Re-drafting the 2020 NBA Draft: Tyrese Maxey rises, Sixers target another guard

Re-drafting the 2020 NBA Draft — 12. Cole Anthony, Sacramento Kings

The Kings miss out on Haliburton, but replace him with another perimeter weapon in Cole Anthony. Sacramento doesn’t explicitly need another small guard, but after Orlando’s rebuild began in earnest at the trade deadline, very few rookies jumped off the screen like Anthony.

To put it simply, Anthony is a bucket. He gets buckets, and he does that better than most players from this draft. He uses quick-twitch athleticism and shifty handles to lose defenders and create space off the dribble. He provides valuable dynamism behind the 3-point line, with deep pull-up range and the ability to shoot on the move.

Anthony can share the floor with other ball-handlers. In fact, that’s probably the best context for him. He doesn’t have great feel as a facilitator yet, but his jumper, twitchiness, and nose for the basket give him immense value as a second ball-handler. Defense would be a mild concern with Anthony and Fox sharing minutes, but the offense is too tantalizing to pass on.