Sacramento Kings: Justin Jackson at No. 10 makes perfect sense
By Evan Massey
The Sacramento Kings should strongly consider taking North Carolina star Justin Jackson with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Justin Jackson became a household name during last season while playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He worked his way into being one of the top players in the country in college basketball and is now headed into the 2017 NBA Draft. There are plenty of teams that could use a player with his skill-set, but perhaps none more than the Sacramento Kings.
Sacramento entered a new rebuilding phase last season after trading star big man DeMarcus Cousins. They received talented, young shooting guard Buddy Hield in return and currently hold the No. 5 and No. 10 picks in this year’s draft. Both of those picks should turn into starters.
Why should the Kings draft Jackson at No. 10 when there are plenty of other talented players that will be available? Quite simply, Jackson has the potential to become a lethal scorer at the next level and he plays a position of need for the Kings.
Rudy Gay is not expected to come back at this point in time. He has not officially exercised his player option to opt of his contract, but is expected to do so and enter free agency. If he does opt out, the Kings are not likely to bring him back due to his age and the injury he suffered last year.
Enter, Justin Jackson. Jackson would immediately slide into the starting small forward role alongside Hield. If the Kings get their wish, they would likely find their long-term starting point guard with the No. 5 pick by selecting Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox. Vlade Divac could have a future “Big Three” in Fox, Hield and Jackson.
Last season with the Tar Heels, Jackson ended up averaging 18.3 points per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He shot 44.3 percent from the field overall and knocked down 37.0 percent of his three-point attempts.
Jackson still has plenty of work to do on his body if he wants to become a star at the next level. Standing in at 6-foot-8 and 210 pounds, he still needs to pack on some weight in order to take the physical play of other star small forwards in the NBA. That likely won’t be a problem, as Jackson’s work ethic has never been questioned.
Sacramento needs to find as much offensive firepower as it can. Hield has the potential to become a lethal scorer, but the Kings don’t have many young scorers on their roster. Jackson would certainly add some scoring ability, even if he is a bit of a project.
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At this point in time, Jackson is rising and falling in mock drafts across the nation. Different media members expect him to go in vastly different portions of the draft. Some see him going in the top-10, others see him dropping into the 20s.
No matter where Jackson ends up getting drafted, he is going to have a successful NBA career. Hard work and talent normally do not end up being a bust. Sacramento would be wise to give him that chance and to take a gamble on the potential that is clearly seen when watching Jackson play.
Expect to see the Kings consider quite a few different players with the No. 10 overall pick. Jackson may not end up being the selection when everything is said and done, but he certainly would be a quality addition to a team looking to rebuild into title contention.
Next: 2017 NBA Mock Draft: Post-Lottery edition
Do you think the Sacramento Kings should draft Justin Jackson with the No. 10 pick? If not, who do you think they should draft? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!