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2021 NBA Draft Profiles: Sacramento Kings

Riley ThomasBy Updated:5 Mins Read

The 2021 NBA Draft will take place on July 29. With the draft coming up, The Game Haus will be doing draft profiles for each NBA team. NBA squads will be analyzed, team needs will be addressed and potential targets will be discussed.

Today, the Sacramento Kings’ 2021 NBA Draft Profile will be presented.

Summary

The Sacramento Kings had another losing season finishing 31-41, which was fourth-worst in the west. The Kings hovered around .500 for roughly the first 25 games of the season. After starting 12-12, Sacramento slid on an eight-game losing streak and struggled for the remainder of the NBA season.

While the Kings do not view the 2020-21 season as a success, they did have some young talents improve. For example, the emerging point guard De’Aaron Fox averaged 25.2 points while dishing 7.2 assists per contest. In addition, Fox was efficient shooting 47.7% from the floor. Many viewed Fox an an All-Star snub, but on his trajectory he should appear in some All-Star games sooner rather than later. Also, the Kings’ rookie Tyrese Haliburton had an impressive rookie season averaging 13 points and 5.3 assists shooting 47.2% and 40.9% from three. The Kings seem to have a good young backcourt going forward with Fox, Buddy Hield and Haliburton.

Sacramento could have a future superstar in Fox with hopeful talent around him. With a couple of added pieces, the Kings could begin to battle for a playoff birth.

Picks

In the 2021 NBA Draft, Sacramento has a total of two picks.

First Round: Pick No. 9

Second Round: Pick No. 39

Team Needs

Defense- Perhaps Sacramento’s team defense is what prevents the Kings from winning. The Kings actually had a pretty solid offense in the 2020-21 season. They shot 48.1% as a team, were eighth in the NBA in field goals made, 11th in fewest turnovers and 12th in assists. What clearly hindered Sacramento this season was defense.

To elaborate, the Kings were 28th in points allowed per game. To make matters worse, Sacramento was dead last in opponent field goal percentage and 25th in opponent three point percentage. Clearly, the Kings must look to add some defensive talent in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Frontcourt Help- After the 2021 NBA offseason, Sacramento could have some holes in the frontcourt. First off, Marvin Bagley has been lackluster to begin his NBA career. Rumors have surrounded a Bagley trade for sometime now. Also, Richaun Holmes will be a free agent this offseason and will likely command big money. Holmes had a career-high season averaging over 14 points per game shooting over 60% while snagging over eight rebounds per contest. If Sacramento is unable to resign Holmes, they will have a hole at center.

Projected Targets

Round 1, Pick 9: Keon Johnson, SG (Tennessee)

With the ninth pick, the Kings could go in many directions. More than likely, Sacramento will look to target the best available player since there is not a lot of lottery talent at frontcourt positions. Taking the best available player worked out extremely well for Sacramento last year when they selected Haliburton.

Keon Johnson has skyrocketed up draft boards after a tremendous NBA combine. He had a record-breaking vertical of 48 inches.

In addition, Johnson has a good frame standing at 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan. Johnson has a high ceiling due to his elite athleticism, but will be a development project. The talented wing only averaged 11.3 points at Tennessee while shooting only 27.1% from three. Despite some offensive struggles in college, Johnson can be a good scorer at the NBA level. With Johnson’s frame and athleticism he has the potential to be a great wing defender as well. Sacramento already has a full backcourt with Fox, Hield and Haliburton, but Johnson brings a different skillset and could add some much needed defense.

Round 2, Pick 39: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, PF (Villanova)

If Sacramento decides to select a wing player with their first-round pick, they will look to sure up their frontcourt. As mentioned, Holmes could leave Sacramento as a free agent this offseason, and Bagley continues to be a possible trade piece. Regardless of what happens with Bagley, Sacramento is weak at the power forward position.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is a borderline first-round talent that brings some old school style to the frontcourt. Robinson-Earl is 6-foot-9 and weighs roughly 230 pounds. He is a good post scorer and possesses an impressive faceup game. Also, Robinson-Earl has a solid jump shot with a good midrange game. He is also a good rebounder, which the Kings could use. The former Villanova big man did not participate in the NBA Combine, which has hurt his stock. Now, Robinson-Earl could easily slide to the Kings at pick 39. The main concern surrounding Robinson-Earl is his inconsistent three-point shooting. He is not the most athletic forward, but still flashes impressive bursts at times when driving to the bucket. His faceup midrange game is similar to a Chris Bosh or Kevin Love. Overall, Robinson-Earl could turn out as a great value at pick 39, and could help sure up the Kings’ frontcourt.

 

All stats courtesy of ESPN and Lineups.

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