Jouganatos: What Will the Kings Do At 10?

When the NBA Draft on June 22nd is all said and done the Sacramento Kings might just have not one, but two young players they've been coveting for months (that's if everything goes right).

No they aren't expecting to turn the Boogie Cousins deal into a superstar at the 10th pick, but it could be leaving them with a key piece into the rebuilding project they've full on fledged themselves into dating back to post All-Star Game last season.

The Kings will first pick at #5 and even that will be a waiting game to see what Philadelphia and Phoenix will do. Once they take whoever at the five slot they will once again be forced to wait and see what the rest of the board does. Barring any trades and any changing in the meat of the Top 10 the Kings will be able to close out the top 10 with their second lottery pick. Here are some possible options.

JONATHAN ISAAC (SF - FLORIDA STATE)

Isaac is one of the most discussed, talked about players in this year's crop of prospects. A top 10 player coming into his lone year at Tallahassee, Isaac helped Florida State to 26 wins last season and their first NCAA Tourney birth since 2012. He started every game and averaged 12 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game.

Standing at 6'10", he carries with him a 7'1" wingspan and is able to guard Power Forwards and Centers, but holds with him the ability to run out to defend guards and perimeter players with quick foot speed.

However he will need to get better, like most players in this draft, at shooting the basketball. His jump shot can be both streaky and inconsistent at times but that can improve with more reps and repetition.

If Isaac is there at 10 no question the Kings take him even if he has to get bigger in the weight room to bulk up in order to defend bigger, stronger players. They've struggled mightily defending perimeter players in the West for awhile now and with Rudy Gay planning to opt out they will need young blood at the 3 spot considering both Tolliver (though productive) and Evans (injury prone) can't play huge minutes. Isaac would give them a potentially freakish athletic perimeter defender who can guard 1-5 no problem.

FRANK NTILIKINA (PG - STRASBOURG, FRANCE)

So what happens if the Kings aren't able to snag the Point Guard that they crave with the 5th pick? True it could still land them a highly touted Small Forward such as Jason Tatum or even dare I say it? Josh Jackson. But that still leaves them with a desperate hole that they will need to fill at the Point Guard spot.

Enter Frank Ntilikina.

Ntilikina burst onto the scene during the 2016 FIBA U18 European Championships. Averaging 22.7 points per game (shooting 58.7 % from three point range, 42.4 % from two-point range) and 6.7 assists. Keep in mind this was with fighting an illness during the tournament. He put p 31 in the championship game against Lithuania and displayed the outside shot that many scouts had been pondering about for awhile.

He posesses a feel for the game that comes from a very mature approach to the court. He is one of the most steady guards in this draft when it comes to defending players and has improved that jump shot of his year by year. Though he might not be on the same talent level as a Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, or De'Aaron Fo he is going to be fun to watch in his development as the years go by. Ntilikina will have to work on his dribbling and ball handling which at times can get loose with tight defense around him. NBA strength and conditioning coaches will also have to help him get more lower body strength, which could develop more explosion within his game.

There is still no guarantee that Nitilikina falls as far as 10 to the Kings with some Mock Drafts having him landing just before the Kings' 10th pick to New York (8th pick) and Dallas (9th pick). But if he were somehow to fall to the Kings at that spot I don't think anyone would fault the Kings for trying to snag their Point Guard of the future right there at 10.

LAURI MARKANNEN (PF/C - ARIZONA)

The Kings are already loaded with young talent at the 4 and 5 spots, and after taking Georgios Papagiannis in the first round last season it'd be doubtful to say the least that they pull the trigger on another big man.

But what if all other options such as Isaac or Ntilikina are off the board? I mean it couldn't hurt to snag arguably the next great stretch seven-footer right?

Lauri Markannen might be just that. In his lone season under Sean Miller at the University of Arizona, Markannen averaged 15.6 points per game while shooting an incredible 41 % from downtown. The Finland native is already coming into the Leaue equipped with an NBA body at 7'0", 230 lbs. For his size he is a fluid, mechanically sound big man even if he does not have a explosive set of skills.

What makes Markannen deadly is his shooting stroke. He shoots the ball so mechanically sound for a big man that it has scouts drooling over his potential to be the NBA's next great stretch big man. He is one of the most sound big men to come out of the college game in quite awhile.

AS stated before in the first paragraph it is highly unlikely that the Kings would take another big man with such a plethora of young ones on their roster currently. But what if all other options are off the board by then? Would the Kings go with the best available likely in Markannen? Guess we will have to just wait and see.

DENNIS SMITH JR. (PG - NORTH CAROLINA STATE)

The wild card of this heavily stocked Point Guard Draft to me is Dennis Smith Jr. by a mile. Despite averaging 20.1 points per game, 6.8 assists per game, Smith Jr. was inconsistent in his lone year at NC State. It resulted in the Head Coach being fired and the Wolfpack not making the tournament for another season.

Regardless the turmoil Smith showed off his tremendous physique, highly volatile leaping ability, and lightning fast speed in his lone college season. He's money in the open court and takes it into another gear on the fast break, while being able to split defenders and drawing contact in half court situations. Smith also can do a decent job of surveying the basketball.

However many scouts are worried about Smith Jr.'s lack of defensive effort, NC State finished dead last in the ACC in that category. He also has the tendency to dribble the basketball and waist time without even trying to get teammates involved and shot a disastorous 32 % from the field in College.

Still the same situation for Ntilikina applies for Smith Jr. If Fox is gone by the time the Kings are picking at 5 then it'll be hard to pass on a guy like Tatum. The Kings would be hoping and praying for Smith Jr. to be there at 10 should the cards bounce the right way. His athletic prowes and huge upside would be too much for Sacramento to pass up.