Holding the 34th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings could find a diamond in the rough in the second round.
In the lead up to the 2017 NBA Draft, the talk surrounding the Sacramento Kings has focused on their two top-10 selections.
That’s clearly justified, considering the pedigree of top end talent in this draft. As with every year, the chance to add a potential All-Star talent will always be the hope of every franchise and fan alike.
But while the buzz has zeroed in on the fifth and 10th picks for the Kings, they hold a pretty valuable second round pick in the 34th overall selection in this year’s draft as well.
It’s a position the Kings have only held once before in their history back in 1986, when they took UC Irvine power forward Johnny Rogers, who lasted with the team for one season.
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Of course, it’s impossible to know how the draft will unfold, what players that will be available and whether the Kings will stay put with where they are, but there’s certainly value to be had for any team in the second round.
Historically, players that have been taken 34th overall in past drafts have been two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer, two-time NBA champion Mario Chalmers and current Boston Celtics swingman Jae Crowder.
Obviously those are just the highlights of a long list of past selections and to expect a player of any of their respective impact would be incredibly far fetched for anyone to hope for. After all, drafting in the second round is not an exact science and teams are dealt with the cards that are given to them.
For a team like the Kings and where they stand in their rebuild, mining for gold in the second round may look to draft-and-stash a player overseas, picking an overlooked four-year college player or a project that will need plenty of development to put his skills together. There are so many directions they can go in that we’ll just have to wait and see at this point.
So with that set, let’s take a look at five potential options the Kings could take with the 34th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.