Sacramento Kings Draft Preview

With the 2nd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select…

The Sacramento Kings will have the 2nd overall pick in the upcoming 2018 NBA Draft, June 21. With this pick, I have the Kings boldly selecting forward Michael Porter Jr. from the University of Missouri.

Pros:

Porter fits perfectly in the modern NBA with his 6′ 10″ height and fluid athleticism. Likely spending most of his time at power forward, he can use his silky smooth jumper and shot creating abilities from the post to bolster any team’s offense. He can also use his height to get his shot off over any defender in his way. MPJ’s 7-foot wingspan gives him potential to become a good defender and rebounder as well.

In addition to his talent, Porter has some outstanding credentials. He was ranked as the #2 player in his college class in the ESPN 100 rankings, behind only Duke’s Marvin Bagley III. He dominated throughout high school, averaging 36.2 points and 13.6 rebounds per-game his senior season. Porter was also named MVP of the 2017 McDonald’s All American Game after his 17 point performance.

Cons:

The biggest risk with taking Porter this early in the draft is his health. Porter only played in Missouri’s final two games of his sole collegiate season because of surgery to repair herniated disks in his back. This injury provokes major questions and concerns about both Porter’s long-term and current health.

Some rust should be expected, but he averaged 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per-game while shooting an abysmal 31.03% from the field in his two games at college.

Along with his health, there are also concerns about his shot selection. At times in high school, Porter forced his own shot instead of relying on his teammates. He will definitely have to adapt to playing with higher talent levels in the future.

Conclusion:

Choosing Porter this early in the draft is definitely a big risk for the Kings. MPJ could easily be the best player in this draft, but he could also be a total bust. In my opinion, that risk is definitely not worth it at the #2 selection despite his huge potential.

But ya’ll need to understand that we’re dealing with the Sacramento Kings here. Obviously the safe choice is taking more of a “sure thing” prospect in Luka Doncic or Marvin Bagley III. But when have we ever known Sacramento to do anything safe or smart?

After all, this is the front office that traded Isaiah Thomas for a second round pick, gave the 8th pick in the 2014 Draft away for basically nothing, and said that Buddy Hield had, “Steph Curry potential.” It’s clear that they’re unreliable. But who knows. Maybe the Kings get it right this time. My player comparison for Porter is Paul George.