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As the date of the 2022 NBA Draft comes closer, teams that are near the bottom of the league are rejoicing. This is the time of the year when their efforts to lose come to fruition. One such team with their eyes set on the draft, even though they would likely say they tried to win this year, are the Sacramento Kings. The Kings have their pick and it is, according to NBADraft.net, currently projected to be sixth. As the draft is ever so close, let's look at three early 2022 NBA Draft targets Kings must be watching.
Early Kings NBA Draft targets
Paolo Banchero
The Duke forward could be the difference-maker for this Kings team. Given the fact that they just traded away Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis, this pick might be counterintuitive. However, Banchero looks so good on the court for the Blue Devils that it really should not matter he is playing around the same position as Sabonis. He is one of the best big men in the draft and given the fact that Chet Holmgren is likely to be top three, it would be very unrealistic to expect the Kings to get him.
However, when it comes to silver medals in this regard, Banchero is silver that shines like gold. He is a six-foot-ten, 250 pounds monster forward that would have no difficulties when coming into the NBA. In 34 games he played this year, Banchero averaged 17 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks. He also shot 46.3% from the field and 32.4% from behind the arc, adding a solid 75% clip from the free-throw line. His Blue Devils are 28-6 and he has been the focal point of that offense. Obviously, he would not be the key man in the Kings' offense should they get him, but he could slide into that role as time goes on.
This would be a fantastic pick for a team that has a reputation of poor picks in the last few years. Although they did snag Haliburton with the 12th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and Davion Mitchell, the 9th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, looks good, there have been more mistakes for the Kings than successful picks. Banchero looks like he is NBA-ready and there should be no mistake picking him. Even if he does not become a superstar, his body, size, and skill set should allow him to be a valid contributor to any NBA team.
Keegan Murray
Murray is somewhat of a risk. After a silent first season at Iowa, the forward has been instrumental in the Hawkeyes putting up a 25-9 record up until now. He has jumped from just over seven points per contest to 23.3, while increasing his efficiency in all areas, despite increasing his shot volume. He is shooting 56% on 15.8 shots, an increase on 50.6% on just 5.4 shots last season. A similar thing happened with his three-point shot as well. He is shooting 40.6% on 4.7 attempts, better than the 29.6% clip on 1.7 shots in his freshman year. The Kings need an upgrade offensively and if they want a stable wing, Murray is the guy.
Now, it would be a risk. The Hawkeyes have basically handed the offense to Murray. In the Iowa team, the second-most shots, after Murray's 15.8, is Patrick McCaffery with 9.1. Even more interestingly, Murray averages more points than McCaffery and third scorer Jordan Bohannon combined. Due to his sudden jump and an incredible year he is having after a poor first season, it might be a risk to use that mid-lottery pick on him. We are well aware that the Kings should not risk, but Murray just might be worth it. If he is picked after the Kings select their guy, and Murray ends up as an All-Star or even a superstar, the Kings might regret it, similar to how they have regretted not picking Trae Young or Luka Doncic in 2018. He is not as renowned as these two guys, but he could be a great player in the future.
AJ Griffin
One more risky pick for the Kings, if he is available, is AJ Griffin. Griffin is a small forward coming out of Duke and due to the fact that Duke has Paolo Banchero, Griffin has not had as much space to show off his worth. However, the Kings might look at his future potential and make this selection. Now, according to many mock drafts, Griffin should be top-five so if the Kings are not there, they might miss out. If he is available, Griffin should be right there for any team, and the Kings as well.
He is a six-foot-six, 220 pounds forward that could be an amazing prospect for the future. Now, due to his size, it is likely that he will play the small forward role, with some episodic roles at the four. Still, his athleticism should be reason enough to still try and get him, for the future of both forward roles. The Kings need a guy that is a good defender, great shooter, very tricky offensively, and naturally gifted with long arms. He fills out all these boxes and if the Kings play their cards right and get lucky to be in the position to draft him, Griffin could be a two-way superstar, if all falls right. Once again, he is a risk, due to limited opportunities he has at Duke, but he is well worth the risk the Kings would make drafting him.
