Two years removed from a magical season, the Kings are ready to flip the page on the 2023-24 NBA season and get back to playoff contention.
A large part of that will include bolstering their roster to compete in the stacked Western Conference, which could come through this week's NBA draft.
Sacramento received a promising reinforcement last week when ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported, citing sources, that Malik Monk intends to sign a four-year, $78 million contract to remain with the Kings. But now, general manager Monte McNair and Co. will turn their attention to improving the roster through the draft, free agency and via trade.
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The task starts with the two-day draft, which begins at 5 p.m. PT Wednesday at Barclays Center. The Kings are scheduled to pick No. 13 and No. 45 overall, and while there has been speculation about them potentially trading their first-round selection, here is what draft experts predict Sacramento will do come draft night.
Yahoo! Sports
No. 13. Ja'Kobe Walter, G
6-foot-5, 197 pounds, Baylor
NBA
"Walter's game translates better to the NBA than what scouts saw from him in college. He has good size at the guard position and elite shooting mechanics. With the spacing of the NBA game, it’ll free him more as a shooting threat with how well De’Aaron Fox plays with the ball in his hands."
No. 45. Jamal Shead, G
6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Houston
"For teams looking for a reliable lead guard to come in and run the second unit, Shead is the perfect pick. He is so tough on both sides of the ball and could really have a long career in the NBA with his work ethic, poise and decision-making on the court."
CBS Sports
No. 13. Ja'Kobe Walter, SG
6-foot-5, 197 pounds, Baylor
"Walter showed all the tools that made him a five-star prospect during his one season at Baylor. He has the array of athleticism and quick-trigger shooting to make for an easy NBA projection. He'll need to improve his shooting and touch overall, but at 19 years old with his track record as a gunner, I'd buy into him here at the back of the lottery."
No. 45. Harrison Ingram, SF
6-foot-6, 234 pounds, North Carolina
"After transferring from Stanford to UNC, Ingram embraced a new role and flourished as a glue guy who added size, toughness, rebounding and shooting. He made a career-best 38.5% from 3-point range largely off catch-and-shoot plays."
NBC Sports
No. 13. Robert Dillingham, G
6-foot-1, 176 pounds, Kentucky
"Sacramento has handled two of its most essential pieces of offseason business, with coach Mike Brown getting a new contract and Malik Monk reportedly agreeing to a deal that he can officially sign on July 6. But there is a clear need to get better on the wings if the Kings are to be a factor in the West next season. Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes, fixtures in the starting lineup, have been the subject of trade rumors, so one moving this summer would be unsurprising. Adding a perimeter player who can offer consistent shooting wouldn’t be a bad idea, and Dillingham would help. The former Kentucky guard shot over 44% from three last season, but he does need to improve as a decision-maker."
No. 45. Harrison Ingram, SF
6-foot-6, 234 pounds, North Carolina
ESPN
No. 13. Ron Holland, SF
6-foot-8, 206 pounds, G League Ignite
"This pick has been mentioned for some time as being potentially attainable, which makes sense considering the urgency that's likely in place for a Kings team eager to return to the playoffs.
"Retaining Malik Monk was a major step in that direction, alleviating the need for them to target a shooter (such as Jared McCain) with this pick, should they keep it, and maybe allowing them to take a flier on a high-upside prospect such as Holland, who was projected to be picked much higher than this before an inefficient season with the G League Ignite damaged his standing.
"Older players such as Ja'Kobe Walter, Devin Carter and Johnny Furphy also are said to be getting some consideration with this pick. -- Givony"
No. 45. Ajay Mitchell, PG
6-foot-3, 190 pounds, UC Santa Barbara
Sports Illustrated
No. 13 Kel'el Ware, C
7-foot, 242 pounds, Indiana
No. 45. Melvin Ajinca, F
6-foot-8, 214 pounds, Saint-Quentin Basket-Ball of the LNB Pro A
Bleacher Report
No. 13 Cody Williams, F
6-foot-7, 178 pounds, Colorado
"While scouts do believe a team could reach on Cody Williams early, we're hearing that most still prefer Matas Buzelis and Stephon Castle. Tijane Salaun and Kyshawn George have also popped up as names who could leapfrog Williams.
However, without an advanced handle or perimeter game, he still averaged 11.9 points, shot 58.8 percent inside the arc and 41.5 percent from three. And at 6'6.5" in socks with a giant 7'1" wingspan, his defensive tools remain outstanding.
Even a worst-case outcome for Williams can contribute with his efficient off-ball scoring and ability to guard wings and forwards. But given his age (19) and reported character—plus the fact that his brother, Jalen, appears on track toward blossoming into an All-Star—teams could talk themselves into his upside."
No. 45. PJ Hall, PF/C
6-foot-8, 240 pounds, Clemson
"PJ Hall didn't scrimmage in Chicago after participating last year. There is ultimately enough game film of the senior playing against NBA-caliber bigs from the ACC.
"Hall will still have to sell teams on his shooting during workouts, but he's consistently improved his range. And between his physical profile and fundamentals around the post, his post scoring feels translatable."
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