Kings keep three draft picks
- Sacramento enters the 2026 National Basketball Association draft with three picks: its own lottery first-rounder plus No. 34 and No. 45 overall. - The Kings finished 22-60, tied Utah for the fifth-best lottery odds, and carry an 11.5% chance at No. 1 and 45.2% at top four. - Sacramento controls all three selections after owing no 2026 first-round protections, giving Scott Perry draft flexibility in a reset. (nba.com)
Sacramento is heading into the 2026 National Basketball Association draft with three picks, including its own lottery first-rounder and two second-round selections. (nba.com) (basketball.realgm.com) The Kings finished 22-60 and landed in the No. 5 lottery slot after losing a tiebreaker to the Utah Jazz. The NBA lists Sacramento with an 11.5% chance at the No. 1 pick and a 45.2% chance to jump into the top four. (nba.com) (si.com) The lottery is set for May 10, with the first round on June 23 and the second round on June 24. Sacramento’s second-round picks currently sit at No. 34 and No. 45. (nba.com) (basketball.realgm.com) That leaves the Kings with more draft control than they had a year ago, when they did not hold their own 2025 first-round pick. This time, there are no protections attached to the 2026 first-rounder, so whatever slot Sacramento draws is the slot it keeps. (si.com) (basketball.realgm.com) The No. 34 pick matters because it sits one spot from the end of the first round in practical terms, even though it is officially a second-rounder. Kings coverage at Sports Illustrated said general manager Scott Perry has already emphasized getting younger and pointed to the value of having two second-round picks. (si.com) The No. 45 pick came from Charlotte through a chain of earlier trades that eventually routed the selection to Sacramento. RealGM lists it as the Hornets’ 2026 second-rounder, acquired via New York, Atlanta and San Antonio before reaching the Kings. (basketball.realgm.com) Sacramento’s draft position now sits at the center of its offseason after a 22-win season and a February 2025 roster shakeup that sent De’Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter out in a three-team deal. RealGM’s pick ledger shows that trade also helped stock the Kings with extra future draft assets, including the Charlotte second-rounder in 2026. (basketball.realgm.com) The immediate question is simple: whether Sacramento turns three picks into three players, or packages one or more selections in trades. The lottery on May 10 will decide how much leverage the Kings actually have. (nba.com) (si.com)
