The NBA Draft was initially supposed to be a night of relaxation for the Sacramento Kings.
They did not win the lottery and thus lost their first-round pick to complete the Kevin Huerter trade.
Despite the rumors that were circulating regarding the Kings’ desire to trade into the first round, the night was silent for a bit.
Similar to the last two years of Kings basketball, the front office seemed to be sitting pat and ready to roll out a similar roster.
But then…
‘The Kings made two of the best picks of the draft.’ Those aren’t my words; those are the words of the general consensus.
In a move that stunned Kings fans and NBA fans alike, the Kings went an entire draft without drafting a point guard.
Sacramento took two players who were considered to be complete steals.
Nique Clifford (Colorado State)
PHOTO: Colorado State Rams/FacebookThe Kings traded a 2027 San Antonio first-round pick (protected 1-16) to Oklahoma City in order to draft Nique Clifford from Colorado State. This is a very similar pick to the Devin Carter selection from last year. Both players were older college players who were widely regarded as floor raisers and were instantly ready to compete at the next level.
The difference between the two is their type of play. While both of them are plus rebounders, Clifford is a defensive-minded wing player with a plus shot and great length. This archetype is exactly what the Kings have been lacking in the last few years, and taking a flyer on a high-floor player like Clifford is the best decision the Kings have made in months.
Maxime Raynaud (Stanford)
While not necessarily an “under-the-radar” pick, the Kings used a second-round selection on Stanford’s Maxime Raynaud. Another archetypal player the Kings have been severely lacking is a stretch 5, and that’s precisely what Raynaud has the capability of bringing. No, I’m not forgetting about the wonderful two-week stretch where Domantas Sabonis led the league in 3pt%, but no matter how well Domas shoots, he’s best utilized in the paint.
Having a center who can come in off the bench and space the floor is just what this roster needs to open up more scoring opportunities.
In Scott Perry’s first test as a GM, he passed with flying colors, but the work is not over.
A Kings team featuring Lavine, Sabonis, and Derozan all playing together is not conducive to what I would call “winning basketball.” The rumors are flying about Malik Monk’s future with the team, and that trade notification for him will feel like a punch in the gut.
All signs are pointing to Dennis Schroeder or Russell Westbrook coming in free agency to fill the point guard minutes. Both of those players are certainly good assets to have on the court, but surely not as starters.
Scott Perry has his work cut out for him for sure, but for now, Kings fans can take a deep breath and realize nothing is certain until games are being played.
This season could be a disaster, it could be a surprise, or it could be another mediocre year of Kings basketball.
But at least for now, we can be content with realizing maybe things are as bleak as they could’ve been.
PHOTO: Colorado State Rams/Facebook
