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NBA Draft: Interpreting Sacramento Kings’ Thoughts with No. 2 Pick

By Christian Dudley

WIZINK CENTER, MADRID, SPAIN - 2018/05/27: Luka Doncic during Real Madrid victory over Iberostar Tenerife (83 - 73) in Liga Endesa playoff 1st round (game 1) celebrated in Madrid at Wizink Center. May 27th 2018. (Photo by Juan Carlos García Mate/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
WIZINK CENTER, MADRID, SPAIN - 2018/05/27: Luka Doncic during Real Madrid victory over Iberostar Tenerife (83 - 73) in Liga Endesa playoff 1st round (game 1) celebrated in Madrid at Wizink Center. May 27th 2018. (Photo by Juan Carlos García Mate/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) /
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SACRAMENTO, CA – OCTOBER 26: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the New Orleans Pelicans waves to fans during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 26, 2017 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – OCTOBER 26: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the New Orleans Pelicans waves to fans during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 26, 2017 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Question: What is the Sacramento Kings’ biggest hole to fill, based on position or role, that the NBA Draft could solve?

Tyler Watts: With the second overall pick, the Sacramento Kings should not be drafting for need. They should take the player they believe is their franchise player for the next decade-plus and not look back for one second.

With that said, their most significant needs are at forward and on the defensive end. They lack both a true small forward and power forward. Ideally, the Kings would take a combo-forward with the ability to be their leading scorer. That would make Michael Porter Jr. the choice. The top of this draft class is talented, but Porter Jr. is underrated. The talk of him slipping out of the top-ten should not be a discussion.

They have also been rated as one of the worst defensive teams since the DeMarcus Cousins trade. The top defenders are Jaren Jackson Jr. and Mohamed Bamba, so drafting for need would put either of those players into the mix at Pick Two. Both are likely best as centers in the modern NBA, meaning they would have to replace Willie Cauley-Stein in the starting five. That may not be ideal, but if GM Vlade Divac and company believe in either’s star potential it could turn into a wise selection.

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