SBNation Mock Draft, Pick #12: Sacramento Kings

by Ridiculous Matt on Jun 18, 2008 3:18 AM EDT Comment 2 comments

With the twelfth pick in the 2008 SBNation NBA Mock Draft, the Sacramento Kings, represented by Sactown Royalty , select...

Marreese Speights, Center, University of Florida. 6-10, 245 lbs.

Sactown Royalty says:

Sacramento's in an odd spot. I can name 10 players they'd have to take if available at #12 -- Anthony Randolph, D.J. Augustin and Brook Lopez being the most likely. Thankfully for my purposes, Danilo Gallinari is not among them.

The war here is waged between Gallinari (the prospective 17th swingman on the roster) and an endless list of bigs rife with potential. In picking a big man, the Kings should be looking for rebounding and shotblocking over shooting and passing -- Spencer Hawes will be the Vlade of the next great Kings team. Offense is needed up front, but it's not the requirement like strong stature and exceptional length.

That's why Speights makes sense for me. He has the body to help cover Sacramento's myriad defensive problems a little, and he projects to clean up quite a few offensive rebounds. When those two things are the absolutely most glaring weaknesses of your team for the forseeable future, you address them.

Darrell Arthur wasn't much of a rebounder in college, Roy Hibbert couldn't keep up in Theus' faster-than-you'd-think offense, and DeAndre Jordan is the question mark to end all questions, and Alexis Ajinca isn't wide enough to save Hawes from himself. Speights might not be the next Dwight Howard or be able to run the Princeton, but he fills the gaps and could be a 15/10/2 pivot in the next five years.

The Portland Trailblazers, represented by Blazers Edge , are on the clock.

The 2008 SB Nation Mock Draft so far:

1. Chicago Bulls- Blog-A-Bull: Derrick Rose

2. Miami Heat- Peninsula is Mightier: Michael Beasley

3. Minnesota Timberwolves- Canis Hoopus: OJ Mayo

4. Seattle Supersonics- Ridiculous Upside: Eric Gordon

5. Memphis Grizzlies- 3 Shades of Blue: Kevin Love

6. New York Knicks- Posting and Toasting: Russell Westbrook

7. Los Angeles Clippers- Clips Nation: Jerryd Bayless

8. Milwaukee Bucks- BrewHoop: Anthony Randolph

9. Charlotte Bobcats- Queen City Hoops: Joe Alexander

10. New Jersey Nets-Nets Daily: Brook Lopez

11. Indiana Pacers-Indy Cornrows: DJ Augustin

12. Sacramento Kings- Sactown Royalty: Marreese Speights

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Comments

Not a bad pick

But I think SacTown is doing themselves a disservice by even mentioning Hibbert as a possibility at 12.

by Truth About It on Jun 18, 2008 11:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m a definite Hibbert hater! I wouldn’t have a problem with the Kings taking Speights, he definitely brings a lot of what they need, but I’d still take Arthur over him (high risk, high reward with much more offensive and athletic ability). Just imagine, the Kings with a big man who plays above the rim, now that would be a change.

by deepnu666 on Jun 18, 2008 7:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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SBNation Mock Draft, Pick #12: Sacramento Kings