After years of turmoil, the Sacramento Kings continue to show that things are different now as the excitement builds leading into draft day.

Let me interrupt all the speculation and chatter to just say one thing: Is this fun or what?

Rajon Rondo, Josh Smith, Kevin Love...it goes on and on.

The Kings are actually being tied to big-name players and making noise. The franchise now has a vision with the cash to back it up. This is all still relatively new territory in Sacramento.

During the offseason last year, fresh off the transfer of ownership, it was all so new, not to mention rushed for the new Kings regime. They were scrambling to piece together a front office in time for the draft and head coach Michael Malone was running pre-draft workouts almost by himself.

The Andre Iguodala hunt showed that the Kings brass was serious, and that has only become more and more true over the last year.

With a season under their belt and currently dribbling the 8th pick around the gym, Pete D'Alessandro and company are now putting in some serious work. The Kings have been involved in numerous rumors after publicly making their pick available on the day of the NBA Draft Lottery, and they reportedly have three potential trades lined up right now.

They can keep the pick and draft Marcus Smart, Aaron Gordon, or whomever may be there, or trade it for a veteran and a later-round pick. Momentum seems to be on the side of trading the pick. What ends up happening will be analyzed and combed over, but beyond that is the fact that it is all giving the fans more and more reasons to believe this franchise is on the brink of finally turning the corner. The front office wants to win, and they aren't just saying, they are doing.

Money talks.

They locked up DeMarcus Cousins to a max extension before they truly needed to, dealt for Rudy Gay and are now dishing out $19.3 on him next season with potentially more beyond that. And they are rumored to be interested in Josh Smith and Rajon Rondo.

Gay has been a prime example of the approach this front office is going to continue to take: buy low and recruit hard. When they traded for Gay last season, it turned some heads and folks around NBA began looking at the Kings a little differently. And now he has agreed to stay next season (yes, $19.3 million played a large part in that) and it looks like he might be willing to negotiate a long-term deal. This and the flurry of rumors swirling around the team just gives more credence to the fact that they are remaining aggressive and aren't going to stop any time soon - all with the playoffs in their cross hairs.

In some ways, this is what we were all waiting for as the 28-win season grinded along in March and April. The Kings were finishing out the season with the players they had and would use this offseason to retool.

In Adrian Wojnarowski's piece over the weekend about Gay's decision to exercise his contract option next season, he mentioned how impressed the small forward has been with Vivek Ranadive's devotion to building a contender.

Things like that almost...almost...make you forget where this franchise was just two seasons ago. The uncertainty. The silence/sleepiness around draft time and the deals for cash. The mind-numbing complacency, which came down to finances. That comparison should never be too far from the mind of Kings fans because it was a moment in time that was quite perplexing and now provides a stark comparison to the new era.

The Kings are acting like a legitimate franchise again with the money not only to help the city build a new downtown arena, but also put a winning product on the floor.

This momentum all becomes null and void if money is spent and the wins don't start piling up, of course. In other words, will there come a time when the excitement turns out just to be excitement and the results continue not to show? Maybe. But the determination of Ranadive seems to have a life of its own at the moment and there are more reasons than not to believe things are about the change for the better.

So as the rebuild continues and we prepare for more rumors and draft day, let's all take a minute to enjoy what is happening in Sacramento, because it has been a long time coming.

Isaiah's officially a Restricted Free Agent

In what is essentially a formality, the Kings just sent a press release confirming that they have given Isaiah Thomas his qualifying offer, making him a Restricted Free Agent.  This means that the Kings will have the right to match any offer sheet he may sign this offseason.

Thomas has had a great start to his career in the NBA after being taken with the 60th pick in the 2011 Draft.  This past season he averaged 20.3 points on 45.3% shooting along with 6.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals a game.  Our own Tom Ziller ranks Thomas as the 14th best Free Agent this summer, with the only PGs ahead of him being Kyle Lowry at 9th and Eric Bledsoe at 4th.

Last season the Kings were faced with a similar decision with regards to Tyreke Evans and famously decided not to match New Orleans' offer sheet of 4 years and $44 million, choosing to do a sign and trade instead which brought back Greivis Vasquez and a couple second rounders.  Jason Jones recently tweeted that the Kings are expected to match any reasonable offer for Thomas, which they would consider to be in the $6 million a year range.

One day before the NBA Draft, one group of experts seems to agree Orlando will add the raw big man and playmaking guard.

A panel of four Basketball Insiders experts agrees, with nearly 100 percent certainty, that the Orlando Magic will select Noah Vonleh and Tyler Ennis in the 2014 NBA Draft. Alex Kennedy, Joel Brigham, Steve Kyler, and Yannis Koutroupis agree that Orlando will take Vonleh off the board fourth overall. Three of the four, with only Brigham dissenting, believe the Magic will use the 12th selection on Ennis. Brigham's choice there is Elfrid Payton.

The 6-foot-9 Vonleh shot 52.3 percent from the floor and 48.5 percent from three-point distance in his lone Indiana season. He notched per-game averages of 11.3 points, nine rebounds, and 1.4 blocked shots. While he may not contribute at the NBA level right away, his raw skills and impressive frame appear to have intrigued NBA scouts.

Ennis doesn't have the flair or athleticism of some of the other lead guards in the 2014 Draft class, but compensates for that deficiency with excellent playmaking instincts: he averaged 5.5 assists to just 1.7 turnovers as a freshman for Syracuse, adding to those numbers 12.9 points and 3.4 boards per game.

According to Kyler, Payton may be off the board before Orlando even picks: the Los Angeles Lakers (no. 7 pick) and Sacramento Kings (no. 8) have interest in the Louisiana-Lafayette product. He pegs Payton's "floor" as the Magic at no. 12.

The NBA Draft is set for Thursday, June 26th.

The team's starting point guard is their only free agent of note now that Rudy Gay will be back for one more season. Can the Kings afford to keep him?

Winning hasn't come easily for some time in Sacramento, but new Kings ownership and management enters their second full season with many reasons to be hopeful. The Kings won 28 games this past season, and now the challenge becomes getting several talented pieces to play winning ball together. Molding those talented players' games is dependent upon keeping them together.

The big hurdle of the Kings' offseason was answered before draft night and before the calendar flipped to the free agency period in July. Rudy Gay exercised his player option to remain in Sacramento for this season, making him $19.3 million richer and giving the Kings more time to lock him into a long-term deal.

Now it's on to the next most important pieces.

The assets

Draft picks: No. 8
Free agents: Isaiah Thomas (RFA), Aaron Gray
Cap space: -$5 million

Depth chart

PG: Isaiah Thomas (RFA), Ray McCallum
SG: Ben McLemore, Jason Terry
SF: Rudy Gay (opted into player option), Travis Outlaw, Quincy Acy (non-guaranteed)
PF: Jason Thompson, Derrick Williams, Carl Landry, Reggie Evans, Willie Reed (non-guaranteed)
C: DeMarcus Cousins, Aaron Gray (UFA)

Team needs

In terms of pure numbers of bodies on the roster, the Kings don't need much. There aren't many free agents or options to worry about, and it won't be next summer when a number of salaries will be coming off the books. There won't be any room, especially in the frontcourt, to add a significant contributor unless the Kings like a player who falls to them in the draft.

Sacramento certainly could make a few moves within its guard rotation, which at this point is only guaranteed to include second-year point guard Ray McCallum and, if healthy, Jason Terry. Isaiah Thomas' rookie contract is up, and the final pick of the 2014 draft will surely be offered something more than his qualifying offer. Depending on whether he's re-signed by the Kings or not, the team could use another point guard to split minutes with McCallum. They also may need to dodge the luxury tax.

The shooting guard spot could use a bit of depth, but the Kings aren't likely to bring in a significant contributor with most of the minutes going to Ben McLemore.

Targets

Re-signing Gay might have been the top priority heading into the offseason, but now that he's decided to opt in to the final year of his contract, Sacramento has a more comfortable time frame to work out an eventual extension. Next on the Kings' to-do list is to determine if they can retain Thomas, who averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 assists per game in 2013-14. If not, they could look to use Thomas in a sign-and-trade for a significant piece in return.

Rumors dating back to May indicated Sacramento might be dangling its only draft pick as trade bait. The eighth overall selection, if kept, could target Creighton forward Doug McDermott, who the Kings reportedly have strong interest in. Sacramento is also exploring some big trades, including a deal for inconsistent Pistons forward Josh Smith.

While the Kings are one of many teams that have rumored interest in Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, it's difficult to see that happening for a number of reasons. Sacramento doesn't have the pieces to get a deal done, nor does the franchise want to hand over young players for what might be a one-year rental. Additionally, Love wants to win now. So while this is a long shot, it signals that the Kings won't be shy in searching for trades to help them get better.

What a ride it was for those that watched Marcus Smart in an OSU uniform. There was hope, there was anguish, there was at times even frustration. There was one thing that remained, he was one hell of a player for the Pokes. Now he's off to the NBA.

There are a lot places that Marcus Smart could end up by the time Thursday's NBA Draft has come and gone. That is just part of the territory when a player is at the lottery-pick echelon of talent. Smart could go as high as top three or even flirt with being on the outside of the top ten picks. That seems unlikely though as most pundits either have Smart being the number one or number two point guard available in the entire draft. So, which team's hat will Smart be donning Thursday night in New York City?

1. Boston Celtics: With the Celtics, there is one big question. Will Rajon Rondo be a part of that team by the time the draft concludes? If the Celtics take Smart, that should signal the end of Rondo's time in Boston. Smart would then become the lead man at point for the C's. There have been talks about Rondo being a part of a trade that would bring Kevin Love into Boston. That would be a huge asset for the rookie point guard, on a team that does not have many pieces currently. Adding Love would take a huge part of the initial load off of Smart. The other course of action will be a trade that could bring in Klay Thompson on board to Boston. Again, not a bad player to help a rookie get his feet wet in the league with. I'd still take the Love option more. Whatever trade does happen, this isn't the worst nor the best landing spot for Smart. It is the most likely though.
2. Orlando Magic: Orlando definitely has more pieces than Boston, but they don't have a star. Could Smart be that star that the Magic haven't had since Dwight Howard left town. Smart would be a great compliment to Orlando's 2013 first round pick Victor Oladipo. Orlando is also one of the youngest teams in the NBA so their woes may subside as their experience as unit increases. Also, as it can be said for three of Smart's potential homes, playing in the Eastern Conference has its benefits of playing lesser opponents and being able to get playoff experience much easier than it would be in the Western Conference.
3. Philadelphia 76ers: This is a weird landing spot. Just weird. The Sixers already have NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams as their point guard, but some say that the Sixers would like to take another point guard with either Marcus Smart or other top prospect Dante Exum from Australia. The only way I can register this idea is either that since MCW is such a scoring weapon, that they could move him to the two guard. He definitely has the length to do so. So if the Sixers are looking to acquire a "true point guard" my guess they won't draft Smart and they'll take Exum. Then again, anything is possible in the NBA Draft, hell maybe they'll trade MCW and then the Sixers will actually need a point guard. Part of me is joking there.
4. Los Angeles Lakers: Ah yes, the spot I would personally love Smart to land. Marcus would thrive in LA in my opinion. Here's the best part about the Lakers, he would get to learn how the league works with one of the best to ever lace it up in the league in Kobe Bryant. The Lakers also have the money so they have the potential of bringing in more stud players. They have been linked to the Kevin Love and Klay Thompson trades, much like the Celtics have. Oh and did I mention that Steve Nash is on that team too. Smart would have some of the best teachers and level heads in the league surrounding him. If only Phil Jackson were still there too, then we could go ahead and start making large assumptions about Smart's career.
5. Sacramento Kings: Then there are the Kings. The ugly step child of the NBA. The team that hasn't been good since Peja Stojakovic, Mike Bibby, and Doug Christie were on the roster. The Kings do have one of the better big men in the league with Boogie Cousins. This would be a contrast though to the Lakers. Cousins is one of the biggest problem children in the NBA and not saying that Cousins would automatically bring out Smart's questionable qualities, but when one surrounds themselves with unlikeable characters, they too can become unlikeable. Also, the Kings are in that perpetual Cleveland Browns way off operating, so for Smart's career in mind, I do hope that isn't where he ends up. Again though, anything can happen in the draft, even bad things.

With the draft just under 24 hours away, CBS Sport's Ken Berger is reporting that despite Joel Embiid's foot injury, several teams have been angling to move up in hopes of acquiring him. Several teams... including the Kings.

Several teams, including the Sacramento Kings at No. 8, have called teams ahead of them in the lottery to propose potential trades to move up and select Embiid, a league source with knowledge of the conversations told CBSSports.com.

While many teams might be scared of Embiid's health issues, it's anyone's guess just how far down in the draft order he might fall. And while its widely believed he won't be on the board when the Kings choose with the 8th pick, Berger also goes on to say that were Embiid to fall to them, the Kings wouldn't let the big man slip any further.

An Eastern Conference executive said Wednesday that Embiid, despite the medical red flags, would not get past the Kings at No. 8 -- and probably wouldn't fall that far.

Embiid's skill set would make him an ideal frontcourt partner for DeMarcus Cousins, though Kings fans would have to wait around 6 months to see him actually play any basketball. It would certainly be a gamble but it would be hard for Pete D'Alessandro to pass up on Embiid should he still available when their name is called on Thursday.

It would appear that Pete D'Alessandro has been INCREDIBLY busy this offseason. And there's been no shortage of rumors that the Kings have been shopping the 8th pick in the hopes of acquiring veteran help and/or additional picks. However, this particular rumor stands out as the only one i've heard that has the Kings actually attempting to move UP in the draft.

Speaking of rumors that the Kings are willing to make some moves. Check out this gem from SI's Chris Mannix:

Two themes that have emerged in the last week: Houston wants to sign everybody and Sacramento is willing to trade with anybody.

— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) June 25, 2014

The only thing that would surprise me at this point, is if NOTHING surprising ended up happening. Hang on to your hats kids. This is gonna be a crazy 24 hours!

Here you go. Discuss.

Happy trade day... oh wait, happy draft day (or maybe it is both) everyone!

We have not heard anything new on the Kevin Love front.  There are guesses and opinions out there that the Golden State deal will get done if/when the Warriors agree to include Klay Thompson, but we'll see.  You never know when a last minute deal could be pulled off.  Or perhaps they'll punt on draft night and wait till after Carmelo and LeBron land somewhere and hope that the team that misses out on them turns their attention on Love.  So far, the Celtics have only really been mentioned as a dark horse in that race, but again, things can change quickly on draft night.

By now you've seen that Asik was traded to New Orleans.  So where can the Celtics get a rim protector?  Perhaps Embiid.

Joel Embiid could fall to Celtics in NBA Draft - Sports - The Boston Globe

But on the eve of the draft, several league sources said that Embiid could fall to the Celtics at the sixth pick — and that the Celtics are expected to grab him if he’s there. Though Embiid would miss summer league, training camp, and potentially part — if not all — of the 2014-15 season, he would give the Celtics a future "rim protector" that Ainge said the team needed when last season ended.

I think that's who I'm rooting for at this point (with the assumption that the C's medical team gives the thumbs up).  If not him, there's a group of 4 names that keep coming up.

Celtics Beat: NBA Draft field for No. 6 down to handful | Boston Herald

Otherwise, the C’s have shown strong interest in Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart, Kentucky forward Julius Randle, Indiana forward Noah Vonleh and Arizona forward Aaron Gordon. Of that group, only Smart has been in for a second workout with the Celtics, having gone through another session last Friday. Randle turned down a second invite, saying yesterday he’d already made his point.

How many of those guys are really high on Ainge's big board is anyone's guess.  All are projected in the Celtics range and if someone the Celtics don't like gets picked ahead of them, then more of the guys they like will drop.  So I wouldn't be surprised if the Boston brass is talking up one or two of these guys around the league hoping to convince another GM that they'd better pick him up soon.  Like I said, believe nothing you hear at this time of year - at least not at face value.

And the elephant in the room is how all of this will impact Rajon Rondo.  Is he going to get the bigtime help that he wants (and needs)?  Or is he going to be shipped off for more picks and building blocks.

2014 NBA draft -- Where does Rajon Rondo fit in Boston Celtics' plans? - ESPN Boston

There's a belief that, if the Celtics can't land Love now, the team ought to trade Rondo. It's fair logic. If the Celtics envision another lean rebuilding year with a focus on developing younger players, then that might further entice Rondo to examine other potential suitors when he's on the open market next summer. The Celtics run the risk of losing him for no compensation -- though options exist to prevent that -- so the team must at least think a little longer about any proposals that land on Ainge's desk between now and February's trade deadline. If the past is any indication, there will be plenty of calls. Rondo is simply going to have to deal with the persistent rumors until Boston's path is a bit more defined.

The Kings rumor keeps coming up but this seems to me like a situation where Ainge would be quiet as a mouse and then BOOM, all of a sudden Rondo is gone to a team we haven't even thought of yet.

Or on the flipside, especially given historical trends that Chris Forsberg mentions above, the draft could come and go and Rajon Rondo could still be a Celtic, regardless of what else happens.  Ainge isn't going to be forced into doing anything that he doesn't feel reflects good value.  It isn't going to be a situation where Love gets traded and Ainge sighs and picks up the phone and accepts the first 50 cents on the dollar deal he can find.  He'll always look for the best value and he isn't afraid to walk away without a deal.

So here we are on draft day and as usual we have no idea what's going to happen.  Personally I think it could prove to be a pretty big night for the future of the franchise.  Stay tuned and keep coming back here to CelticsBlog for rumors, analysis, and discussion with other passionate Celtics fans like you.  Cheers.

In a round-up of impending free agency decisions, Sam Amick of USA Today suggests that the Nets will face competition for Shaun Livingston from the Sacramento Kings, who may have a front court of DeMarcus Cousins, Josh Smith and Rudy Gay, but no real point guard.

The Kings are on the lookout for a starting point guard, and one name to keep an eye on is the Brooklyn Nets' Shaun Livingston. The 28-year-old free-agent-to-be whose career looked all but over in 2007 when he had a devastating leg injury while with the Los Angeles Clippers had his best season yet in 2014-15, helping the Nets turn their season around when he started in place of the injured Deron Williams and remaining a vital part of their program even after he returned.

Previously, there have been reports that the Timberwolves might be interested in Livingston. He and GM/coach Flip Saunders have a relationship going back to his time in Washington. Other reports indicated that the Clippers or the Heat could have interest.

• Kyle Lowry may win in LeBron James free agency chase - Sam Amick - USA Today
  

Big East Coast Bias writer Charlie Burris takes a look at three possible places where former St. John's forward JaKarr Sampson could end up when the NBA Draft concludes.

JaKarr Sampson was an integral part of St. John's lineup in 2013. After averaging 13 points and six rebounds in his sophomore season, Sampson announced his intention to enter the NBA Draft. Since he is not necessarily a highly sought-after prospect in the Draft, most likely a long-shot second round pick, his fate lies in his own hands.

After participating in the Draft Combine and working out for the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings in the months leading up to the draft, Sampson is continuing his work to try to turn the heads of NBA scouts.

If JaKarr is able to put himself in the position to get picked up by an NBA team, here are a few scenarios that could work well for the Red Storm standout:

Sacramento Kings: The Kings have taken an interest in Sampson after Duke forward Rodney Hood backed out of a workout in Sacramento and JaKarr took his place. The Kings do not necessarily have a lack of depth at the power forward position. Derrick Williams is the starter and the talent behind Williams is somewhat lackluster. Sacramento could use a long, versatile player like Sampson to provide more quality backup options to Williams. With a quality center in DeMarcus Cousins, Sampson would make an excellent addition at the four spot and would further fortify the Kings frontcourt.

Los Angeles Clippers: While the Clippers have one of the best power forwards in the league in Blake Griffin, Los Angeles would be an excellent place for Sampson to develop from the bench. Playing behind Griffin would give Sampson the time to hone his skills without the pressure of fighting for a starting spot. The only issue with Sampson landing in Los Angeles is the possibility that the Clippers will draft 6-foot-10 Michigan center Mitch McGary who is similar in size and is perhaps more skilled in the post than Sampson.

Miami Heat: Though it's mostly speculation at this point, it is likely that forward Chris Bosh will be leaving during the offseason and someone will need to come in and fill his role. Current backup power forward Chris Andersen has opted out of his deal in Miami and decided to become a free agent, leaving a real opportunity for up-and-coming talent like JaKarr Sampson. If Bosh does ultimately leave the Heat, Sampson could be a steal for Erik Spoelstra and would be a nice piece in what would be a major rebuilding effort in Miami.

The demolition of the Downtown Plaza Mall will begin in late July and the exterior of the new arena should be done by fall 2015.

The Sacramento Kings have released some new details on the demolition of the Downtown Plaza Mall and a timeline for the new downtown arena.

Though no specific date was given, the team says that demolition will begin in late July and that the public will be notified of the start date 24-48 hours prior. The demolition will include three blocks of the mall.

Below is a complete project schedule.

Summer 2014 - Truck deliveries and barrier/fence set up. Street re-striping. On-site abatement work and utilities shut-off. Demolition and removal of existing buildings, including use of excavators, hoe rams and forklifts.

Summer/Fall 2014 - Mass excavation of site.

Fall 2014/Winter 2015 - Drilled displacement piles and foundation construction.

Winter/Summer 2015 - Concrete slab pours. Steel structure erection, welding and installation (includes installing vertical steel, but not roof steel).

Summer/Fall 2015 - Building facade of precast concrete, metal and glass built. Roof constructed.

Fall 2015-2016 - Interior assembly.

Fall 2016 - Complete and open to the public.

So yeah, by fall of next year, the exterior will pretty much be intact.

The demolition area is between 5th, 7th, J and L Streets, and does not include Macy's, the Marshall Hotel, Jade Apartments, 24-Hour Fitness, the 660 J office building, Scientology building and the University of San Francisco building on 7th Street.

Barricades will appear on the 7th Street side between University of San Francisco and 24 Hour Fitness and on the 5th Street side between the east and west plaza. Both barricades will feature a "viewing window." According to the team, 1,780 of the 3,700 parking spaces in the Plaza will remain open. The Plaza East Garage stopped providing parking to monthly customers as of June 21.

Stores on the west end of the mall, including the movie theater and Macy's will keep their doors open during construction, according to The Sacramento Bee. On the east, 24-Hour Fitness will remain open.

To meet the September 2016 completion date, the construction team will work from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday, which allows two eight-hour shifts per day. There will be three phases of night work conducted between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

For more on the project, visit SacramentoESC.com or the city's website.

Here We Build indeed.

Host: Kevin Nesgoda

Guests: Greg Wissinger and Zebulun Benbrook

Bench: Chris Meirose

Not Invited: Paul Rogers

Executive Producer: Steve Stearns

In this episode we are breaking down barriers and building bridges!  We have Greg Wissinger from Sactown Royalty and Zebulun Benbrook from Welcome to Loud City.  This is the first time in known history (well since 2008) that parties from Seattle, Oklahoma City and Sacramento have sat down and talked civilly for more than a minute and thirty-two seconds.

We kick off with Greg and get into what the Sacramento Kings need in the draft, what the needs are and some of his favorite players that he is looking for.  We talk about the need for point guard and what could potentially happen with Isaiah Thomas and that leads into free agency needs.

Greg finishes off by saying that Seattle needs a team and definitely deserves a team.

Zeb jumps in at this point and talks about how the Thunder have been embraced by Oklahoma City and what type of process that has been.  We get into the semantics of the team that others might not understand so much, like the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook dynamic.  We also get into free agency and some draft talk.

There is some fun talk on why Houston would want Carmelo Anthony, where Kevin Love might end up and what decision could LeBron James make.

We end the night on some random discussions that revolve around do like cake or pie, who was your most hated player ever in the NBA and if you could create your all League Pass team, who would be on it?

You can follow Greg on Twitter at @GWiss and Zebulun at @ZubulunBenbrook.

Mock drafts are hours away from being out of fashion, but here are the final projects for the Lakers with the No. 7 pick.

The 2014 NBA Draft is hours away but there's still time to prepare for what should be a big night for the Los Angeles Lakers. Mock draft season has just a few hours left, but major media outlets have updated their projections for one final time. The common theme? Julius Randle will be the Lakers' selection with the seventh-overall pick.

ESPN's Chad Ford continues sending Randle to the Lakers, sticking with his guns that he'll both be available and did enough to impress Los Angeles' front office in his private workout. Randle also received the majority of nods from our roundtable discussion here at Silver Screen and Roll. NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper is also on board the Randle train, believing teams will pass on him because of positional fit needs, and has him joining the Lakers to immediately become part of the "solution" going forward.

DraftExpress also has the forward out of Kentucky putting on a Lakers draft-day cap Thursday night.

If you're ready for the Lakers to roll the dice in the biggest way possible, CBS Sports' Matt Moore has one of the only mock drafts with center Joel Embiid dropping to the Lakers. His foot injury could shake up the first round, but the Lakers are reportedly not closed to the idea of drafting the former top-three pick. Sticking with CBS Sports, Gary Parrish has Marcus Smart going to the Lakers, as does Zach Harper.

Last, ESPN's Jeff Goodman projects Aaron Gordon to Los Angeles. His mock draft strayed away from the norm, projecting Randle to the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3 and Noah Vonleh dropping all the way to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 9. One pick after the Sacramento Kings select Doug McDermott at No. 8.

Even with a heavy favorite like Randle through the mock drafts, anything can happen on draft night. One surprise pick, or trade, could change the entire direction the first seven selections of the draft take. Coverage of the draft begins at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN as we wait to hear which player, or players, will be the next to wear purple and gold.

The Kings have taken another shooting guard, Michigan's Nik Stauskas, with the No. 8 pick.

Michigan Wolverines guard Nik Stauskas has been selected by the Sacramento Kings with the No. 8 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, following an impressive campaign in Ann Arbor that saw the sharpshooter win the Big Ten Player of the Year award.

After playing a more complementary role as a freshman when the Wolverines advanced to the National Championship Game, Stauskas flourished as the go-to guy in his second season, leading Michigan to the Elite Eight. The 6'6 guard averaged 17.5 points on the year, and he's regarded as one of the top shooters in the draft. He shot 44.2 percent from long range this season after knocking down 44 percent from deep his freshman year.

While Stauskas was a knockdown shooter in both seasons at Michigan, he really developed his floor game this past year. The 20-year-old showed the ability to run pick-and-roll effectively and racked up 3.3 assists per game on the season. He also displayed a knack for getting to the line, attempting 5.7 free throws per game.

The main concerns surrounding Stauskas are on the defensive side of the ball. He didn't rack up many steals or blocks in college, and he has just average length for a player of his size. Staying in front of players on defense has also been an issue, but Stauskas did post good times in the agility drills at the combine, so there's certainly potential for improvement.

Stauskas is an interesting choice for the Kings because they already have last year's Top 10 pick, Ben McLemore, at shooting guard. Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Kings were discussing a trade with the Celtics involving McLemore and the sixth pick, which turned out to be Marcus Smart. If the Kings do keep Stauskas, he figures to come off the bench behind McLemore and Rudy Gay on the wing at first, but anything's possible.

Nik Stauskas is a King. Here is what he had to say about it.

New Kings guard Nik Stauskas joined the Sacramento media for a conference call after he was drafted with the No. 8 pick on Thursday.

The well-spoken Michigan standout thinks he was the best perimeter shooter in the draft and also believes he can improve defensively (the big knock on his game).

Below is what he had to say.

On what's going through his mind: "Just a lot of excitement, I've heard only good things about the city and organization, I know they've got a great young core there so I'm just really exited to get in and help this team win some games."

On the Kings current guard situation: "I think I can play multiple positions. I think moving forward in the NBA, I think I can play a little bit of one and also the two. And I know this team is kind of struggling shooting the ball and obviously that's probably the best part of my game to this point so knocking down shots and spreading the floor is definitely something I am excited to do for this team."

On where he can improve defensively: "I can improve defensively and I also can improve my body and putting on more strength and speed. I think that's going to come with time, I'm only 20 years old and I feel like I haven't fully grown into my body yet so I think that will come. Defensively, I think I can be a capable defender at the next level. You know, I know I'm going to have to put in a lot of work and effort, but that's been the case my whole career and I've made the necessary strides all the time."

On if his passing has been underrated: "I think that's the reason why teams have been intrigued with me this year in the draft is because I've made those improvements. I feel like I'm a smart basketball player. I have a high IQ for the game and I like making the right plays. So this year at Michigan I was extremely aggressive in the pick and roll and trying to get to the basket and a lot of times I would draw attention and that would lead to me kicking for open threes or dunks for our bigs so hopefully I can kind of bring that same skill into Sacramento."

On if he expected to go as high as he did: "Not necessarily, I knew coming in today that Sacramento was a possibility and I knew they felt strongly about me. To be honest, I feel like I bring a skillset that not many people have. I bring a skillset that is needed in the NBA so I really take pride in being the 8^th pick in the draft and I'm not going to let them down."

On if the Kings talked to him during the Chicago workout: "I got a chance to sit down and talk with them and they only had good things to say about me so I think coming into today I knew that it was a possibility that it could work out."

On bringing Michigan coach's John Beilein style to the NBA: "The one thing I know about the league is that it is very ball screen oriented at this point and coach Beilein's offense is kind of like a pro team and we kind of operated only through ball screens so I got a chance to do that a lot this year and I feel like that's why I'm pretty confident that I could play a little point guard at the next level."

Feedback he got from the front office on a conference call: "Just that they were really excited about having me. Coach Malone told me that he's had his eye on me for a while now. He's really excited to work with me and he's excited to just get to work."

On if he felt he was the best perimeter shooter in the draft: "Definitely, without a doubt. As much as I've expanded my game over the last couple of years, shooting is definitely the thing I do best. I take pride in that. Coming in I feel like when I get my feet set and I get a good look at the basket there's not many people in the league that can knock down shots like I can."

On running the pick and roll with DeMarcus Cousins: "The pick and roll was something that I did a lot this year and DeMarcus Cousins is obviously a very talented big man and hopefully we can have a good bond, good chemistry together and hopefully we can play off each other pretty well."

On the handshake with his father after he was drafted: "That's just me and my dad having fun. I have a really special relationship with him and I'm really excited I got to share that moment with him. Last night we kind of planned to do something funny and the three goggles is something I've done throughout my career at Michigan and fans seemed to like it so I decided we would do that today."

On comparisons to Klay Thompson: "I think that's a pretty good comparison. I'm working to get my handle even better and put the ball on the floor more. Steph Curry is a guy that over the last couple of years I've really enjoyed watching and if I could emulate anyone, I'd probably emulate him, but obviously he brings a special skill that not many people have. But I think that as of right now, Klay is a guy that is a fair comparison."

On what Kings fans can expect from him: "I just hope Kings fans understand I'm extremely excited to get there and meet them and be a part of this organization. I've only heard great things and for those who don't know me, I'm a highly motivated kid. I've played with a chip on my shoulder my entire life and I'm really excited to just be a part of this. I've had a winning attitude my entire life and everywhere I've went I've been successful so I don't see why that can't happen moving forward so hopefully I can help this team get some wins."

Stauskas will be in Sacramento on Saturday.

We recapped the 2014 NBA Draft and the Kings' selection of Nik Stauskas.

The Sactown Royalty Show is back!  This week we're reviewing the 2014 NBA Draft, of course.  We spent plenty of time discussing what did and didn't happen in the draft, and what we expect from the newest Sacramento King, Nik Stauskas.

I was joined by multiple guests this week.  Kevin Fippin and Brad Geiser joined me to begin the show, and Blake Ellington joined us a little later after he finished up attending the press conferences of Pete D'Alessandro and Michael Malone.  Kevin and Brad gave their opinions, Blake gave us his take on the press conferences, it was a good time all around.

We managed to cover a lot of ground beyond just Stauskas and how he fits with the Kings.  We talked about how he fits with Ben McLemore, what his selection might mean for Isaiah Thomas, and who else we thought the Kings should have drafted.  We also talked about the draft in general, including reviews of the moves made by the Cavaliers, the 76ers, the Bulls, and the Nuggets.

And finally, because I'm incapable of a post that doesn't anger the majority of our readers, we discussed the merits of trading for Ryan Anderson verses Thaddeus Young.  Let us know what you think in the comments and poll below.

Like the show? Subscribe to us on iTunes or on Stitcher! Leave us ratings, leave comments, let us know how we're doing. Ratings and comments on iTunes really help us out with promoting the show. And of course, continue the discussion in the comments below.

And a big thanks to Audible.com for supporting us. To get your free 30-day trial and a free audiobook, sign up here. Using that particular link gets you the special offer, and let's them know you heard about them through our show.

As always, thanks for listening.

The NBA Draft always creates positional redundancy on a few teams. Here are some possibly expendable players that would make intriguing targets for the Bucks.

There is honestly nothing more worthy of attention than the Milwaukee Bucks drafting Jabari Parker with the second overall pick. It is likely to be the most important thing they do this offseason by far, unless a mysterious benefactor steps forward and volunteers to pay the remaining balance on a new arena . Parker is a player with All-Star potential who can pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo to give Milwaukee a terrific young pair of forwards around which to build a new and exciting roster.

But if you wanted to look at other stuff, and you aren't afraid of wild speculation and reckless daydreaming, we can look at other teams in the first half of the draft to examine useful young player who might be available in the right deal. With fresh infusions of talent now in hand, a number of lottery teams might be willing to part with a few nice pieces in hopes of sparking quicker turnarounds. Let's be clear--these are all highly unlikely scenarios, and I don't claim to have any insider information. Just wishful thinking.

With that in mind, here are a couple of potential targets.

Ben McLemore, SG, Sacramento Kings -- Kings drafted Michigan SG Nik Stauskas 8th Overall

McLemore was rumored to be involved in a number of possible deals leading up to the draft, including a late-breaking report that he could be traded to the Boston Celtics in a deal for the 6th overall pick. These deals never came to fruition, which means McLemore remains a King. Adding one of the draft's best shooters in Stauskas to a team with designs on competing for the playoffs next season could push Sacramento to see what they could get for last season's 7th overall pick.

McLemore really struggled with his shot as a rookie, hitting less than 42% of his two-point attempts and just 37.6% overall. His oft-maligned "passive" style of play carried over to the pros, though it's fair to point out that McLemore shared the court with a number of high-usage players. Despite his terrible metrics, McLemore still has a lot of potential. His three-point shooting should improve with time, and he's still capable of drawing fouls at a solid rate. Sacramento may not want to lose its starting SG (assuming they will bring Stauskas off the bench at first), and McLemore is a capable defender, but might Milwaukee be able to tempt the Kings with a deal including Khris Middleton, a future pick or two, and a chance for Sactown to dump some salary? Sacramento might also be a suitor for Ersan Ilyasova, who could provide some shooting for a lineup that can struggle to space the floor.

Alec Burks, SG, Utah Jazz -- Jazz drafted Australian G Dante Exum 5th Overall

Remember when a bunch of us wanted Alec Burks prior to the 2011 NBA Draft? He had somewhat of a rough go his first two years in the NBA, averaging just 7.1 points in about 17 minutes per game over his first two seasons. But his role finally expanded last year and Burks responded with drastic improvements in a number of key areas. His true shooting percentage rose four points to 54.7 and his assist and free-throw rates both saw significant bumps.

So why would Utah want to flip Burks to another team? The selection of Dante Exum gives the Jazz two young guards in the starting backcourt, each of whom feels combo-ish to some extent. Trey Burke is the stronger shooter, but Exum can attack the basket and looks like the better passer long-term. More importantly, both players are likely to be high-minute players who do a lot of work with the ball in their hands, which is a role in which Burks can excel.

The Bucks desperately need more players who want the ball in their hands. Parker will likely soak up a lot of possessions right off the bat, but Brandon Knight could stand to do more work off the ball, and Giannis Antetokounmpo probably won't complete his transformation into point-forward extraordinaire in a single summer. Burks would give the Bucks a young, cheap shooting guard with versatile scoring talents, something they were hoping to get out of O.J. Mayo (except the cheap part). The Jazz are far enough from contention that they won't part with young pieces for just anything, but Milwaukee has a number of expendable assets to make a run, and if Utah wants to unload Burks before he hits free agency next summer, the price might be depressed.

Cody Zeller, F/C, Charlotte Hornets -- Hornets drafted Indiana PF Noah Vonleh 9th Overall

Vonleh was a player I had a lot of interest in. His shooting ability offers a ton of modern offensive potential and he still brings exceptional rebounding and strong defense. Charlotte was reportedly looking for shooters in the draft and had its eyes on Stauskas and Doug McDermott, but when Vonleh slipped to 9th he was seen as too good to pass up. If his shooting translates quickly, he can provide the Hornets with the shooting they coveted from a position that contorts defenses in advantageous ways.

But what of Vonleh's predecessor (in more ways than one), 2013 4th overall pick Cody Zeller? Zeller was marginalized a bit by the arrival and success of Al Jefferson, and he struggled tremendously on offense early in the season. Zeller scored in double figures just four times in his first 53 games leading up to the All-Star Break. But after the break? He was like a completely different player. Zeller's TS% jumped from 44.5 to 58.1, and he added 2.7 points to his per-game scoring average with only a small increase in shot attempts.

That sort of improvement doesn't go unnoticed, and Charlotte probably won't be shopping a cheap big with scoring talent for spare parts. But the Hornets are another team eager to build on their success from last season, and they remain a bit thin at guard and in the wings (though they did add P.J. Hairston with the 26th overall pick). Adding Zeller to an already bursting-at-the-seams frontcourt in Milwaukee might seem crazy, but the Bucks may be exploring deals for some of those players as a remedy anyway. Backfilling with a young and talented 7-footer isn't going to upset anybody.

No Kings trades went down during the draft, but could one still be around the corner?

The NBA Draft came and went Thursday without any trades on the part of the Sacramento Kings, but that doesn't mean something still won't happen.

During his post-draft press conference, Kings general manager Pete D'Alessandro said that throughout the draft process they may have planted a seed for something in the future.

"I think definitely we'd like to acquire perhaps another big - a shot blocker ... we may be active in trades. The great thing about the draft is you're so active, it's all this talking that doesn't actually happen, but trades happen in the second or third ripple," D'Alessandro said. "Draft day and trade deadline, those are fantastic for getting things done, but they're also fantastic for planting the seed to a future deal. I think we've had a number of discussions even today that maybe pan out and maybe don't, but I absolutely do think that those discussions are always very productive."

The Kings were tied to possible trades for Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo and Josh Smith leading into the draft. Interestingly, Ben McLemore's name came up in an Adrian Wojnarowski tweet about a potential trade with the Boston Celtics for the 6th pick shortly before the Kings selected Nik Stauskas at 8.

This of course, didn't happen, but McLemore is a player who the Kings front office had been protective of and made it clear last season that he was not available; but could he be now? D'Alessandro was asked about what drafting Stauskas, another shooting guard, meant about McLemore's future.

"He's [Ben McLemore] been working his tail off, that's the best way to say it, we're thrilled about what we're going to have with him. We see them as, we'd like to see them together," D'Alessandro said. "Nik is such a playmaking type of a combo guard and we can see them actually on the floor together at times, and as we see Ben advance defensively, which we fully expect with his athleticism, we could actually see him maybe switching over guarding some one, playing together and playing off each other."

Head coach Michael Malone said drafting Stauskas doesn't change the fact that the Kings love McLemore and he reiterated that the two guards may play together (with Stauskas at the point).

So there is probably little to the Wojnarowski tweet at this point. But with DeMarcus Cousins not going anywhere and no draft pick in hand now, the Kings are left with few trade chips that would be desirable to another team, outside of McLemore or a potential sign and trade with Isaiah Thomas. The team extended a qualifying offer to Thomas on Wednesday, which means they can match any offer another team may present to him.

Free agency also begins on Tuesday.

Not one... not two... but three draft picks for the Nets

Billy King is often scrutinized for what some believe is "trading away the future" for players who he thinks can help the team win now. For example, in the trade that brought Gerald Wallace to New Jersey, King sent over a first round pick that turned out to be Damian Lillard, and fans won't ever let King forget that. Even though it’s known the Nets wouldn’t have taken Lillard with the pick, it’s still a heavily criticized move.  Then, there were the three picks sent to Boston for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

But amidst all the criticism, does Billy King get enough credit for some pretty unpredictable moves he’s made, particularly on Draft Nights? Sure the team is left with little flexibility since moving to Brooklyn, but King works the phones as well as most GM's in this league and continues to turn "nothing" into "something" on Thursday evenings late in June.

Most recently at Thursday night’s NBA Draft, the Nets entered the night with zero picks in both the first and second rounds. The first round picks was part of the price the Nets paid to acquire Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. In the second, the pick had been sent to Boston three years ago to secure MarShon Brooks rights. That left the Nets empty-handed in a draft that was hyped up to be one of the best in years.

With such a talented draft class, King and the Nets front office knew they had to get in and get picks, somehow. There was some chatter of trading Marcus Thornton and his expiring contract, along with the rights of Bojan (not Bogdan) Bogdanovic for a late first-rounder or early second-rounder. Those moves never reached fruition, however, Instead, they sent $1 million to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 44 pick in the Draft. They also sent $800,000 more to pick the 59th and 60th picks.

The Nets went on to pick Markel Brown, a talented shooting guard out of Oklahoma State who was  paired up with Marcus Smart at Oklahoma State. In his senior year at Oklahoma State, Brown averaged 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. As a side note, Brown finished his career at Oklahoma State with 78 blocks, which is the tenth most recorded in school history, but first overall among guards to ever play for the Cowboys.

The Nets had him a lot higher than 44th. A LOT higher.

Similar in the way they picked up the athletic Mason Plumlee late in the first round last year, the Nets took an athletic and versatile guard in Brown, who King believes can play more than one position. King said, "I look at him as a combo guard. I think you have to put your best players on the court." This could be crucial to Brown’s success in his rookie year, being that Jason Kidd likes to try out unorthodox strategies with the rotations and positions

The Nets also bought the last two picks of the draft, which turned out to be Xavier Thames and Cory Jefferson. Both players worked out at the Nets’ [soon to be former] practice facility in New Jersey, and clearly the front office liked what they saw.

Check out some more success he’s had late in the first and second rounds:

• 2013:Mason Plumlee (1^st round, 22^nd pick) - Nobody could be too sure of what Plumlee was capable of in the NBA, but he certainly opened eyes in his rookie year. From the 22 pick to being ranked top five in his draft class, Plumlee averaged a little over seven points and four rebounds per game. He finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
  
• 2011: Drafted JaJuan Johnson (27) and Jordan Williams (36). On draft night, King traded Johnson’s rights for MarShon Brooks and a future second rounder for the rights to Bojan Bogdanovic. In Brooks’ rookie season, he averaged 12.6 points per game. As for Bogdanovic, he has yet to play in the NBA, but his rights may play a key role in a trade if the Nets decide to pull the trigger.
  
• 2005: Drafted Louis Williams in the second round, pick number 45. Williams has averaged 11.4 points per game since entering the NBA.
  
• 2003: Drafted Paccelis Morlende (50) then traded his rights and cash for Willie Green (40).Also traded cash, a mere $140,000 for the rights to Kyle Korver.
  
• 2001: Drafted Sam Dalembert low in the first round (26).
• 1999: drafted Todd MacCulloch in the mid-second round (47).
  

It’s definitely an impressive Draft day resume for the veteran GM, capable of finding talent late in drafts. But, it’s not the only type of magic he’s worked. He also selected Andre Iguodala at No. 9 in 2004, right between Rafael Araújo and Luke Jackson. Remember them? Of course not. Three years later, he took Thaddeus Young, right between Acie Law and Julian Wright. Same thing.

Just last season, King was able to unload Jason Terry and Reggie Evans to the Sacramento Kings for Marcus Thornton. While Terry and Evans combined for about seven points per game, Thornton averaged 12.3 points as a Net. With Thornton’s contract expiring following the 2014-2015 season, King can even use Thornton as trade bait for teams wanting to dump salary.

Moves like this made the Nets the contenders they were last season.

Even role players that may be worth more than their low salaries with the Nets, he found ways to sign them with little cap flexibility. Jason Kidd liked Shaun Livingston and Alan Anderson prior to the 2013-2014 season, and despite some misgivings, King signed both for the veterans minimum, costing the Nets a little over $2 million combined.

The same goes for Andrei Kirilenko who left $10 million on the table to come to Brooklyn for the mini-MLE of $3.1 million per year. It doesn’t matter how or why it happens, but rather the fact that he made it happen, regardless of the very little cap room remaining.

Mikhail Prokhorov has put his full trust in Billy King to turn the franchise around, and thus far, he’s done a pretty good job of doing so, lost draft picks or not.

Oh yeah, and for what it’sworth -- we like the moves he makes because they keep us busy here on NetsDaily.

• Brooklyn Nets trade with Timberwolves - Tom Lorenzo - NetsDaily
• Meet the men actually making the picks in the 2014 NBA Draft - Mark Deeks - SBNation.com

The Nets have signed Donte Greene to play for Brooklyn's summer league team in Orlando, league sources tell NetsDaily.

Greene was slated to go to training camp with the Nets in 2012, but fractured his ankle working out days before he was to travel with the team. Greene was also at the free agent mini camp the Nets hosted last month. Greene will have the most NBA experience of any player on the Nets' summer league roster with 253 appearances. Greene spent all four years of his career with the Sacramento Kings after a successful career at Syracuse.

The Nets are clearly intrigued by the 6'11" wing. He's been mentioned as a potential target for the past three offseasons now. Greene is only 26.  After a nice showing overseas last year, he may be ready to rejoin the league.  Greene played for Dongguan in China and averaged 19.6 points and nearly nine rebounds per game.

The Orlando summer league starts next Saturday.  The addition of Greene seemingly brings the summer league roster to the maximum of 12. In addition to the three players from last year's roster -- Mason Plumlee, Jorge Gutierrez and Marquis Teague --  the Nets have invited Adonis Thomas, who played at Springfield last season and had stints with Orlando and Philadelphia, and their three first round draft picks -- Markel Brown, Xavier Thames and Cory Jefferson to Orlando.  In addition, Nick Minnerath and Michael Jenkins, Americans who played overseas last season; Slovenian center Alen Omic and undrafted Harvard forward Kyle Casey are also reportedly on the roster.

Brook Lopez will work out with the team, but not play, in Orlando. Expect him to spend a lot of time going up against the 7'2" Omic.

Let's see what skills the former Nugget brings to Orlando.

Amidst all the lightning-quick armchair commentary and naysayers--the frivolous, hasty bunch that seep through the proverbial Internet gutter that is Twitter--that sprouted up moments after the Orlando Magic traded Arron Afflalo, you would have been hard-pressed to learn that Orlando actually received, you know, a basketball player. His name is Evan Fournier and it turns out that he's a pretty nice prospect, one that struggled to earn consistent minutes in Denver, but one that flashed, at times, very fundamental basketball skills.

In Denver, Fournier was more prospect than player. He had an impressive rookie season in spot minutes, putting up per-36 averages of 17 points and 3.7 assists while shooting 54 percent inside the arc and 41 percent outside of it. His sophomore season, however, was a bit of a disappointment. He averaged nearly 20 minutes a night and continued scoring the ball, but hit dips in two-point (45.3) and three-point (37.6) shooting.

But here's the thing: When Fournier was given consistent minutes, he produced and did so efficiently. In 2013/14, the Frenchman played 30-39 minutes in 12 different games. He averaged 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and three assists on 57.1 True Shooting and 42.1 percent from three. In that same split, Afflalo averaged 18.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 56.7 True Shooting and 39.8 percent from range. That is in no way meant to say that Fournier is as good or better than Afflalo, but it shows his potential.

Interesting enough, the Denver Nuggets were actually better with Fournier on the floor, too. The team registered a 0.1 net-rating with him on and a -3.5 net-rating with him off, per NBA.com's media site. Fournier's a crafty and diligent ball handler, capable of serving as the second guard in any lineup. He's a streaky and inconsistent shooter but his flashes are bright enough that he's still above league average.

I was in charge with scouting the draft's top prospects for SB Nation's home page. For those profiles, I stuck to a very specific method: I would watch a guy's best and worst games to gauge his ceiling and floor, and then project him somewhere in the middle. This methodology is used throughout the league to evaluate players. Let's apply it to Fournier here.

Best game: Sacramento Kings, February 23

Stat line: 27 points, 8-of-11 shooting, 4-of-5 from deep, 7-of-8 on free throws, four rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block, three turnovers.

Fournier showed a lot of variety in his offensive game here and scored in several different ways. He netted a few spot up threes, one long range shot out of the pick-and-roll, a step back jumper, and he scored in transition.

My favorite bucket was set up on a backdoor cut. Fournier drilled J.J. Hickson in the high post, faked like he was going around for a hand off and cut straight down the lane. Hickson hit him in stride and he finished the layup; the whole time I was imaging Kyle O`Quinn working as Hickson in the high post. Really beautiful basketball.

But what I really liked from Fournier here was his passing; he registered five assists in this game. Roundball Mining Company editor Kalen Deremo told me in an interview--look for it later Sunday here at OPP--that Fournier has "above-average distribution skills," which is something that DraftExpress echoed in its scouting report:

Patient and mature with his drives, he reads the secondary line of defense extremely well, frequently making intelligent passes off the dribble to cutting teammates as help-side defenders rotate towards him.

When he was a 19-year-old playing professionally in France, Fournier got "the majority of his touches in pick and roll, transition and isolation situations, all of which he's fairly effective in." Against Sacramento, he showed poise in the pick and roll. Here he works with Jan Veselý:

He digs down to the short corner, taking two Kings defenders with him, circles back to his left hand and looks for Vesely. But Isaiah Thomas is there, ready to intercept the pop pass. Fournier doesn't panic, though: He slices into that open space with his left hand.

When he cuts into that space, Thomas is forced to help back on Aaron Brooks. The pick-and-roll tandem follows Fournier back to the lane and Fournier rightfully hits the open Vesely. If there's anything Orlando has on its roster, it's plenty of big guys who can knock down that elbow jumper.

Worst game: Toronto Raptors, January 31

Stat line: 18 points, 7-of-20 shooting, 3-of-8 from three, six rebounds, zero assists, two steals, seven turnovers.

There were other games in which Fournier shot poorly from the field and didn't play nearly as much, but I found this game to be his worst. He turned the ball over a ton, shot poorly from the floor, only attempted one free throw, and didn't register a single assist.

For context: Ty Lawson was out for this game and it killed the Nuggets. As a team, they turned the ball over 25 times. Twenty-five. In 48 minutes. Pretty unbelievable. Not having that lead guard really hurt Fournier. He was forced to handle the rock with Randy Foye and it turned out poorly.

The Raptors are a young, long-armed, and athletic team that makes its money by forcing turnovers. They have a plethora of wing athletes and those guys--Terrence Ross, specifically--gave Fournier fits. Ross blocked his shot three times.

Fournier's worst sequence came in the second half, when he drove, got stuck in the air, and threw up an awkward shot off the glass. He collected that miss and watched as Amir Johnson swatted his putback attempt; he collected that miss and Johnson blocked him again. Other times, Toronto blew up his passing lanes for steals.

This game was an all around horrible one for Denver and Fournier, but I really, really liked this wheel play it drew up in the first half.

Fournier starts at the key with the ball in his hands. He passes to Foye on the left wing, sets up Greivis Vásquez to the right, and cuts left down to the block. He then wheels back around up toward the top of the key where Kenneth Faried is setting up a flat screen.

Fournier drills the shot from the top of the key. It was a simple play--one in every NBA team's aresenal--but it worked to perfection. It's also a similar set that Orlando so wonderfully used for Arron Afflalo. That's Fournier's play now.

We learned in this game that Fournier is much better when playing alongside a lead guard. Foye is a steady little guard, but he should never be the primary playmaker on the floor. Lawson's absence really hurt Fournier. For the season, Fournier was 5.3 points per 100 possessions better playing alongside Lawson, per NBA.com/stats. The Frenchman can handle the ball in pick and rolls and he can be your second-best ballhandler, but he works better when he can be a threat both on and off the ball.

Overall

In a perfect world, Fournier would fill Afflalo's shoes easily. But it's not a perfect world and that isn't going to happen. Magic fans should be encouraged, however, by the tools he has in his toolbox. He's a streaky three-point shooter, but already the best--or second best depending on your view of Doron Lamb--on the team.

He isn't a great athlete, but he's a crafty ballhandler with good passing vision. That lack of lateral quickness does, however, limit him on the defensive end, where he isn't fast enough side-to-side to stick with the quicker two-guards. But the good news is that Orlando has enough athletes on the wing now to hopefully mask some of those deficiencies.

Fournier fills a need (shooting) and he can serve as a secondary ballhandler and playmaker, but how much will he play? Victor Oladipo is undoubtedly the team's starting shooting guard. Fournier can slide to small forward for spells, but his lack of elite length and thin frame will likely make it tough for him to guard bigger threes. Still, he has the ability to carve out precious space as a long range threat. That's valuable enough to warrant immediate playing time.

When news broke about the Afflalo trade, it was egregiously met with short-sighted disapproval. But it's important to remember that the Magic didn't just receive financial flexibility: they also gained a pleasant little 21-year-old shooting guard prospect who will earn playing time almost immediately.