A Look at Sacramento Kings GM Scott Perry’s NBA Draft History | Locked On Kings

15 Comments

1. 

   @DeLuna_Tony 4 weeks ago

   Hey 👋 Matt! I know this is a rough year for us kings fans, but keep up the amazing work man

2. 

   @HammerRyanLTB 4 weeks ago

   Who would you take with the first pick?

3. 

   @ScoobyFish-g6q 4 weeks ago

   drafting Oden over Durant is a banned topic in Portland

4. 

   @breadformyfamily4175 4 weeks ago

   Kings cannot afford to miss on any of their 1sts.

   Peterson, Dybansta, and Boozer or bust

5. 

   @spencerlamkins2144 4 weeks ago

   It would be such kings luck to lose their best chance at a top pick to a team that was just in the finals last year

6. 

   @ambrosemolina3457 4 weeks ago

   Love seeing your son in the background. Great video

7. 

   @TheHappyCoder 4 weeks ago

   9:50 unannounced special guest 🙃

8. 

   @TheHappyCoder 4 weeks ago

   It's also important to be able to develop drafted players. Would be interesting to watch a video on this topic.

9. 

   @antoniobautista6718 4 weeks ago

   If we can draft high, I'd like for us to draft for talent then trade for fit on the same night, especially if we get pick no. 1.

   I'm hoping we can get Dybantsa or Boozer! Peterson looks amazing, but we literally have 10 guards.

   Do you guys think if we ever get pick no. 1, to get Peterson and offload as many guards as possible even if the trades aren't good? He definitely looks like he could be a new duo partner to Sabonis if we can even keep him through this rebuild. Even without Sabonis, I think a young lineup of Peterson, Carter, Clifford, Murray, and Raynaud shows great promise for development. Would the same approach be good if we drop to <=5, with maybe Brown Jr.?

10. 

    @Potbelly76 4 weeks ago

    Ran this through ChatGPT, this is what AI thinks: Scott Perry is the Sacramento Kings GM. Based on his past draft history as a GM of other teams, give me an analysis of what kind of players he prefers drafting, based on the following draft history and who was still available at the time those players were drafted: Mateen Cleaves, Brian Cardinal (2nd Round), Rodney White, Mehmet Okur (2nd Round), Tayshaun Prince, Darko Milicic, Carlos Define (25th pick 1st round), Ricky Paulding, Jason Maxwell, Amir Johnson (2nd round), Will Ballock (2nd Round, 65th pick), Kevin Durant, Austin Daye, Greg Monroe, Brandon Knight, Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon, Roy Devyn Marble (2nd Round), Mario Hezojna, Domantas Sabonis, De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson (2nd Round), RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin

    Below is a trait-based draft profile of Scott Perry, inferred from the actual picks he made as a lead or top basketball decision-maker (Detroit, Orlando, New York, Sacramento) relative to who was still on the board at those moments. The goal is not to judge outcomes, but to identify patterns of preference and risk tolerance.
    Big-Picture Summary
    Across multiple organizations and eras, Perry consistently favors:
    Size + length at every position
    Defensive versatility over pure scoring
    Youth and physical tools over polish
    High-character, program-proven players
    Willingness to draft upside projects—especially bigs
    Guards with athleticism and defensive ceiling, even if shooting is unfinished
    This profile shows remarkable continuity from the Pistons era through the Knicks and into Sacramento.
    1. Strong Bias Toward Length & Positional Size
    Pattern: Perry repeatedly drafts players who are big for their position, even when smaller, more skilled options are available.
    Examples
    Tayshaun Prince – chosen over more offensively advanced wings; elite wingspan + defense
    Rodney White / Austin Daye / Kevin Knox / Obi Toppin – long, rangy forwards with physical upside
    Mario Hezonja – 6'8" wing with athletic tools despite raw decision-making
    What this says
    Perry prioritizes defensive matchup flexibility and believes size can’t be taught, while skills can.
    2. Willingness to Swing on High-Upside (Even Risky) Bigs
    Pattern: Perry is comfortable betting premium draft capital on physically gifted big men, even if they are raw, young, or offensively incomplete.
    Examples
    Darko Miličić – ultimate upside bet (youth, size, skill flashes)
    Amir Johnson (2nd round) – teenage big with tools
    Mitchell Robinson (2nd round) – elite athlete, minimal college résumé
    Domantas Sabonis – rebounding, strength, IQ over flash
    Who he passed on (theme)
    More polished but lower-ceiling bigs
    Older “finished” college centers
    What this says
    Perry believes big-man development is worth patience and is willing to accept risk if the physical profile is special.
    3. Defensive Identity > Offensive Polish
    Pattern: Even when elite scorers were available, Perry often selected players with defensive impact, effort, and two-way projection.
    Examples
    Victor Oladipo – defense, athleticism, culture fit
    Aaron Gordon – elite defender before offensive clarity
    Roy Devyn Marble (2nd round) – toughness, defense, maturity
    Tayshaun Prince – defense-first wing
    Exception that proves the rule
    Kevin Durant – truly generational offense overrides all rules
    What this says
    Perry builds teams from the defensive end first, trusting development staff to add offense later.
    4. Preference for Youth, Even at the Cost of Readiness
    Pattern: Perry consistently drafts young prospects, even when older, more NBA-ready players were available.
    Examples
    Brandon Knight – youth + athletic tools over polish
    Kevin Knox – age + frame > immediate production
    RJ Barrett – physicality, age, work ethic
    Contrast
    He passes on older “safe” college stars repeatedly
    What this says
    Perry values developmental runway and resale value more than short-term certainty.
    5. Second-Round Strategy: Tools, Not Roles
    Pattern: In the second round, Perry almost never drafts “plug-and-play” role players. He swings for outlier traits.
    Examples
    Mehmet Okur – skilled international big before it was trendy
    Amir Johnson – youngest player in draft history
    Mitchell Robinson – elite rim protection upside
    Brian Cardinal – intelligence, toughness, system fit
    What this says
    Perry treats second-round picks as developmental lottery tickets, not roster fillers.
    6. Guards: Athleticism, Defense, Leadership > Shooting
    Pattern: Perry’s guards often share:
    Size for position
    Defensive ability
    Competitive makeup
    Even if shooting is a question mark.
    Examples
    Mateen Cleaves – leadership, toughness
    Brandon Knight – speed, length, upside
    De’Aaron Fox – elite speed, defense, competitiveness
    Victor Oladipo – defense and athleticism first
    What this says
    Perry believes pressure defense and pace can be more foundational than shooting efficiency early.
    7. Clear Comfort With International & Non-Traditional Paths
    Pattern: Perry shows no fear of international players or unconventional development arcs.
    Examples
    Darko Miličić
    Mehmet Okur
    Mario Hezonja
    Domantas Sabonis
    What this says
    He evaluates traits and context, not just NCAA box scores.
    Final Drafting Archetype: “Long, Tough, Teachable”
    If you reduce Scott Perry’s draft history to a single sentence:
    He drafts long, young, defensively versatile athletes with strong character, betting that NBA development can unlock offense later—especially in bigs and wings.
    What This Means for Sacramento Going Forward
    As GM of the Sacramento Kings, Perry is most likely to:
    Favor length and defense around offensive stars
    Draft upside bigs or wings even if raw
    Be patient with development
    Value culture, effort, and competitiv

11. 

    @rogermassey7036 4 weeks ago

    I haven't been paying attention to college basketball great players. Hope there are gifted players like that last year and older. We need a stud.

12. 

    @carlos13224 4 weeks ago

    so once again tanking being the safe idea is still crazy… 2003 draft ouch…

13. 

    @TacosRule032 4 weeks ago

    Keon Ellis + 2030 Kings top 4 protected FRP to OKC for the Clippers pick. Because of the Salary cap Thunder can’t add without giving up contracts. Ellis would be great for their playoff run, and they can’t sign all the rookies. And they get a future pick back. Kings have 2 lotto picks in this deep draft.

14. 

    @BlessedGuy23 4 weeks ago

    I say we trade everyone except for Sabonis, Murray, Keon, and our 2 rookies. Bring in young, hungry competitors who may not be stars, but are coachable with a desire to win; and have our scouts work overtime so that we can draft some quality players that fit…. Stop signing fallen stars who are only looking at Sacramento for redemption and an audition to be seen by other teams.

    I am not a GM or scout, but as a fan…that's what I would attempt to do, not saying it would work, but hey, anything is better than what we have going on now🤷🏿‍♂️

15. 

    @rogermassey7036 4 weeks ago

    I'm hoping he will listen to top draft experts top players.