Sacramento Kings may get creative with Porter Jr. or Carter Jr. at No. 2
The Sacramento Kings are keeping all options open with the second overall pick next week, and two upcoming workouts prove it.
Next Thursday night, the Phoenix Suns have the first overall pick. It seems to be a foregone conclusion they’ll take Arizona center Deandre Ayton, but new coach Igor Kokoskov’s tie to guard Luka Doncic opens up that possibility. The Sacramento Kings will be next up at No. 2 overall, with the proverbial draft world as their oyster.
The Kings could just take Doncic and be done with it, assuming Ayton goes No.1, or a trade down with a team desperate to move up could be on the table. Marvin Bagley III is going to the Kings in a couple current mock drafts, but there is increasing buzz surrounding Michael Porter Jr.
According to Sam Amick of USA TODAY, there’s a “real chance the Kings will take Porter Jr. with the second overall pick. The Missouri forward lost almost all of his lone college season to a back injury, but the perception of his skill set and upside has him on the rise as a draft prospect right now.
There’s a very real chance the Kings would take Michael Porter Jr. at No. 2, but it’s unclear how the canceling of the Friday workout in Chicago might impact the process. They want more intel on medical and another look. Teams are being told that the workout will be rescheduled.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) June 14, 2018
Kings appear to be pondering Porter Jr., Doncic and Bagley more than the rest, with the assumption that Phoenix takes Ayton No. 1 https://t.co/CO2DvAAWXs
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) June 14, 2018
The medical evaluation on Porter is important to teams, alongside what has to be a projection for him with just three college games on his resume. With the news that Porter Jr. had to cancel a workout because of muscle tightness things are complicated. But the Kings are clearly keeping all their options open, to the point of an upcoming workout with one of Bagley’s former Duke teammates.
The Sacramento Kings will bring in Wendell Carter (Duke) for an individual workout on Saturday, June 16, league sources told The Athletic. https://t.co/juEgu7urKv
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 14, 2018
Very interesting. Aside from simply taking Luka Doncic, if I were the Kings I'd consider trading down to nab Wendell Carter in the 5-7 range. Carter is a beast, the most underrated big in the draft. Currently ranked fifth on my board. Full scouting report: https://t.co/QJrq3EhZxX https://t.co/kwDbV61nJS
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 14, 2018
Wendell Carter Jr. looks like a sure-fire lottery pick, with most current projections having him off the board in the back half of the top-10 overall. So taking him No. 2 overall is a reach, but the Kings could target Carter after a trade down. As he suggested in a sub-tweet, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer is very high on Carter.
Next: Jabari Parker: 5 potential free agent destinations
Given their history, the Kings can be bet on to wind up with the wrong guy with their first pick in the 2018 draft. But they aren’t going to just go with the perceived flow, and at this point in the process their potential for creativity has to be commended.