Grade the draft day trade pitch: Kings finally upgrade power forward position
By Mat Issa
Draft day (or should we say "draft days") is finally upon us. This year, the Sacramento Kings own the 13th and 45th overall picks in the draft (the 13th overall pick will take place on Wednesday, and the 45th pick will be selected on Thursday).
For the Kings, it seems likely that they will be trading their 13th overall pick in an effort to upgrade their roster. They are going to need to if they plan on improving from last season, especially after the New York Knicks' big blockbuster deal.
Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter is a name to watch for the Sacramento Kings at No. 13 if they keep the pick. Shot 34.1% from 3 on 6.3 attempts per game.
— Cameron Salerno (@cameronsalerno1) June 25, 2024
Heavy emphasis on *if they keep the pick* because at this point, it’s trending they will move it. pic.twitter.com/kQLCuy8ggh
If the Kings are going to swing a deal, it should be in the effort to land an upgrade at power forward. One name that has been consistently floated around is Jerami Grant – a 30-year-old forward who offers shooting (40.2% from three last season) and secondary rim protection (51st percentile block rate, per Dunks & Threes).
On Tuesday, Bleacher Report came out with a mock trade between the Kings and Portland Trail Blazers that would make Grant a member of our team. Here is what it looks like:
Jerami Grant Trade
How good of a deal is this for our Kings? What about for the Blazers? Are they getting the best value for a player of Grant's contract and caliber?
Over the next two slides, we will grade this trade for both teams.