Sacramento Kings: 2009 NBA Draft

2008-09 Record: 17-65

Draft Picks: 1, 21, 31, (Projected)

Key Free Agents:

Ike Diogu (restricted)

Bobby Jackson

Rashad McCants

Cedric Simmons

How they got here:

Yikes.  Let’s just say it’s a good thing the Kings will likely have one of the top couple draft picks, because they certainly need some help. Kevin Martin is one of the more under-rated scorers in the league today, but he needs help, and lots of it. The Kings have a couple good young bigs in Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes, but neither commands double teams in the post, and both are far from finished products. The point guard situation is dicey at best, and the perimeter scoring outside of Martin is…well…let’s just say there’s a reason this team had only 17 wins. On the plus side, they’ve got a lot of young talent, so there is some potential. And, despite their lack of talent, the Kings competed hard, showing some character. Late season addition Andres Nocioni provided some toughness that the team sorely needed, and McCants is capable of scoring in a hurry, although he still battles inconsistency.

Who they’ll take:

Lucky for the Kings, the two best players available in the draft would fill needs for them, so they just have to hope the lottery balls bounce their way. Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin would give the Kings offense the post presence it desperately needs, opening up driving lanes for Martin and giving McCants and Nocioni the space they need to shoot. Griffin will be a nightly double-double threat, and his combination of strength and athleticism would be a welcome fit next to Hawes and Thompson, both of whom struggle to maintain position. On the other side, Ricky Rubio would also be a great fit for the Kings, giving them a play-making point guard who would contribute immediately. Rubio’s flashy style would draw Kings’ fans in, reminding them of Jason “White Chocolate” Williams, while his grasp of the fundamentals would also serve a young team well. If the Kings don’t land either Rubio or Griffin, they could look for a point guard like Brandon Jennings, Syracuse’s Jonny Flynn or UNC’s Ty Lawson to fill their void.

Draft History:

2008: Jason Thomson (12), Sean Singletary (42), Patrick Ewing Jr. (43)

2007: Spencer Hawes (10)

2006: Quincy Douby (19)

2005: Francisco Garcia (23)

2004: Kevin Martin (26), Ricky Minard (48)

2003: No picks

2002: Dan Dickau (28), George Theodore (57)

2001: Gerald Wallace (25), Maurice Jeffers (55)

2000: Hedo Turkoglu (16), Jabari Smith (45)