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NBA Draft: DeAndre Ayton won’t workout for the Kings

By Tyler Watts

TUCSON, AZ - MARCH 03: Deandre Ayton #13 of the Arizona Wildcats walks up court during the second half of the college basketball game against the California Golden Bears at McKale Center on March 3, 2018 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Golden Bears 66-54 to win the PAC-12 Championship. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ - MARCH 03: Deandre Ayton #13 of the Arizona Wildcats walks up court during the second half of the college basketball game against the California Golden Bears at McKale Center on March 3, 2018 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Golden Bears 66-54 to win the PAC-12 Championship. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Despite the Sacramento Kings holding the second overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, DeAndre Ayton claims he will only workout for the Phoenix Suns.

NBA Draft night takes place on June 21 and that Thursday evening has the potential to be a franchise-altering night for every team.

The Sacramento Kings are exploring every option to take with the second overall pick.  The Kings are facing the longest playoff drought in the NBA, and they need their cornerstone piece to build the team around.  Six players are under heavy consideration, but that number may have slipped to five on June 6.

Ayton has private workout in Phoenix

Consensus top draft choice DeAndre Ayton held a private workout with the Phoenix Suns brass on June 6.  That was not surprising, but his comments following the activity raised some eyebrows.

Check out the Tweet below from the Suns official Twitter account.

You have to love Ayton’s confidence, but that should not stop the Kings from doing their homework on him.  If the Suns go in a different direction, Sacramento would be wise to select Ayton.

Related Story: DeAndre Ayton's scouting report: Fit with the Kings

Kings virtually on the clock?

Everything out of the Ayton workout makes it seem like he is Phoenix’s pick at first overall.  That puts Sacramento on the clock.  They should take a hard look at Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr, Mohamed Bamba, Marvin Bagley III, and Michael Porter Jr.  The Kings need to select one of those five players.

Luka Doncic is ahead of the group at this moment.  Doncic is starring for Real Madrid as a 19-year-old in the second best league in the world.  He is a 6’6 wing that can handle the ball and run an offense like a point guard.  Doncic should be the Kings choice at pick two come June 21.

Final thoughts

DeAndre Ayton is confident that he will be the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.  Ayton is so convinced that he is not going to hold a private workout for any other team before draft night.  The Kings will have to rely on game tape if the former Arizona big man is passed on by the Suns.

Hopefully, the Sacramento Kings organization gets the pick right, and their fortunes turn around next season.

Next: 2018 NBA mock draft 3.0

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