Potential Top-4 Selection Jaden Ivey Hoping To Avoid Sacramento
RealGM Wiretap reported this morning that Jaden Ivey prefers the Kings not to select him in the upcoming NBA draft. Sacramento holds the fourth overall pick and many outlets project they will use it on the high-flying guard. Given Sacramento’s history as one of the worst drafting teams in the NBA, it’s an understandable position. Since 2011, only one of the Kings’ first-round picks have signed a second contract with the club. That level of ineptitude when it comes to drafting and developing prospects must be terrifying for Ivey.
This news is also unsurprising given Ivey’s recent comments to Sports Illustrated’s The Spun. When asked which teams he’d like to play for he mentioned the Detroit Pistons, who hold the pick after Sacramento. He cited his familiarity with the city and organization due to his mom’s playing days with the Detroit Shock.
“I would love to go anywhere, but Detroit, my mom [Notre Dame head women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey] played for the Detroit Shock in the WNBA. I’ve lived in the area and I know what it’s like. Detroit [which picks fifth overall] could be an option.”
VIA The Spun
He also talked about the Pacers, who possess the sixth overall pick. Again, he referenced his mom’s playing career with a WNBA franchise in the city to explain his reasoning.
“The Pacers [who pick sixth], my mom played with the Indiana Fever. I’m kind of familiar with that organization. If they pick me on draft night it would be an honor. Just being from Indiana and living there my whole life, that would be amazing.”
VIA The Spun
The team he never mentioned? You guessed it, the Sacramento Kings. If Ivey gets lucky, the Kings respect his wishes and choose a potentially inferior prospect. If he doesn’t… maybe he’ll just have to play well enough for the Kings to trade him because they’re the Kings and make stupid decisions like trading Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis.
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