Sacramento Kings: Which of the 2012 Draft Prospects Best Fits the Kings?

With the NBA trade deadline passed and the Sacramento Kings all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, it's time for an annual tradition amongst Kings fans—draft watch!

The NCAA tournament is in full swing and a great number of strong prospects are still playing for the national title, so it's a great time of year for interested NBA fans to start writing out their draft wish lists.

Obviously there are still a good number of games to go, and prospects will rise and fall in the coming months, especially when they begin work outs for NBA teams.

Talent is something the Kings have, and have in abundance, but they've been struggling to fit all those players together into a cohesive unit. Now, more than ever, the Kings need to add players who complement their already existing players.

Amongst the draft's top prospects, which of the possible players would fit best with the current Kings roster? Let's take a look.

10. Quincy Miller

The Kings have a need at small forward, and Miller would be a very solid fit for Sacramento. But would he be worth a high lottery selection, where the Kings are expected to select?

Miller's work ethic is unquestionable. He worked his way back from an ACL tear and was a solidly productive player for Baylor, averaging 11.1 points and five rebounds a contest. He's a very solid defender, and with his length and strong athleticism, he could be the answer to the Kings' small forward woes.

He's not the best shooter, although he has improved over the season, and sometimes he starts forcing bad shots. While he may be too early a selection compared to the rest of the players on this list, he'd be a nice pick up for the Kings.

9. Jared Sullinger

Reminder: This isn't a mock draft, nor will I list these players in order of how I feel their overall talents stack up. This is a ranking of how I believe the prospects would fit in with the current Kings roster.

Take Jared Sullinger for instance. With a good interior-scoring skill set and ample size, he has the talent to be a top-five selection in this draft. However, I feel he would be a poor fit in the current Kings roster.

Sullinger is a lot like a poor man's version of DeMarcus Cousins. He's big, and uses that size to score in the paint. He's a good rebounder and post defender, but he, like Cousins, isn't really athletic in the slightest. Sullinger currently averages 17.6 points and 9.3 rebounds.

If the Kings took Sullinger and started him alongside Cousins, they'd have a good size advantage on most opponents (Sullinger stands 6'9'' and weighs in at 265 lbs), but they'd be abused by faster, more athletic forwards and centers. Neither Cousins nor Sullinger can jump over a phone book, and neither are particularly good shot blockers.

In a situation where he can be the primary big inside, Sullinger should be an excellent big man. But much like Cousins, he should be next to an athletic teammate, and that is why he isn't a great fit for Sacramento's needs.

8. Terrence Jones

Talent wise, Jones would be a fantastic fit for the Kings. If Sacramento could craft a small forward to fit their needs, Jones would have nearly all the qualities—he's very athletic, quick despite having great size, he's an above average defender and shot blocker, and he's got a very solid mid-range jumper.

He stands at 6'9'' and nearly 250 lbs, but has the speed to play both forward positions. He currently averages 12.5 points, seven rebounds and 1.8 blocks a contest for the Wildcats.

The problem with Jones is his mental game. At times, he seems almost disinterested or even lazy. He hasn't made as big a stride as many thought he could when he returned to Kentucky this season (his stats have actually regressed), and has a tendency to become a black hole and shoot far too many outside shots.

Still, his across-the-board skills make him a solid fit if the Kings think they can properly motivate him.

7. Perry Jones III

Perry Jones has all the physical tools and talents to become the next Lamar Odom, but he may not have the mental capacity to become such a strong NBA player.

At times, Jones looks like a sure-fire NBA All-Star. Jones averaged 18.3 points and 9.3 boards on 50 percent shooting in the Big 12 conference tournament, which included wins over Kansas State and Kansas. But then he goes out some nights and has a complete deer-in-the-headlights look about him. He had that yesterday when he had just two points on 1-for-6 shooting, although, to his credit, he did have 11 rebounds.

Jones has excellent length, very solid shooting ability and has a very smooth athletic playing style. Skill set wise, the only thing he really lacks in a shot-blocking ability. But as Jones continues to struggle, scouts are lowering him further and further down the draft list.

He'd be a very solid fit for the Kings as a forward, but his apparent lack of confidence is certainly a big concern.

6. John Henson

While most mocks have both Sullinger and Perry Jones III over John Henson, in terms of the Kings' needs, Henson makes a whole lot of sense.

Alongside DeMarcus Cousins, Henson would be an absolutely fantastic fit. Henson is very athletic and lanky, and is a fantastic shot blocker, getting 2.9 a contest. He's a great defender and would provide Sacramento with a real interior defender. He's also a very solid rebounder, grabbing 10.1 a game.

None of the Kings bigs are exactly bad defenders, but a lock-down shot blocker would really help the Kings defensively.

Henson's weakness is on the offensive end, where he struggles as a scorer. He also shoots just about 50 percent from the free-throw line, so he'd be a liability especially late in games. He's also pretty skinny, with just 220 pounds to go on his 6'11'' frame. But those weaknesses are somewhat negated alongside a scoring big like Cousins.

In terms of fit, this is a great one—as a Kings fan, I'd be very happy with a selection of Henson, as long as it wasn't a top-four pick.

5. Andre Drummond

Drummond, like the two Joneses already mentioned, is a serious enigma.

Athletically, he's a top selection. Standing 6'11'' with a 250-pound frame, he can jump out of the building and keep up with nearly all players. He's a very solid shot blocker and, when he wants to be, a very capable rebounder.

The key phrase there is "when he wants to be." Drummond has potential written all over him, and in a league that lacks superstar bigs, he could be one—if he puts his mind to it. He often appears disinterested, lazy, unfocused and uncaring.

You need look no further than UConn's loss in the NCAA tournament. Against an Iowa State team that really lacked the size to keep up with him, Drummond had just two points and three rebounds. He should be a dominant-type player, and the only thing keeping him back is himself.

Could the Kings properly motivate him? Would playing alongside a fiery DeMarcus Cousins do the job? If he cared enough to develop a great work ethic, his athleticism and overall well-rounded skill set would make him a star—but that is a really big "if."

4. Harrison Barnes

It makes sense why Barnes is a popular selection amongst Kings fans. Sacramento needs a small forward, and Barnes has been one of the NCAA's highest profile forwards for the last two seasons. He's a very good shooter, and the Kings aren't exactly one of the NBA's best shooting squads.

But Barnes doesn't make as much sense as some of the players on this list, for multiple reasons. One, Barnes has been North Carolina's main offensive weapon and, while he isn't a ball hog, he's not exactly great off the ball. The Kings already have multiple players who struggle to play off the ball—adding another one wouldn't help the situation.

While Barnes is a good athlete, he is only an average defender and a poor rebounder despite his 6'8'' frame. He really does not like to play inside at the rim, and most of his points in the paint are off of fast breaks.

The Kings need a small forward who can play above-average defensively, play off the ball, rebound when needed and do all the dirty work. Could Barnes improve in those areas? Certainly. This isn't to say that Barnes would be a bad selection—his shooting ability would be a great addition—just that he isn't the top fit.

3. Thomas Robinson

Robinson, a 6'10" power forward out of Kansas, has been one of the best and most consistent players in the NCAA all season. He's got everything physically you'd want in a power forward—good size, excellent strength, explosive athleticism—in addition to all the skills you'd need for a big man to have.

He's very comfortable around the basket with an ever improving skill set, and he's a great rebounder to boot. He's currently averaging 17.9 points and 11.8 rebounds for the Jayhawks, while shooting 53.8 percent from the field.

He's not a great shot blocker, getting just one block a contest, but his athleticism and size will make him a very good defender in the pros. He's also one of the hardest workers in the NCAA, and you can see it whenever he steps onto the court.

Think of Robinson as a better Jason Thompson. His athleticism, skill set and hard-working motor would make him an excellent fit in Sacramento next to DeMarcus Cousins.

2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

To truly understand why Kidd-Gilchrist is climbing up the draft boards, you need only to watch him play a game. You won't find many players as dedicated to the game as he is.

Kidd-Gilchrist would be an instant fix for the Kings' small forward woes, and matches nearly all of the Kings' needs. He's incredibly athletic, a great defender, a capable rebounder and, best of all, an off-the-ball scorer. He can dominate when needed, too, but as this year with a stacked Kentucky team shows, he's not going to need the ball to be effective.

His stats are a bit deceptive—he averages just 11.8 points a game—but with so many scorers, the Wildcats don't exactly need one player to dominate offensively. He also averages 7.6 rebounds a contest and shoots 48.2 percent from the floor.

He's not a great shooter, as evident from his 25.5 percent clip from three-point territory, but his range is improving. He shoots a very capable 73.5 percent from the free-throw line, and with his work ethic, there should be no question that he'll improve as a shooter as his career goes on.

Yes, Kidd-Gilchrist has said he plans to stay at Kentucky, but so have tons of lottery picks before him who changed their minds as the draft drew nearer. I'll believe it when I see it.

Harrison Barnes may be the popular pick because of his shooting ability, but in terms of total team fit, Kidd-Gilchrist would be a godsend for Sacramento.

1. Anthony Davis

You can pretty much skip this slide. Sacramento couldn't possibly luck out this much.

I mean, Davis would be awesome in a Kings uniform. He's the undisputed top selection this year, and is currently averaging 14.3 points, 10 rebounds and 4.6 blocks a contest for Kentucky—all while shooting an absurd 64.2 percent from the field.

And yes, with his unparalleled athleticism and length, his ferocious defensive tenacity and great reach, he'd be an absolute-couldn't-be-better fit next to DeMarcus Cousins. And yes, a Cousins/Davis combo would instantly transform the Kings into a Western Conference contender for years to come.

But the Kings can't get this lucky... Could they?