The post NBA Mock Draft: Who the Kings expect to pick in the first round appeared first on NBC Sports Bay Area
With the Kings falling just short of making the NBA playoffs, Sacramento's next challenge will be figuring out what to do with its 2024 first-round draft pick.
The Kings could package their selections to acquire a proven veteran, but the option of adding an impact rookie on a cost-controlled contract is also very attractive.
Sacramento is currently projected to pick No. 13 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, but the Kings could move up in the lottery, with a 3.8 percent chance of finishing in the top four and a probability of taking the pick. 1st overall pick with 0.8%.
Here's what NBA expert project general manager Monte McNair and the Kings would do if they stick with the pick and end up selecting No. 13 overall.
Jared McCain, PG, Duke – Freshman
Finkelstein said Malik Monk's pending unrestricted free agency will create a need for another ball handler if the Kings' sixth man chooses to sign elsewhere over the summer. Pointed out. What are the potential solutions? Drafted a dynamic guard from a blue blood program.
McCain is 6-foot-3, 197 pounds and started 36 games during his only season with the Blue Devils. The dynamic guard is averaging 14.3 points, 5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 31.6 minutes per game and could provide Sacramento with another scoring threat if Monk leaves.
Tijan Saraoun, SF, France
“A big wing with a sturdy shooting base and stable release, the Surawun quickly became one of my favorites in this class,” Boone wrote.
The Kings lack depth on the wings behind Keegan Murray, so Saraun presents an opportunity to add a perimeter player with size and notable upside. The 6-foot-9, 212-pound Frenchman could play the forward position.
The 18-year-old averaged 8.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in the 2023-24 season with Cholet Basket of LNB Pro A, France's top men's professional basketball league. Despite being one of the younger prospects in the entire 2024 class, Saraun's raw but promising upside could be attractive to Sacramento, which is near the tail end of the lottery. .
Jared McCain, PG, Duke
“Teams will likely view McCain as either a scoring combo/secondary playmaker or an offensive spark off the bench,” Wasserman wrote.
Like Finklestein, Wasserman noted that if the dynamic guard leaves in free agency, Sacramento may need to replace the playmaking ability it has relied on in Monk over the past two seasons. If Monk signs elsewhere this summer, the Kings will need to replace the 26-year-old, who averaged 15.4 points in 26 minutes per game off the bench during the 2023-24 NBA season. If that need arises, McCain could be an interesting option.
Ron Holland, G, G League Ignite
“From an efficiency standpoint, Holland had a shaky season in the G League, but he is one of the youngest players in the draft and brings impressive intensity and scoring ability, so the results “Depending on the pre-draft process, he will be a top pick in the lottery,” Givony wrote.
Holland is 6-foot-6, 204 pounds and averaged 19.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game for the G League Ignite in the 2023-24 season. The dynamic guard is only 18 years old, but has tremendous offensive ability and could give the Kings an interesting option on the perimeter.
Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky
Karbroski also noted that Monk's potential departure is Sacramento's most pressing need, with Dillingham a possible replacement. The 6-foot-3 guard from Kentucky averaged 15.2 points per game for the Wildcats during the 2023-24 season, but more importantly, he started just one of the 32 games he played in. , and accomplished that in a role off the bench.
Dillingman checks all the boxes needed to replace Monk. He is a crafty playmaker who can not only move his teammates around but also create his own offense. For Dillingham, who has served in a sixth-man role in big-time programs, the transition to a similar role in the NBA may be easier than for a player accustomed to starting at the college level.
Zach Eadie, C, Purdue
Finally, a mock that is not a replacement for Monk. Eady was a superstar at Purdue University, leading the Boilermakers to a runner-up finish in his 2024 NCAA men's basketball tournament. The 7-foot-4 big man averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game in 2023-24.
As for Edy, the biggest concern remains whether his game will transfer to the next level. What kind of role will he be able to carve out in a league where size alone cannot dictate the game like in college? Still, Eady's pedigree and production make him an interesting prospect who might be worth a roll of the dice in the lottery.