NBA Mock Draft 5.0: Final first-round predictions before the draft

NBA Mock Draft 9th Pick: Sacramento Kings – Franz Wagner

The record-breaking playoff drought by the Sacramento Kings will not be stopping anytime soon, especially with the West’s heightened difficulty. Still, the De’Aaron Fox-led squad has lots of upside as a team, though reinforcements are urgently needed to seriously compete in the conference.

Fox and Tyrese Haliburton co-pilot a breakneck-paced offense that the Kings have embraced in recent years. However, what the team needs is sustainable two-way play, with strong emphasis on defense after Sacramento’s defensive rating last season made it to the record books as the worst  in NBA History.

Michigan’s Franz Wagner should do the trick here. An intelligent offensive player with an NBA-ready three-point stroke and strong court vision, he’s also armed with a versatile defensive game, using his impeccable timing to register blocks and steals in addition to being a switchable piece on defense.