» KINGS MULL OPTIONS FOR 2ND-ROUND PICKS
The buildup to Thursday’s NBA Draft hasn’t felt as momentous as years past in Sacramento. The Kings don’t have a first-round pick and are unlikely to come away with a franchise-changing player, but that hasn’t stopped them from carrying out an exhaustive predraft evaluation process.
The Kings held their 17th and final predraft workout Monday morning. They brought 101 prospects into their practice facility over 29 days, putting each one through a series of interviews, physical examinations and drills to determine who will be the best players available when they make three second-round selections.
The Kings have the 40th, 47th and 60th picks in the draft. Their first-round pick, the 14th overall selection, will go to the Boston Celtics as a result of a 2015 trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Kings evaluated far more guards and forwards than centers in predraft workouts, with an apparent emphasis on bigger ball handlers, lightning-quick scorers, perimeter defenders and developmental big men.
Some of the highest-rated players to work out for the Kings were Nebraska power forward Isaiah Roby, Ole Miss shooting guard Terence Davis, Arizona State forward Zylan Cheatham, Virginia guard Kyle Guy, St. John’s point guard Shamorie Ponds, Wake Forest power forward Jaylen Hoard and Virginia Tech point guard Justin Robinson.
The latter part of the second round is always unpredictable, but the Kings have likely identified a group of players who could be available when they make their selections. Roby, Davis and Gonzaga guard Zach Norvell are possibilities at No. 40 if they are still on the board. Norvell, Robinson and Virginia guard Kyle Guy could be options at No. 47.
Guy, who scored 24 points to lead Virginia over Texas Tech in the NCAA championship game in April, worked out for the Kings twice.
“It was high energy, really high pace,” Guy said after one of those workouts. “They obviously want to run this year, which is good. (That) suits most of our styles, so it was really competitive and I had a good time.”
Players who might be available at No. 60 include Mississippi State guard Quinndary Weatherspoon, Kansas power forward Dedric Lawson and Nevada small forward Cody Martin.
“I would like to be in this kind of culture and just bring what I have to the table for this team,” Martin told reporters following his workout in Sacramento. “... We had a lot of energy at this workout and they were very consistent on what we wanted to do and our approach. I had a lot of fun here.”