Kings Fail to Workout Top Prospects but, Does it Really Matter?
- Tyler Probst
- Jun 23, 2016
- 2 min read
Do agents look at Sacramento as a last resort? The Sacramento Kings were only able to bring in one first round talent in Vanderbilt PG Wade Baldwin for a workout and many around the league question if anyone wants to come to Sacramento after a disastrous, drama filled season featuring Cousins and Karl bickering and clashing egos all the way to game 82. Because of this season long problem there have been many questioning how the Kings front office is run. Not firing Karl at the All Star break was clearly the wrong decision and Vlade got backlash from the national media which goes all the way back to December 14, 2014 when Michael Malone was fired.
Chad Ford of ESPN tweeted out that the Kings were not only able to bring in lottery level talent, but also that they could not even get the draftees medical records. Sean Cunningham of ABC10 quickly refuted the report and stated the Kings have received all of the medical reports. Most lottery level prospects only did 1-2 workouts anyway so singling out the Kings was not necessary.
Although the Kings had trouble pulling in prospects, Is it really a big deal anyway? Many would say yes as it gives players and agents a feel of what they will be experiencing with each team and what they want to accomplish. Some would also say no because in the end the General Manager has the final say and the players simply cannot choose where they want to play no matter the situation. Last year Emmanuel Mudiay refused to come to Sacramento for a workout and that ultimately gave Vlade Divac a reason to not draft him, but instead pick Willie Cauley-Stein which has turned out to be a pretty decent pick so far.
As reported earlier this week, Ben McLemore is on the trade block with multiple teams being interested and that could factor into the draft. The Kings are in a win now state of mind and will do anything to make that possible and that includes possibly trading SF Rudy Gay who had a disappointing season after posting career highs in the 14-15 season. Is there a chance he could be dealt on draft night? Everything is up in the air at this point. With PG’s Derrick Rose, Jeff Teague, and George Hill being dealt on Wednesday, the trade market is wide open and the Kings could be big players. Expect the Kings to be in the market for guards in the Draft and in FA when it begins July 1st. The PG free agent class is not spectacular so, GM Vlade Divac will most likely try to trade for a starting caliber point and possibly deal the 8th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Bringing in prospects may have been a challenge but, at the end of the day will it even matter? Tonight’s NBA Draft will make for an interesting start to the off season for the Sacramento Kings.
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