Ben was and what potential he has.

The biggest take away for me was his confidence. In college, Ben knew he was the best. He was gritty, had a chip on his shoulder, pumped his fists and hollered after dunks and big shots. We didn't see that Ben last year. We saw someone who was timid, which only magnified is weaknesses.

With all this said, I expect a huge jump in production from Ben this year. One year under his belt, I think he comes in with a world more confidence than last year.

It'd be hard for me to see Ben go. I'm expecting more from him this year.

 

[CruzDude]

I guess my question would be, did you watch McLemore play, and did you watch Stauskas play? The numbers mean nothing. other than the results on paper were the same, but how they got those numbers wasn't the same. I'm not going to bash Mclemore in order to defend the pick of Stauskas. That's a pointless exercise. All I'll say is that they are different players, and for the most part the biggest difference between them, other than physical differences, is what's between their ears. McLemore is pure energy with great tools. Everything he needs to be great is sitting there, and so far, mostly unused. Hopefully that will change. Stauskas has discovered his tools and is having a great time using them. His BBIQ is outstanding, where McLemore is just learning to read the BBIQ book. Where McLemore is finding his way, slowly groping through the dark, Stauskas is confident, and almost cocky as he runs over you.

This is the real essence of the Stauskas fit for Kings. A true Klay Thompson v2.0 filling the Kings biggest need with a player who can contribute now. Many thanks to new member fursty13 for some real, tangible input on the newest King.

The big WOW now is the summer league team, the most exciting one in 15 years: 3guards Ben, Ray and Nik, two forwards DWill and Acy, and I bet Willie Reed in the middle and likely the 7-5 Indian fellow from NM State. Look for us Kings old timers 6-8 rows up the first aisle on players side in Cox Pavilion wearing our Kings T's.

 

[rhythmless]

PDA mentioned in the post-draft interview that they were even thinking about trading up to take Stauskas.

Lol. All I can do at this point is shake my head. There's no need to say sthings like this. They said the same stuff about Ben, and look how that played out.

 

[dude12]

After watching the Draft Express video on Stauskas, i decided to find their video on Ben before last years draft. It was nice to see a reminder of how good Ben was and what potential he has.

The biggest take away for me was his confidence. In college, Ben knew he was the best. He was gritty, had a chip on his shoulder, pumped his fists and hollered after dunks and big shots. We didn't see that Ben last year. We saw someone who was timid, which only magnified is weaknesses.

With all this said, I expect a huge jump in production from Ben this year. One year under his belt, I think he comes in with a world more confidence than last year.

It'd be hard for me to see Ben go. I'm expecting more from him this year.

I think it's easy to dump on Ben after the year he had but I choose to see the potential. I think his upside is more than Stauskas based on his athletic ability and I put a lot of stock into the defensive side. Whether he can reach that upside is the question but the shooting stroke is there, the defensive potential is there. As someone mentioned above, if we can move a re-signed IT and Ben for a Rondo, then things are looking up.

 

[EJF]

My gut reaction is I pretty much hate this pick.

 

[pshn80]

Also interesting to me that Malone keeps harping on how we were 27th in the league in 3P% and hence Stauskas is gonna help us. A big reason why we were 27th was because our designated shooter was Sir Brickalot McLemore. So ... now that we've gone ahead and added Stauskas what exactly do we need Ben for?

Excellent question. If we keep both as I think we will, I believe the door is open - we at least have a needed backup to Ben who will contribute minutes every game and take the pressure off Ben, or see the two compete and best man get the main minutes. At this point I'm looking for both improving and giving us a positive improvement from the SS position. If we trade Ben we have someone to take over and we'd still need another body at SG. Let both have to produce for their money and status. Last year Ben started and played minutes because their was no choice.

 

[Jerichoholic]

I think it's easy to dump on Ben after the year he had but I choose to see the potential. I think his upside is more than Stauskas based on his athletic ability and I put a lot of stock into the defensive side. Whether he can reach that upside is the question but the shooting stroke is there, the defensive potential is there. As someone mentioned above, if we can move a re-signed IT and Ben for a Rondo, then things are looking up.

I think this is something that a lot of people forget, McLemore was an excellent shooter in college and you don't just lose things like that. Transitioning to the NBA was difficult for him, but he is not a bust, he has a ton of potential and is a hard worker, those guys don't usually bust, at the very least they become contributors. Don't be surprised to see a lot of this lineup.

PG: Stauskas
SG: McLemore
SF: Gay
PF: Hopefully someone who can defend the pick and roll, helps at the proper time, understands team defense, high basketball IQ, and as a bonus consistently hit the mid-range jumper. Basically the opposite of what we have now. As I'm typing this it might not be as easy to get as I thought.
C: Cousins

 

[chasen4r1]

I think this is something that a lot of people forget, McLemore was an excellent shooter in college and you don't just lose things like that. Transitioning to the NBA was difficult for him, but he is not a bust, he has a ton of potential and is a hard worker, those guys don't usually bust, at the very least they become contributors. Don't be surprised to see a lot of this lineup.

PG: Stauskas
SG: McLemore
SF: Gay
PF: Hopefully someone who can defend the pick and roll, helps at the proper time, understands team defense, high basketball IQ, and as a bonus consistently hit the mid-range jumper. Basically the opposite of what we have now. As I'm typing this it might not be as easy to get as I thought.
C: Cousins

I absolutely agree. I think we're going to see this line up quite often.

I actually think Stauskas is up for the task. As i said earlier, i wasnt happy when the pick was announced, for a few reasons. But i'll allow a little bit of research and a touch of homerism to go a long way.

 

[Albatros]

Not saying I'm a proponent of this but I'm sure we will see this line up a lot.

PG:IT
SG: Nik
SF: Ben
PF: Rudy
C: Cuz.

 

[Livinthedream]

After watching the Draft Express video on Stauskas, i decided to find their video on Ben before last years draft. It was nice to see a reminder of how good Ben was and what potential he has.

The biggest take away for me was his confidence. In college, Ben knew he was the best. He was gritty, had a chip on his shoulder, pumped his fists and hollered after dunks and big shots. We didn't see that Ben last year. We saw someone who was timid, which only magnified is weaknesses.

With all this said, I expect a huge jump in production from Ben this year. One year under his belt, I think he comes in with a world more confidence than last year.

It'd be hard for me to see Ben go. I'm expecting more from him this year.

He knew he was getting the ball. See what happened last game of the season with no Cousins or IT? He knew he could just play without fear of being taken out or being frozen out of the offense.

People need to get a little perspective. Ask non Kings fans who they would take from our team and Cousins and Mclemore always come up. It's ironic in the sense that it has become sport to blame all of our woes on Ben, when others salivate at the idea of having him on their team.

 

[The Chico]

I got a feeling Ben is now a trade peice that will eventually land Rondo down the road this offseason and both Boston and Sacramento were confident enough that a Trade will happen that Kings got their SG situation taken care of and Boston gets a young PG they can build the future with with Smart.

Not even July 1st yet and some people are already jumping off the cliff and wanting PDA head, I got to say is step off the cliff and enjoy the summer, as the roster you see right now will not be the complete roster in October.

 

[pdizo916]

I got a feeling Ben is now a trade peice that will eventually land Rondo down the road this offseason and both Boston and Sacramento were confident enough that a Trade will happen that Kings got their SG situation taken care of and Boston gets a young PG they can build the future with with Smart.

Not even July 1st yet and some people are already jumping off the cliff and wanting PDA head, I got to say is step off the cliff and enjoy the summer, as the roster you see right now will not be the complete roster in October.

Didn't Boston take James Young? If so, I doubt that they'll want Ben now.

 

[Chupacabra]

If Stauskas is our guy at sg then getting a pg that can defend is absolutely crucial. I just KNOW our backcourt is going to be Mccallum/Stauskas. In this situation Stauskas is a good thing. However, a backcourt of IT/Stauskas is terrible defensively and we STILL have no big time defender at the rim to stop the countless strolls to the basket that we would see.

 

[Padrino]

I got a feeling Ben is now a trade peice that will eventually land Rondo down the road this offseason and both Boston and Sacramento were confident enough that a Trade will happen that Kings got their SG situation taken care of and Boston gets a young PG they can build the future with with Smart.

Not even July 1st yet and some people are already jumping off the cliff and wanting PDA head, I got to say is step off the cliff and enjoy the summer, as the roster you see right now will not be the complete roster in October.

the only boston/sacramento trade that truly made sense was #8/ben for rondo. with the #8 now officially off the table (and without a 2015 first rounder to trade), ben mclemore alone certainly isn't going to be enough to net rajon rondo, and i haven't the foggiest idea what other of the kings' spare parts the celtics could possibly be interested in...

 

[Livinthedream]

If Stauskas is our guy at sg then getting a pg that can defend is absolutely crucial. I just KNOW our backcourt is going to be Mccallum/Stauskas. In this situation Stauskas is a good thing. However, a backcourt of IT/Stauskas is terrible defensively and we STILL have no big time defender at the rim to stop the countless strolls to the basket that we would see.

I get the feeling they want it to be a 3 guard rotation with Ben, Nik and Ray. Throw in a free agent signing with another guard with size like Vazquez and I think PDA is happy. Defense is not his concern.

 

[fursty13]

For those comparing Ben to Nik in terms of shooting coming out of college, it's a ridiculous comparison. Ben was a good shooter coming out of school, Nik is elite. We would watch him in pre-game shoot arounds knock down 25 straight from the corner, miss one, and then knock down 25 more in a row. His ability to knock down open 3s translated to the games, and it was a shock, a SHOCK, when he missed an uncontested jumper.

I think he can play some 1, but not full time. Running him at PG with Demarcus on the court will work since most of the offense would be initiated through post action. Nik's ability in the PNR is well documented. I see there are concerns with his ability to blow past his man. I've seen countless situations where all Nik does his hesitate to make it look like he's going up for a shot, and the defender panics, allowing Nik to get past him. It's true that he probably can't get past his guy on a straight dribble drive, but his shot is so deadly that it sets up all other aspects to his game.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

the only boston/sacramento trade that truly made sense was #8/ben for rondo. with the #8 now officially off the table (and without a 2015 first rounder to trade), ben mclemore alone certainly isn't going to be enough to net rajon rondo, and i haven't the foggiest idea what other of the kings' spare parts the celtics could possibly be interested in...

I had originally thought that as well, but maybe, just maybe, McLemore and Thomas in a sign and trade is enough.

 

[Padrino]

I had originally thought that as well, but maybe, just maybe, McLemore and Thomas in a sign and trade is enough.

hm, ya know... that's possible, and certainly interesting for boston if they're planning to rebuild (which seems to be the case with the selection of marcus smart). a guard rotation that includes smart, thomas, bradley, and mclemore is young and dynamic, and covers an awful lot of bases on both sides of the floor...

and rondo/stauskas/gay/??/cousins definitely works for me, too. i'd pull that trigger...

 

[Albatros]

People need to get a little perspective. Ask non Kings fans who they would take from our team and Cousins and Mclemore always come up. It's ironic in the sense that it has become sport to blame all of our woes on Ben, when others salivate at the idea of having him on their team.

The difference is we watch him every night. Other fans (probably) dont.

Sadly GM's do watch.

 

[bajaden]

In about 2 years this pick/passing on Vonleh will bite us. Unless this guy somehow reinvent the 2 guard position...Kings will be the laughing stock of the NBA.

And you base this on what? Have you seen either of them play. Vonleh, who I liked,was going to be a project. Nothing wrong with that, unless your looking for someone that could contribute now, instead of two years from now. The old saying, a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. Stauskas was the bird in hand, and Vonleh was the two in the bush, that you hope you'll get. A lot of the reports about Stauskas were for the most part a year old, and they were all true at the time. But he came back for his sophmore year an entirely different player. So much so, that he shocked me. Everything written about him after his freshman year had to be re-written. He was the best player on the floor in just about every game he played, and I don't just mean his own team. But the best player period. He is cocky, but cocky in the same way Larry Bird was. He'll talk trash to you, and then do it. He's a very fiery competitor. I don't think it will take long before he becomes a fan favorite.

 

[chasen4r1]

And you base this on what? Have you seen either of them play. Vonleh, who I liked,was going to be a project. Nothing wrong with that, unless your looking for someone that could contribute now, instead of two years from now. The old saying, a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. Stauskas was the bird in hand, and Vonleh was the two in the bush, that you hope you'll get. A lot of the reports about Stauskas were for the most part a year old, and they were all true at the time. But he came back for his sophmore year an entirely different player. So much so, that he shocked me. Everything written about him after his freshman year had to be re-written. He was the best player on the floor in just about every game he played, and I don't just mean his own team. But the best player period. He is cocky, but cocky in the same way Larry Bird was. He'll talk trash to you, and then do it. He's a very fiery competitor. I don't think it will take long before he becomes a fan favorite.

I appreciate your perspective on him. It make the pick a lot more exciting!

 

[bajaden]

Personally I was really concerned with his ability to get past his man in PNR situation, when he faced NBA level defense and athleticism.

When he gets the defender up in his grill he really struggles - granted he is sneaky and creative which is something we might never say about Ben and is helping - but he really struggles nonetheless, and if he cant blow past his man to keep him honest then his ability to pass and work the PNR is severely damaged.

I love him overall as a player. Marks check in different areas for us as far as shooting, passing, and general bball IQ.

I am seriously pissed that we couldn't trade Ben to Philly for Payton, and maybe add a little something extra. I really hope we tried and Philly just said "No", cause if we had it on the table and rejected it, it's just a ridiculous decision by the FO.

I really hope we did everything we could to get Payton on top of Nik, cause not getting him is gonna haunt us imo down the line as he develops.

I watched Nik play over 20 times this past season. Some of the games I watched twice. You tell me which game he struggled in. You tell me who it was that, as you say. that got up in his grill and made him struggle. I never saw it. The player that I thought did the best job guarding him this past season was Gary Harris, and he still scored around 20 points a game against him while shooting 40% from the three. He's a very smart, crafty player that takes what's there, and seldon forces things. He's one of the best pick and roll players in college. He really knows how to use a pick. When Nik uses a pick, and his defender tries to go over the pick, he turns the corner and heads to the basket where he either finishes, dishes to a teammate, or stops on a dime and takes a stepback fadeaway.
If his defender goes under the pick, its'money in the bank. He only needs a small amount of daylight to get his shot off.

Is he perfect? Of course not. Like any rookie, he's going to have his bumps along the road. But unlike both Jimmer, and McLemore, Stauskas is loaded with confidence. Many times the difference between being average and great is what's between your ears. He's going to be a very good player for the Kings. He does need to improve his defense, but he knows it, and being the gym rat that he is, I think he's going to surprise people on that side of the ball.

 

[Livinthedream]

The difference is we watch him every night. Other fans (probably) dont.

Sadly GM's do watch.

Or the difference may be that we're so frustrated at losing, that we have to find some one person to be at fault. We want to win so bad that we lose perspective. He was a rookie on an unstable roster.

Very few NBA players walk through the door and make a big impact. The ones who make the biggest impact are those that are handed the keys to the team from the start.

 

[jcwkings]

Watching Stauskas highlights the Steph Curry influence is very apparent. His offensive game will translate very well to today's NBA and he seems like a guy that will improve his game every year (just look at his freshman to sophmore year). He plays with a swagger which I love, especially for shooters. I don't think confidence will be an issue for Nick as it was for Ben, who was always one early miss away from having a dud of a game. The difference between Stauskas as a prospect and McLemore is quite big imo. Ben was touted as a pure shooter and great athelte with no off the dribble game with question marks surrounding the mental aspects of the game(which all came out to be true except the mental aspect was so bad it killed his shooting as well). Stauskas is a pure shooter with off the dribble ability, high IQ, good decision maker that oozes confidence, hopefully all that translates as it should to the NBA.

 

[Kingster]

Jason Jones mentioned earlier today that there is mutual interest in Greivis Vasquez returning. Hallelujah.

Oh God. This is just more diarrhea of the mouth by the organization. Please stop.

 

[John Galt]

Not saying I'm a proponent of this but I'm sure we will see this line up a lot.

PG:IT
SG: Nik
SF: Ben
PF: Rudy
C: Cuz.

will terrorize opponents with defense

 

[Bricklayer]

Or the difference may be that we're so frustrated at losing, that we have to find some one person to be at fault. We want to win so bad that we lose perspective. He was a rookie on an unstable roster.

Very few NBA players walk through the door and make a big impact. The ones who make the biggest impact are those that are handed the keys to the team from the start.

Ben DID make an impact.

He was one of the very worst big minute rookies in the entire history of the league. He actively cost us wins. He was a hell of an impact player. He was practically playing for the opposing team.