What Needs Can The Sacramento Kings Fill In The Draft?

While the time table for the NBA Draft and its process are unknown, it is never too early to talk about what the Sacramento Kings might do when the time comes.

The 2020 NBA Draft should have been one in which the Sacramento Kings were able to add a complimentary piece to an already solid foundation, or have the luxury of selecting a project for a future role. Instead, the Kings have a handful of holes to patch up and down their roster, and they will likely have to use the draft to do so.

So as it currently stands, what is the Kings biggest need? Where is the glaring weakness on the team?

The most uncertain group of players on the roster is undoubtedly the big men. Aside from Richaun Holmes, who himself missed 25 games due to injury, the Kings front court situation is unstable at best. There are contract situations to be dealt with in the likes of Alex Len and Harry Giles, and Jabari Parker has made just one appearance, logging fifteen total minutes of action. That is not to mention the uncertainty that surrounds Marvin Bagley.

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Still, the Kings biggest need might be out on the wing.

As we’ve highlighted recently, Harrison Barnes provides a consistent, veteran presence to the Kings starting lineup from the small forward position. He is the third-leading scorer on the team and is often a go-to guy when Sacramento needs a basket. But the situation behind him is a question mark. Bogdan Bogdanovic played 55 percent of his minutes at small forward this season, mostly as a part of the second unit and often in relief of Barnes.

Bogdanovic has been moved in to the starting lineup, which leaves this list of options for the Kings at the small forward position (percentage of minutes played at SF in parenthesis): Justin James (45), Buddy Hield (21), and Kent Bazemore (12).

Not only are the Kings thin at the 3 spot, they may need to acquire multiple players in the offseason to fill in the role as Barnes’ backup. One way that they will likely do so is through the draft.

While the 2020 Draft Class is noticeably point guard-heavy, that is true mostly for the top and middle of the lottery. There are some wing prospects in the latter portion of the lottery where the Kings’ pick is projected to land, and Sacramento could be able to find a diamond in the rough. Jaden McDaniels out of Washington fits the bill and could be available when the Kings pick. Devin Vassel from Florida State is listed as a shooting guard but the Kings could potentially use his six-foot seven-inch frame to back up Barnes, who is six-foot eight.

There might also be potential options in the second round where the Kings have three picks. Any player taken outside of the first round in this year’s class will likely be a project, but Sacramento could get lucky and hit on one of their later picks (it is very unlikely that they keep all three).

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Of course, there is the very real possibility of the Kings trading back or out of the first round all together. They may be able to package the pick with another asset to potentially bring in an established player, and it is likely that that player is a wing anyways.

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