[Peja Vu]

The Kings will be in attendance at DeAndre Jordan's workout:

The Kings will be among teams attending Jordan's group workout this week in Philadelphia. It's an important showcase for a player who tantalizes with his superior athleticism at 7 feet and 260 pounds – drawing comparisons to Dwight Howard in that way – but doesn't come close to any other likely lottery pick in proven skills.

Jordan had trouble staying on the court at Texas A&M, a very bad sign, capped by playing five and 15 minutes in the Aggies' two NCAA Tournament games. But scouts see the size, agility, explosive leaping ability and age (19) and dream of what could be, making him the great wild card at the top of the draft.

If he shows anything, Jordan could challenge Stanford's Brook Lopez to become the first center taken. If he isn't overwhelming in Philadelphia, Jordan could schedule visits with teams further down the lottery such as the Kings, intrigued with everyone else, at No. 12.

And even if Jordan does not agree to come to Sacramento for an individual workout, the Kings will consider him. Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie chose Gerald Wallace in 2001 without a private viewing.

http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/979974.html

[Peja Vu]

Kings try out possible draftees

Last week, the process of finding those answers continued. Although the Kings don't release information regarding their workouts, numerous sources shed light on some of the players who have either worked out in Sacramento or plan to do so. A Friday workout included Georgetown center Roy Hibbert.

The 7-foot-2 center surprised many by pulling out of the draft around this time last year. Hibbert, who was considered a likely lottery pick in 2007, returned for his senior season and has seen his stock drop even though his production increased. Hibbert is far from a spectacular athlete, but his skills in the post and defensive talents have long intrigued front-office types.

He was joined in the workout by fellow big man Nathan Jawai, a 6-10, 270-pound power forward from Australia. The 21-year-old could be a project, but his physicality and surprising mobility have increased interest.

Also taking part was DeMarcus Nelson, the Duke senior guard who attended Vallejo High School and spent his senior prep season at Sheldon. The prospect of Nelson joining his hometown team as a second-round selection would seem possible only if he put on a stellar shooting display.

Nelson's shooting ability has been the complaint about his game, the negative contrasting the positives of an all-around game, athleticism and phenomenal strength. At the predraft camp in Orlando (May 27-30), Nelson was among the strongest guards on the bench press.

After working out with Phoenix, North Carolina State forward JJ Hickson told reporters that he already had worked out with the Kings. Other players who worked out at the Kings' practice facility this week included Oklahoma State guard Marcus Dove (6-9, 215) and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis point guard George Hill (6-2, 180).

There is, however, much more to come. Sophomore Texas point guard D.J. Augustin is expected to hold a workout in Sacramento this week, possibly Monday. The 6-foot, 180-pounder very well could be gone by the time the Kings pick, but his up-tempo game and scoring punch would be welcome if he is still on the board.

If his workout is in fact Monday, he will face off against Mike Taylor. The Iowa State product, 22, played in the NBA Development League last season and raised his stock at the predraft camp. West Virginia small forward Joe Alexander (6-8, 230) also appears to be headed Sacramento's way, as he recently told the Sporting News he had a workout scheduled with the Kings.

[Peja Vu]

Texas' D.J. Augustin works out as the search continues

With the need for capable point men no less pressing now than then, the Kings took a look at a jackpot player Tuesday at their practice facility in preparation for the June 26 draft. Texas point guard D.J. Augustin showcased his speedy, high-scoring ways, the most high-profile player known to have worked out in Sacramento yet.

Augustin is leaving college after two seasons at Texas, having averaged 19.2 points and 5.8 assists. He helped lead the Longhorns to a 31-7 record and within one victory of the Final Four in the first season after Kevin Durant left early for the NBA. The 6-foot, 180-pound Augustin has been widely projected as a lottery pick and quite possibly a top-10 selection, with no guarantees that he'll be there when the Kings pick at No. 12.

That is the crux reality of the Kings' point guard situation. Beno Udrih filled in with aplomb after signing on early in the season, but he will be an unrestricted free agent in July. And although the Kings are expected to attempt to sign Udrih, there are no assurances of his return.

Otherwise, the Kings - who also have second-round picks at No. 42 and No. 43 - continued to look at players who are expected to be taken much lower than the No. 12 spot.

Although the team releases no information regarding the workouts, numerous sources shed light on the players being considered. Augustin was joined by New Orleans senior guard Bo McCalebb(6-foot, 180 pounds), BYU junior shooting guard Lee Cummard (6-7, 185), Missouri junior power forward DeMarre Carroll (6-8, 235) and Cal State Fullerton junior guard Josh Akognon (5-11, 185). The sources could not be identified because of the Kings' policy on identifying workout participants.

The point guard search was in full force on Monday as well, with the Kings hosting NBA Development League prospect Mike Taylor (6-2, 165). The 22-year-old spent two seasons playing in community college before he was kicked out of Iowa State after one season for academic reasons. He then joined the Iowa Stampede of the D-League and averaged 14.5 points per game.

Taylor - who trains in Sacramento - raised his stock higher with a strong showing in the Orlando pre-draft camp in late May. He shared the session with junior Texas guard A.J. Abrams (5-11, 155), a scorer who might yet return for his senior season. Senior Oregon shooting guard Bryce Taylor (6-5, 205) also took part, as did 19-year-old Spanish small forward Victor Claver (6-11, 217) and Michigan State senior guard Drew Neitzel (6-foot, 185).

With the Kings also in need of needing quality young big men, the workout included Notre Dame senior forward Rob Kurz (6-9, 232).

[Peja Vu]

Big stars coming in tomorrow!

Kings release workout info for Friday

Sacramento media will be given a treat Friday as the Kings hold an open workout with a high profile list of prospects. Among them are Russell Westbrook (6-3, PG, UCLA), Joe Alexander (6-8, SF, West Virginia), Darrell Arthur (6-10, PF, Kansas), Ty Lawson (5-11, PG, North Carolina), Nicolas Batum (6-8, SF, Le Mans, France) and Othello Hunter (6-8, PF, Ohio State).

We will have more coverage tomorrow after talking to the potential draft picks.

[Peja Vu]

Originally Posted by Peja Vu

Big stars coming in tomorrow!

Kings release workout info for Friday

WORKOUT VIDEO HERE:

http://www.nba.com/kings/news/08_draft_central.html

[Peja Vu]

Kings get impactful in-person look at six NBA draft prospects

The small forward from West Virginia was the most boisterous of six prospects worked out by the Kings on Friday at the team's practice facility, where the uber-athlete also known as "Jumpin Joe" or "Vanilla Sky" (he's Caucasian and can fly) wasn't afraid to boast about his all-around skills.

"I feel I'm as good a shooter as anyone (at the workout)," the 6-foot-8 Alexander said when asked about his alleged weaknesses. "I shoot 50 percent from the NBA three (point line) every workout I've been to, so anyone who's watched me extensively knows I've got a full set of skills. I don't have any glaring weaknesses.

"The No. 1 thing people talk about is ballhandling (deficiencies), which is even more incorrect. That's my biggest strength. People have no idea what they're talking about, just throw the stereotype out there that because I'm 6-8 I can't handle the ball because I played forward in college. It's ridiculous."

With the Kings preparing for the June 26 draft in which they pick 12th overall and have two second-round picks, it was the first workout opened to the media since a self-assured player who grew up in West Virginia named Jason Williams came through town in 1998. And although the curtain was closed after shooting drills and before the scrimmaging began, the lineup didn't disappoint.

In addition to the poised Alexander, UCLA point guard Russell Westbrook participated, as did Kansas forward Darrell Arthur, French small forward Nicolas Batum, North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson and Ohio State power forward Othello Hunter.

The workout included more high-profile future picks than the Kings have seen as yet, with only a visit last week from Texas point guard D.J. Augustin providing a bigger name. While Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie and his staff have been monitoring these players for years, the workout often can have great impact on the analysis at the end.

"When it's all said and done, we'll probably have in 60 players in addition to some other (multiple-team workouts)," Petrie said. "It's part of the whole portrait, really. You have tape, you have staff, you have interviews, you have the live looks and your own workout. Out of all of that, you're trying to formulate as good an opinion as you can of who they are."

Westbrook remains a possibility for the Kings despite presenting a familiar problem: He is a prospect whose position isn't defined. He is in a no-man's land between point guard and shooting guard, a roster spot occupied by Kings guard Quincy Douby, although the intrigue of Westbrook is far from comparable.

The 6-3, 187-pound Westbrook made his name as an athletic scorer and defender with UCLA, earning Pacific-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors last season as a sophomore while proving to be one of the nation's more explosive specimens. This was the fifth and final of his one-team workouts, with previous stops in Seattle (picking fourth), New York (No. 6) Portland (No. 13), and the Los Angeles Clippers (No. 7). Westbrook turned his ankle in the session and missed a chance to scrimmage against Lawson. He said the concerns about his game are off the mark, much like Alexander.

"I'm not worried about that at all," he said of playing the point in the NBA. "I've been playing point all my life. That's not a worry to me at all."

Arthur is a sophomore who had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the Jayhawks' national championship win over Memphis in April. He struggled through back pain in the workout. He strained it enough on a plane ride to Seattle last week that his Kings workout had to be rescheduled, but said he felt confident about his play and expected to be picked anywhere from top 10 to mid-first round. He'll head next to Memphis (No. 5), Charlotte (No. 9) and possibly the Knicks (No. 6).

Alexander, whose final workouts are for Portland and Golden State (No. 14), has yet to hire an agent and still could withdraw his name from the draft before the Monday deadline. That would make him eligible for his senior season. He expressed confidence that he's ready for the next level, true to form.

"The decision's done," he said of staying in the draft. "I'm just keeping the door open just in case. There's no reason to close it."

[Peja Vu]

Chad Ford on Roy Hibbert:

One team to watch early could be the Sacramento Kings. The Kings, sources say, were set to take Hibbert last year before he unexpectedly decided to withdraw his name from the draft. While the Kings drafted another center in Spencer Hawes last year, sources say the team is still very high on Hibbert.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft...f****ch-080616

[Peja Vu]

Mock Drafts: 6/19/08, One Week Before The Draft.

NBA.com: DeAndre Jordan
NBADraft.net: DJ Augustin
DraftExpress.com: Anthony Randolph
ESPN.com: Anthony Randolph
NBAMock.com: Russell Westbrook
MyNBADraft.com: DeAndre Jordan
HoopsHype.com: Russell Westbrook
InsideHoops.com: Russell Westbrook
HoopsWorld.com: Joe Alexander
SI.com: Joe Alexander
CBSSports.com: Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook = 4
Joe Alexander = 2
Anthony Randolph = 2
DeAndre Jordan = 2
DJ Augustin = 1

[Peja Vu]

List of who is working out for the Kings tomorrow:

WHO: Guard Kevin Bell (5-10, 165, Fresno State), small forward Malik Hairston (6-6, 200, Oregon), center Kosta Koufos (7-0, 250, Ohio State), center JaVale McGee (7-1, 240, Nevada), point guard Sean Singletary (6-0, 180, Virginia) and small forward Deron Washington (6-7, 205, Virginia Tech).

[Peja Vu]

God, I hope this is true...From Draft Express.

If Sacramento selects Darrell Arthur at #12 like many NBA sources we spoke with anticipate (this was his last workout stop before cancelling numerous workouts)

[bball2223]

Originally Posted by Peja Vu

God, I hope this is true...From Draft Express.

If Sacramento selects Darrell Arthur at #12 like many NBA sources we spoke with anticipate (this was his last workout stop before cancelling numerous workouts)

That would be a huge pick-up for the Kings, Arthur is one of the more underrated prospects in the draft.