The Sacramento Kings made a good choice in selecting Kyle Guy

While the Sacramento Kings didn’t have a great draft by most measures, selecting Kyle Guy with the 55th pick was a smart pick.

The Sacramento Kings made some puzzling draft picks last Thursday, but one pick stood out from the rest — in a good way: Kyle Guy.

Kyle Guy, the same one whose clutch play won Virginia a national championship, is now with the Sacramento Kings, and the team is better for it. Unlike their other two draft picks, Guy fills a need with the Kings and projects to have some staying power in the league thanks to his incredible shooting.

Guy was brought in to workout twice for a reason, no other prospect had that opportunity and it’s clear why.

"If you asked me (what I like about Guy), except his shooting, I could say a lot of stuff,” Kings general manager Vlade Divac said following the draft. “I don’t know if can say that, but I feel confident that he’s one of the best shooters in this class — he’s just unbelievable.”"

Divac also said that the team brought in Guy a second time to make sure his shooting wasn’t just a fluke. If Guy’s that good, then the Sacramento Kings may have struck gold with the 55th pick. In 106 games at Virginia, he shot 42.5% from three, and was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player during the Cavaliers’ championship run.

In a league where three-point shooting is of utmost importance — and also a premium — Guy’s selection could go a long way in helping the Sacramento Kings as a spacer when necessary. And for a team that could be pursuing a max-level player, in addition to re-signing Harrison Barnes to a large deal, there may not be enough money around to add significant improvements to the bench.

He’s also capable of scoring around the floor — not just behind the arc — which will be important if he hopes to earn a rotation slot on a team that features Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox as starters. If he doesn’t showcase that ability, he could end up in the G-League on a two-way contract or worse — as the Kings’ Nik Stauskas 2.0. Guy is, however, a winner at all levels and a decorated one at that.

He’s a decent playmaker as well, but it’s not exactly his calling card. He’s also pretty small for a shooting guard, and the team’s defense could suffer when he’s on the floor. The Kings would be wise to transition him to a backup point guard role, but whether he’ll excel in that role is another question entirely.

Regardless, one things for sure: Kyle Guy was the Kings’ best draft pick, and it’s not particularly close.