The Sacramento Kings have selected 21-year old center Hassan Whiteside with the 33rd overall pick of the NBA Draft. Marshall is a legit center at 7′0″, 235 pounds. He played in 34 games (23 starts) at Marshall last season and he averaged 13.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 5.4 blocked shots per game. Most experts had Whiteside going in the middle of the first round so the Kings’ front office was likely doing cartwheels when he was available at #33. The Kings have really reloaded along the front line already this off-season and I love this pick for them as Whiteside could be a starter for them in the future.

The Kings have picked 19-year old power forward DeMarcus Cousins out of Kentucky. Cousins is already 6′11″, 270 pounds and he could get bigger. Cousins played in 38 games (37 starts) for Kentucky last season and he averaged 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.8 blocked shots per game. Cousins will likely win the starting power forward job for the Kings which would team him with Samuel Dalembert in the paint giving the Kings something they have not seen in a while……defense.

The Kings have the 5th and 33rd overall picks in tomorrow night’s NBA Draft. The question is will the Kings use the pick (#5), trade down for extra picks or use the pick in an effort to land a legit point guard. Rumors have been swirling that the Kings are willing to trade the #5 pick and Beno Udrih to the Cavaliers for Mo Williams. That offer couldn’t be legit because the Cavs would have likely jumped on it. I think it’s more likely that the Kings trade down with a team that has a lot of picks in an effort not to reach at #5 for a point guard. The Kings will be a team to watch tomorrow night.

The Kings have acquired 29-year old center Samuel Dalembert from the Kings for 30-year old small forward Andres Nocioni and 22-year old center Spencer Hawes. Dalembert gives the Kings the defensive and rebounding center that coach Paul Westphal covets. Dalembert played in 82 games (80 starts) for the 76ers last season and he averaged 25.9 minutes, 8.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.8 blocked shots per game. He has now played in 582 games (491 starts) in his eight years in the NBA and he has averaged 26.4 minutes, 8.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 1.9 blocked shots per game. Nocioni played in 75 games (28 starts) for the Kings last season and he averaged 19.7 minutes, 8.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. He wanted to get traded so the Kings did themselves and him a favor by dealing him. Spencer Hawes played in 72 games (59 starts) for the Kings last season and he averaged 26.4 minutes, 10.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 blocked shots per game. He played three years for the Kings appearing in 220 games (118 starts) in which he averaged 23.2 minutes, 8.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game. Hawes was in Westphal’s Dog House most of last season due to the fact that he was too soft. I really like this trade for the Kings as Dalembert gives them a physical presence in the paint that they have not had in quite some time.

At the start of the 2009-10 season it looked like the Kings would be phasing 27-year old point guard Beno Udrih out of the rotation due to Tyreke Evans and Kevin Martin starting at guard. But Martin broke his wrist early in the season and the Kings traded him to Houston in February so Udrih got back into a groove. Udrih played in 79 games (41 starts) for the Kings last season and he averaged 31.4 minutes, 12.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. In his three years with the Kings, Udrih has played in 217 games (164 starts) in which he has averaged 31.5 minutes, 12.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Look for Udrih to be a key to the Kings’ immediate future as he is a very solid basketball player.