Six small forwards Kings should eye with No. 12 pick in draft

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James Ham looks at six small forward names that might make sense for Sacramento with their No. 12 overall selection.

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<p>We are in the home stretch of the NBA Draft season. With under a month to go, the Kings, and 29 other teams are narrowing down a list of prospects with the hopes of finding a special talent.<br />
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Armed with the No. 12 overall pick, the Kings will have options. Their biggest position of need might be the small forward position, where they could use depth and a potential long term starter.<br />
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Starter Harrison Barnes is still under contract for another three seasons, but as the league continues to get smaller, he has the ability to slide over to the power forward position. The Kings could use someone who can play right away, but also has the potential to grow into the position.<br />
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In addition to Barnes, Kent Bazemore is an unrestricted free agent, and retaining him might be outside the budget. Sacramento also has Justin James who can play the three, but he struggled to find consistent minutes last season and he’ll be in a fight to get on the floor this year as well. <br />
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Here is a look at six small forward names that might make sense for Sacramento with their No. 12 overall selection.</p>

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We are in the home stretch of the NBA Draft season. With under a month to go, the Kings, and 29 other teams are narrowing down a list of prospects with the hopes of finding a special talent.
 
Armed with the No. 12 overall pick, the Kings will have options. Their biggest position of need might be the small forward position, where they could use depth and a potential long term starter.
 
Starter Harrison Barnes is still under contract for another three seasons, but as the league continues to get smaller, he has the ability to slide over to the power forward position. The Kings could use someone who can play right away, but also has the potential to grow into the position.
 
In addition to Barnes, Kent Bazemore is an unrestricted free agent, and retaining him might be outside the budget. Sacramento also has Justin James who can play the three, but he struggled to find consistent minutes last season and he’ll be in a fight to get on the floor this year as well. 
 
Here is a look at six small forward names that might make sense for Sacramento with their No. 12 overall selection.

 

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<p>Measurables: 6-foot-7, 194 pounds Age: 20<br />
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Long and athletic, Vassell would be a great fit in Sacramento. He’s a rangy athlete that can defend the two or three comfortably. He also shot 41.1 percent from 3-point range last season. Whether he falls to No. 12 will be the main question for the Kings. If he makes it this deep, it would be hard to see them passing on the 19-year-old out of Florida State. </p>

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Measurables: 6-foot-7, 194 pounds Age: 20
 
Long and athletic, Vassell would be a great fit in Sacramento. He’s a rangy athlete that can defend the two or three comfortably. He also shot 41.1 percent from 3-point range last season. Whether he falls to No. 12 will be the main question for the Kings. If he makes it this deep, it would be hard to see them passing on the 19-year-old out of Florida State. 

 

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<p>Measurables: 6-foot-6, 215 pounds Age: 21<br />
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If the Kings believe they are going to swing a big trade and move on from Buddy Hield, Nesmith would be a player that makes a lot of sense. He isn’t the defender that some of the other players on this list are, but he knocked down an incredible 52.2 percent from 3-point range on 8.2 attempts per game last season at Vanderbilt. He can score in bunches and space the floor as well as any player in this draft.</p>

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Measurables: 6-foot-6, 215 pounds Age: 21
 
If the Kings believe they are going to swing a big trade and move on from Buddy Hield, Nesmith would be a player that makes a lot of sense. He isn’t the defender that some of the other players on this list are, but he knocked down an incredible 52.2 percent from 3-point range on 8.2 attempts per game last season at Vanderbilt. He can score in bunches and space the floor as well as any player in this draft.

 

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<p>Measurables: 6-foot-8, 225 pounds Age: 19<br />
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If Vassell is the 3-and-D prototype and Nesmith is the flame thrower, Williams is the prospect. There was a lot to like from his limited opportunities at Florida State, but will the Kings be able to develop those talents at the next level? Williams has the size to play either forward position and he has very good defensive instincts. He shot just 32 percent from long range in his freshman season, but again, his touches were very limited in the Seminoles’ offense. Williams can be the best forward out of this group, but he’s a gamble.</p>

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Measurables: 6-foot-8, 225 pounds Age: 19
 
If Vassell is the 3-and-D prototype and Nesmith is the flame thrower, Williams is the prospect. There was a lot to like from his limited opportunities at Florida State, but will the Kings be able to develop those talents at the next level? Williams has the size to play either forward position and he has very good defensive instincts. He shot just 32 percent from long range in his freshman season, but again, his touches were very limited in the Seminoles’ offense. Williams can be the best forward out of this group, but he’s a gamble.

 

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<p>Measurables: 6-foot-10, 185 pounds Age: 20<br />
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One of the highest ceiling players on this list, McDaniels has the length and athleticism to dominate at the NBA level. He also has some major red flags. Will he stay engaged on both ends of the floor? Will he buy in? This is a top 10 talent, but he’ll likely slide deeper into the first round than he should. If Sacramento is interested, they could drop down a few spots and collect another asset.  </p>

Measurables: 6-foot-10, 185 pounds Age: 20
 
One of the highest ceiling players on this list, McDaniels has the length and athleticism to dominate at the NBA level. He also has some major red flags. Will he stay engaged on both ends of the floor? Will he buy in? This is a top 10 talent, but he’ll likely slide deeper into the first round than he should. If Sacramento is interested, they could drop down a few spots and collect another asset.  

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<p>Measurables: 6-foot-8, 215 pounds Age: 21<br />
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Bey doesn’t have the body of McDaniels or the top-end scoring ability of Nesmith, but he looks like a player that will be a valuable role player and have a long NBA career. Versatile enough to play either forward, Bey is a jack-of-all-trades type player. He knocked down 45.1 percent from long range, plays defense, can pass the ball and rarely turns it over. He’s also NBA ready.</p>

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Measurables: 6-foot-8, 215 pounds Age: 21
 
Bey doesn’t have the body of McDaniels or the top-end scoring ability of Nesmith, but he looks like a player that will be a valuable role player and have a long NBA career. Versatile enough to play either forward, Bey is a jack-of-all-trades type player. He knocked down 45.1 percent from long range, plays defense, can pass the ball and rarely turns it over. He’s also NBA ready.

 

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<p>Measurables: 6-foot-7, 180 pounds Age: 20<br />
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Bolmaro is a wild card. The Spaniard is perhaps the best playmaker of this group. He has great court vision and offensive potential, but he needs to get stronger and might need another year in Europe to develop. Bolmaro is slated to go anywhere from the late lottery to the mid-20s in this year’s draft. If Sacramento is interested, they can drop down a handful of spots and potentially pick up another asset.  </p>

Measurables: 6-foot-7, 180 pounds Age: 20
 
Bolmaro is a wild card. The Spaniard is perhaps the best playmaker of this group. He has great court vision and offensive potential, but he needs to get stronger and might need another year in Europe to develop. Bolmaro is slated to go anywhere from the late lottery to the mid-20s in this year’s draft. If Sacramento is interested, they can drop down a handful of spots and potentially pick up another asset.  

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