The Sports Informant

By Scott Levin
Sports Informant Contributing Writer

Luck continued to elude the Kings at Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery, as Sacramento landed the fifth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

The Kings had the third best chance to capture the top pick, and an over 45 percent chance of grabbing a top three pick. But when the ping pong balls were revealed, it was the Kings staring at another lottery disappointment.

The Wizards catapulted to the top selection, with Philadelphia also moving up considerably into the second slot. The Nets, who had the highest odds of winning the lottery, will pick third.

Top prospects John Wall and Evan Turner will assuredly be taken by the time the Kings select. It remains to be seen which other prospects will emerge as candidates for Sacramento. Derrick Favors (Georgia Tech), DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky), Wesley Johnson (Syracuse), Greg Monroe (Georgetown) and Ekpe Udoh (Baylor) are some other draft-eligible players who are regarded as potential top 10 picks.

It has now been 20 years since the Kings moved up in the NBA Draft Lottery. The last time was in 1989, which resulted in the selection of Pervis Ellison at number one.

The NBA Draft is on June 24.

A positive spin

For most Kings fans, the initial reaction to the lottery result was strong disappointment. Sacramento limped to a 25-57 record, which put them in prime position to land a top three selection in next month’s NBA Draft.

But instead of moving up or at least staying in the third slot, the Kings slipped to fifth, an unfortunate spot in a draft that some experts believe has four prime talents. It has become a yearly occurence — the Kings flounder through a season but instead of good news on lottery day, they take an annual punch to the stomach.

However, if the 2009 draft showed the Kings anything, it was that falling in the draft isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Kings slipped from first to fourth last year, yet general manager Geoff Petrie parlayed the pick into Tyreke Evans. With Petrie’s eye for talent, Sacramento will always have a chance to add an impact player.

DeMarcus Cousins, the center out of Kentucky, is rated as a top prospect and would fill a position of need for the Kings. With New Jersey (3rd pick) and Minnesota (4th) both having strong centers on their rosters, it is possible Cousins could slip to the Kings at number five. The big man doesn’t come without some baggage — a perceived bad attitude — but he could be worth the risk at five.

After Wall, Turner and Cousins, the draft is loaded with boom-or-bust players. Georgia Tech power forward Favors might be a fit for New Jersey at number three. Small forward Johnson of Syracuse is in the mix. Monroe, a center out of Georgetown, could move up in the lottery if he answers some concerns in pre-draft workouts.

The fifth pick also presents a valuable trade asset. The Kings could look to trade down, acquire extra picks or ship the pick to a team in exchange for a proven commodity. Minnesota and Memphis have multiple first rounders and could make good trade partners. Additionally, the Timberwolves may also look to unload a big man such as Kevin Love or Al Jefferson. Sacramento could be interested.

The speculation is just getting started. Petrie and his draft team will be present for the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago this week. Sacramento will hold personal interviews and watch the draft’s top prospects go through drills and physical testing. It will be a great time for Petrie to narrow down his search, as he tries to bring in the next building block in the Kings future.