Kings clean up on draft night,

The Sacramento Kings started the Monte Mcnair era in earnest Wednesday night with the first official transactions under the new general manager. Not to spoil the lead, but things went better than anyone could have expected.

Tyrese Haliburton, Robert Woodard II and Jahmi’us Ramsey are the newest members of the Sacramento Kings.

While the Bogdan Bogdanovic trade saga continues to play out, there was never a chance for a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks to be officially completed by Wednesday night. If it will be completed at all seems uncertain, as a source says Bogdanovic never agreed to play in Milwaukee. But let’s put that particular madness aside and evaluate the three picks and two trades that are actually in the books for Mcnair and his team.

Drafted Tyrese Haliburton with No. 12

If you watched, listened or read any coverage of the draft you already know that Haliburton is a massive coup for the Kings. No one on God’s green earth had him outside the top 10. Some see him as a franchise changing talent if he reaches his ceiling and fits with the right pieces. At the very least, he is expected to be a solid starter for a long time.

Haliburton possesses a rare combination of playmaking, shooting and defense. His steal rate is phenomenal and his spotup shooting is truly elite. Vision and IQ can be a little more subjective, but go watch his highlight reels. You will see why he is special. While he needs to add a lot of strength, his height and wingspan will make him a versatile option on offense and defense.

After studying up on as many prospects as I could, I finalized my top 75 on Wednesday morning. Haliburton ranked seventh in this class. When I wrote my breakdown of him in May, I balked at the fit with Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield. Now that Bogdanovic has been discussed in trades, that concern is gone. Landing Haliburton as an unadulterated win.

Grade: A

Traded No. 35 for No. 40 and 2022 second--rounder

The trend of falling talent continued into the second round. By the time the

Kings were up at No. 35, there were at least five players I would have been comfortable with calling a steal. It was still a little risky to roll the dice, but clearly Mcnair felt comfortable with the potential reward of the extra pick in a future year.

Xavier Tillman was the Memphis Grizzlies’ target at 35. He should be a solid player, but I can see why the Kings didn’t prioritize a center with limited shooting skills. Tyler Bey and Elijah Hughes went between 36 and 40, who both felt like strong values. But the highest-ranked player on my list remained ...

Grade: B

Drafted Robert Woodard II with No. 40

That player was Woodard. I was genuinely stunned with the value of this pick. Woodard has been ranked as high as 20th overall by some scouts and felt like a lock to go in the first. He slotted in at 24th for me.

Woodard is the exact type of prospect that the NBA is trending toward. He can play either forward position and potentially some small-ball five. He can shoot, run in transition and finish with authority. If everything clicks for him, he will be a fantastic role player. Even a low-end starter outcome is reasonable.

On the downside, he is a little older than most rookies at 21 years old and his shooting numbers have not been consistent. If he struggles to hit his shots, he may settle in at the end of the rotation. But at pick No. 40, that is no real downside at all.

Grade: A

Drafted Jahmi’us Ramsey with pick No. 43

Opinion on Ramsey varies a lot more than it does with Haliburton and Woodard. He has a high ceiling but a very low floor. While he made a ton of 3-pointers, he really struggled from the free throw line. He flashed great on-ball defense but also succumbed to numerous defensive lapses. In some games his decisionmaking had scouts wondering if he could make it in the NBA at all.

But while some fear he won’t figure it out, I think his potential is well worth the investment. If he is treated as a microwave scorer off the bench, he could play a valuable role. He plays with style and juice and could eventually be a strong shot-creator and shot-maker. Even his defensive highlights are promising.

Other interesting options were on the board at No. 43, but Ramsey was one of three players left I felt would fit Sacramento’s long-term plans. He ranked 30th on my big board. In a league where scoring is the most premium skill, Ramsey is a fantastic gamble.

Grade: A

Kings trade No. 52 for 2021 second-rounder and cash

It’s hard to earn a good grade in a trade for cash, and the second-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers is sure to be late. It is not exciting, but there is nothing wrong with this move. The Kings already have eight players with fully guaranteed contracts for this season. A fourth draft pick would have put the roster count at 12 before signing or re-signing any free agents.

Additionally, there are several players that went undrafted who are worthy of a roster spot somewhere. Killian Tillie, Mason Jones, Devon Dotson and Ty-shon Alexander could easily have been selected around this part of the draft. They are now free to sign anywhere, and the Kings could still potentially wind up with them without using the pick.

Grade: B

Final score

I’m not a shill. I promise you this is not a public relations piece. Just glance through what I normally write about this team. I’m usually hard on the Sacramento Kings. After Wednesday night, I can’t be.

The Kings came out of this draft with three first-round talents, two future picks and a stack of cold, hard cash. Now it’s up to the Kings to make sure Haliburton, Woodard and Ramsey reach their potential. If they do, this could be one of the best drafts in the last decade for Sacramento.

Overall grade: A