The Kings moved up to No. 4 in the draft lottery and while the franchise is in a position to add a high-upside prospect, Sacramento may look to trade the pick for veteran help, according to Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.
Rival teams are keeping a close eye on the situation and it’s fair to wonder whether the Raptors will be a team that checks in with the Kings’ front office before draft night.
Pascal Siakam, who could be traded this summer, is among the high-achieving veterans who have previously been linked to Sacramento. Yes, those reports came prior to the Domantas Sabonis trade, though Sabonis has thrived alongside another traditional big man, and Siakam’s range and play-making ability have allowed him to thrive alongside a variety of bigs in Toronto, including Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka in the past.
If the Raptors are serious about moving on from Siakam this summer and they have ambitions of providing Scottie Barnes with a young running mate, it’s hard to envision another team besting the Kings’ trade offer of the No. 4 pick.
Latest NBA Draft Buzz
- Dyson Daniels is rising up the draft boards with Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com placing Daniels at No. 6 on his top 100 after the guard’s impressive draft combine. NBA executives have reportedly compared Daniels’ talent to Tyrese Haliburton and Khris Middleton.
- We passed along the buzz on Jalen Williams (Santa Clara) last week and Givony shared some additional details about Williams’ strong combine (via the same piece). Williams, who had been projected to be a second-round selection, appears to be a lock for the first round. How high could Williams, who recently made the decision to officially keep his name in the draft, end up hearing his name? Josh Cornelissen of King James Gospel has the 6-foot-6 guard going to the Cavaliers at No. 14 in his latest mock draft.
- Most NBA executives that have spoken to SI’s Jeremy Woo believe that Shaedon Sharpe will be off the board in the first seven picks. Woo also is hearing that Daniels is a lock to go in the top-10.
- Where Patrick Baldwin Jr. will end up remains one of the interesting questions entering this year’s draft. Woo hears that there are a group of scouts who “seem to be entirely out on him” given his history of inconsistency and injuries. However, Baldwin’s pro day and private workouts could bring optimism and Woo envisions one team rolling the dice on Baldwin at some point in the first round.
