A Royal Prospect: BC Rytas Small Forward Deividas Sirvydis
Possessing solid upside on offense, Deividas Sirvydis could be a smart target for the Sacramento Kings in the second round.
An 18-year-old wing with two years of professional experience, high basketball IQ and shooting ability in the second round? Take note, Sacramento Kings.
Deividas Sirvydis at a glance:
- Position: Small Forward
- Height: 6’-8”
- Wingspan: 6’-7.5”
- Weight: 190 pounds
- Age: 18
- Projected Draft Range: Early-Mid Second Round
- ESPN Top-100 Ranking: 43
2018-19 Statistics:
- Points: 5.4 (Per-36: 14.2)
- Rebounds: 1.9 (Per-36: 4.9)
- Assists: 0.6 (Per-36: 1.7)
- Steals: 0.1 (Per-36: 0.2)
- Shooting Splits: .484/.463/.765
- True Shooting Percentage: .656
In a somewhat similar mold as current Sacramento King Bogdan Bogdanovic, Deividas Sirvydis has made a name as a plus-shooter on the international circuit. That’s about all they have in common though, as Sirvydis is just 18, and seems far more equipped on the offensive end to succeed in the NBA.
More. A Royal Prospect: Isaiah Roby. light
In 17 games playing in the Lithuanian Basketball League with BC Rytas, Sirvydis averaged 5.4 points and 1.6 rebounds while shooting 48.4% from the floor and 46.3% from three-point range in 13.7 minutes per game. Those number may not seem like much, but per-36 minutes, those numbers jump to 14.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists and his NBA three-point percentage was a respectable 37.9%.
He’s not just a shooter though, as he’s capable of scoring off the dribble and is a good playmaker. His ability on the offensive end is a big reason he’s a top-50 player by most accounts, but he’s also OK on the defensive end.
At his size, Deividas Sirvydis is capable of playing — and defending — multiple positions and his feel for the game is good enough that he should be able to carve out a sizable role for himself on whatever team he lands on.
The biggest knocks against him stem from a lack of elite athletic ability, but, as we all saw last season, Luka Doncic proved you don’t need to be an elite athlete to have success in the NBA. Not to say Deividas Sirvydis will be Luka Doncic 2.0 or anything, but rather that Sirvydis will be capable of finding success in the NBA even if he lacks top-tier athletic ability.
light. Trending. Vlade Divac is consolidating his power
He does need to add some strength to hang around in the NBA, but with an NBA training regimen that shouldn’t be difficult for the young Lithuanian. More pressing for teams, however, is his inability to use finish with his right hand (he’s a lefty) and his passivity on offense.
In the Adidas Next Generation Tournament at the Euroleague Final Four last May, Sirvydis showed an ability to relentlessly attack defenses and a willingness to attack off the dribble in key situations, but he also showed just the opposite at times, shrinking from the moment and deferring to teammates. He won MVP during that tournament, so it’s not as if he was a negative for his team.
Still, in the second round you’re not necessarily looking for superstars — you’re looking for impact role players or solid to above-average starters. Deividas Sirvydis can be exactly that.
His ability to make quick decisions with the ball and space the floor would be a perfect fit — and big boon — with the Kings ‘offense. And, his ability to function as a primary or secondhand ball-handler off the bench for short stretches is exactly what the Sacramento Kings need.
His ability to play off-the-ball is ideal should he share the floor with De’Aaron Fox or Buddy Hield, and giving the Sacramento Kings another option for Fox to kick out too off of drives is a huge plus. Additionally, a bench unit of Sirvydis, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Harry Giles would be able to pass enough to create open looks on nearly every possession, with two or three shooters this could be a better-than-average bench unit for the Sacramento Kings.
He won’t help much on defense, but he’s smart enough to know where he needs to be. If he’s not asked to play on-ball or guard the point of attack he should be fine in the NBA, but his short arms and lack of lateral agility will leave him liable to get burned early in his career.
dark. Next. Grading the Kings’ assistant coach hires
Regardless, in the second round you’re looking for value and upside and Deividas Sirvydis would bring both of that to the Sacramento Kings. Currently projected as an early-mid second round pick, the Kings should be able to snag him with pick #40, and — make no mistake — they absolutely should.