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For those not competing for a NBA championship, it's one of the most important times of the offseason. Draft season.
First in order is the lottery on Mother's Day. The anticipated event is here meaning no more simulations on what the 2026 NBA draft order might be and presumably which prospect will go where. Draft positioning will be determined beginning Sunday, May 10 at 3 p.m. ET.
The Sacramento Kings posted a 22-60 record during the 2025-26 season and are searching for a piece that can be a contributor to their future or even the face of the franchise. They have a pretty good chance at landing one of the top prospects.
Sacramento is in need of a point guard. Kings general manager Scott Perry made it clear during end-of-season interviews with reporters that Sacramento will take a "best player available" approach, as they did in 2025.
Perry was brought in to the Kings brass following the 2024-25 season. His first opportunity to put his vision of building a contender began with the 2025 NBA Draft, where he drafted Nique Clifford (24th), Maxime Raynaud (42nd) and signed Dylan Cardwell as an undrafted free agent.
Fast forward to 2026. The odds for the Kings to land the No. 1 pick are 11.5%. The odds for Sacramento to land a top-4 pick are even greater at 45.1%.
However, their draft range is expected to be between No. 5-8, with the No. 9 pick being worst-case scenario. Experts are saying the most likely outcome is a No. 7 pick, overall. However, in many mock draft lists, the Kings have the No. 5 pick. And there's a consensus that they would take Darius Acuff Jr. of Arkansas.
Here's who experts are saying the Kings will select in their pre-lottery mock drafts:
With the draft lottery on May 10, here are predictions from sports experts in their mock drafts for the the Kings.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kings mock drafts: Expert picks, predictions for Sacramento
Continue reading...
First in order is the lottery on Mother's Day. The anticipated event is here meaning no more simulations on what the 2026 NBA draft order might be and presumably which prospect will go where. Draft positioning will be determined beginning Sunday, May 10 at 3 p.m. ET.
The Sacramento Kings posted a 22-60 record during the 2025-26 season and are searching for a piece that can be a contributor to their future or even the face of the franchise. They have a pretty good chance at landing one of the top prospects.
Sacramento is in need of a point guard. Kings general manager Scott Perry made it clear during end-of-season interviews with reporters that Sacramento will take a "best player available" approach, as they did in 2025.
Perry was brought in to the Kings brass following the 2024-25 season. His first opportunity to put his vision of building a contender began with the 2025 NBA Draft, where he drafted Nique Clifford (24th), Maxime Raynaud (42nd) and signed Dylan Cardwell as an undrafted free agent.
Fast forward to 2026. The odds for the Kings to land the No. 1 pick are 11.5%. The odds for Sacramento to land a top-4 pick are even greater at 45.1%.
However, their draft range is expected to be between No. 5-8, with the No. 9 pick being worst-case scenario. Experts are saying the most likely outcome is a No. 7 pick, overall. However, in many mock draft lists, the Kings have the No. 5 pick. And there's a consensus that they would take Darius Acuff Jr. of Arkansas.
Here's who experts are saying the Kings will select in their pre-lottery mock drafts:
Sacramento Kings experts' mock draft selections
With the draft lottery on May 10, here are predictions from sports experts in their mock drafts for the the Kings.
USA TODAY Sports: 5. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
CBS Sports: 5. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
ESPN: 5. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Bleacher Report: 1. AJ Dybansta
NBAdraft.net: 5. Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
On3: 5. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kings mock drafts: Expert picks, predictions for Sacramento
Continue reading...
