Sacramento could have a local talent to look closer into ahead of the NBA Draft. Here's how Allen Graves could fit the Kings.
The Sacramento Kings earn the luxury of scouring the nation or globally to seek out NBA Draft prospects.
They also don't have to travel far either...with multiple universities in the Golden State having a draft prospect or two.
KingsRoundtable has rolled out potential incoming rookie fits throughout the month of April. Names like Keaton Wagler of Illinois, Kingston Flemings of Houston, Darius Acuff of Arkansas and Cameron Boozer of Duke all have earned mentions as possible Kings options for general manager Scott Perry and head coach Doug Christie.
But again, there's a nearby talent who's worth the look and gaining steam ahead of the draft. Time to look closer at Allen Graves of Santa Clara University.
Point Guard to 'Point Forward'
Graves at one time manned point guard.
That came before he grew to at least 6-foot-9.
But the PG skills remain, as he shows comfort in handling the open floor and initiating the Broncos' offense.
He shows excellent control of the basketball combined with tremendous court vision. He's unhesitant to dish the ball out the moment he sees a defensive lapse.
Floor Spacer and Scorer
Graves walks into the draft as one of the more consistent shooters in the nation, converting 51.7% from the field while maintaining strong shot discipline.
He takes advantage of the spacing on the floor and knocks down 41.6% from behind the arc. Displays a smooth, repeatable release with confidence through both spotting up and stepping into shots.
But he's mobile enough to blow past defenders while maintaining strong handles for the ball.
Explosive Athlete?
Graves doesn't possess the rim attacking nature of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or the aforementioned Flemings. He looks limited on the speed aspect.
But his game is built more on playing with coordination, ball control and timing.
He brings those said traits to the defensive side too while matching it with smarts on the floor. He's capable of impacting the game without needing the ball constantly and can impact from a metrics standpoint.
Areas of Concern
While Graves showed impressive growth from his past PG frame, he's still developing physically.
But there's one more area to bring up as a big concern: He came off the bench mostly, plus faced lesser competition despite battling two March Madness teams in the same conference (Gonzaga and Saint Mary's).
Again, he lacks ideal explosiveness which raises questions on if he can dominate nightly in the league. His cerebral side, passing and unselfish play is garnering attention pre-draft.
Are Kings a Fit?
Sacramento to its credit discovered a late round gem in Maxime Raynaud. Graves rises as the latest Bay Area college star to surface on draft boards.
Except Raynaud was a far different specimen compared to the Santa Clara star. Raynaud logged hefty minutes in two different power conferences which eventually became translatable in the league.
Graves stunningly has garnered late first round hype. But feels like his smarts and passer side are what will land him on an NBA roster. He can help the passing down low, but may need a year to gain his footing in the league.
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