4 Players the Kings Need to Target With the 13th Pick

Drafting for fit may be necessary for the Kings to fill the void in their lineup.

Mar 15, 2024; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers center Kel'el Ware (1) reacts during the first half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

After falling one game short of making the playoffs, the Sacramento Kings once again find themselves in the draft lottery. Only one year removed from being the three-seed in the Western Conference, the Kings landed in the lottery despite boasting a roster filled with talent. All-stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis as well as promising young players Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis will all be returning next season. And while a contract hasn’t been signed yet, it has been reported that Malik Monk has agreed to return on a four-year, $78 million deal. 

Considering the Kings already have established players at key positions, would it be wise for the Kings to buck conventional wisdom and draft for fit instead of taking the best talent available? 

It’s no secret the Kings have a glaring hole when it comes to length and athleticism on the wing and in the post. The Kings do not have the wealth of long athletic wings and big men that the other elite teams in the Western Conference have. Harrison Barnes was a solid starting wing for the Kings this past season but his offensive inconsistency, declining production, and defensive struggles make him the most vulnerable player to be replaced in the rotation. 

Harrison Barnes missed the game-winner 😳 pic.twitter.com/49CPp1RV4C

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 23, 2023

The Kings are in the market for players with a profile somewhere between Naz Reid and Aaron Gordon. Players who are long, athletic, mobile, can rebound, guard multiple positions, and make three-pointers at a decent clip. 

Sacramento has an abundance of quality guards under contract going into next season. They have starters De’Aaron Fox and Keon Ellis, 6th Man of the Year runner-up Malik Monk, as well as Kevin Huerter, Davion Mitchell, and Colby Jones. Considering their guard depth, combined with their lack of wing and big depth, it may not make sense to pick a guard with the 13th overall pick, even if the "best player available” is a guard. 

While this year’s draft is considered weak based on a lack of players with superstar potential, there are a lot of quality players who fit the long athletic wing/big mold and would likely be available with the 13th overall pick. Here are four players who fit that archetype and could be picked by the Kings: 

---

Ron Holland 

SF/PF 

6-foot-8 

G League Ignite 

18 years old

Ron Holland was ranked as the No. 2 player in the 2023 class coming out of high school. However, his stock has fallen after an underwhelming season with the G League Ignite. In 14 games he averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, but his 44.3 FG% and 24.0 3P% left a lot to be desired. He still has one of the highest upsides of every player in the draft, but Kings GM Monte McNair has shown reservations about drafting players as young as Holland. 

---

DaRon Holmes II 

PF/C 

6-foot-10 

Dayton 

Junior 

DaRon Holmes II checks all of the boxes as a player who is long, athletic, and mobile while being older and more polished, which is the type of player Monte McNair likes. The 21-year-old Junior out of Dayton boasts a 7-foot-1 wingspan and a 9-foot standing reach. In his Junior year, he averaged 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and an impressive 2.1 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game, while posting shooting splits of 54.4/38.6/71.3. 

---

Kel’el Ware 

C 

7-foot-1 

Indiana 

Sophomore 

After a disappointing freshman year at Oregon, Kel’el Ware transferred to Indiana and blossomed into one of the best centers in the country. The sophomore with a 7-foot-4 wingspan averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks while making 42.5% of his three-point attempts. Ware has the potential to be a high-end backup center to Domantas Sabonis or could even work as a stretch-4 in the starting lineup. 

---

Tristan da Silva 

SF/PF 

6-foot-9 

Colorado 

Senior 

At 23 years old, Tristan da Silva is one of the oldest players in the draft, but that might work to his advantage. One of the more polished and NBA-ready players in the draft, da Silva averaged 16 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 33.8 minutes per game while posting excellent shooting splits of 49.2/39.5/83.5. He is a player who could contribute right away as a rotational player on a contending team. 

The Kings will have big decisions to make once the Draft happens on June 26-27.

---

Follow Inside The Kings on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe on YouTube for breaking Kings news videos and live-stream podcasts!