NBA draft: Should Kings trade up, trade down or stay at No. 7? Three scenarios
The 2026 NBA draft could be one of the best ever with many analysts comparing the talent in this year’s class to the legendary classes of 1996 and 2003.
This could also be one of the most unpredictable drafts in recent memory with little consensus in the top 10 and multiple trade possibilities, which could influence what the Sacramento Kings do with the seventh overall pick.
The No. 1 pick remains a mystery going into the first round of the draft on Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Duke forward Cameron Boozer, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson are widely projected as the top four picks.
The Washington Wizards are expected to take Dybantsa or Peterson at No. 1. The next three picks belong to the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls.
Once the top four picks come off the board, the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings will choose from a gifted group of guards that features Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler, Kingston Flemings and Mikel Brown Jr.
Should Sacramento trade up, trade down or stand pat at No. 7? Here are three draft day scenarios as Kings general manager Scott Perry prepares to make a decision that could shape the future of the franchise.
Stay at No. 7
This is the most likely scenario. The latest intel from around the league has the Clippers and Nets taking the bigger guards, Wagler and Brown, leaving the Kings to choose from Acuff and Flemings.
Perry would be very comfortable in that position. The Kings have been strongly linked to both players, and both visited Sacramento recently for individual workouts.
Acuff averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists as a freshman at Arkansas. Offensively, he is one of the most gifted players in this year’s draft with elite three-level scoring and playmaking abilities. Defensively, he will have to prove people wrong.
Flemings’ elite speed has drawn comparisons to De’Aaron Fox. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists as a freshman at Houston. He shot 47.6% from the field, 38.7% from 3-point range and 84.5% at the free throw line, but his mechanics might need work.
Trade up
This is probably the most unlikely scenario, but let’s get crazy.
We’re not talking about a trade with the Clippers to move up to No. 5. We’re eyeing a spot in the top four.
Sacramento has been linked to Ja Morant trade rumors for months. Sources have confirmed to The Sacramento Bee that the Kings have been openminded to the idea of a Morant trade under the right circumstances.
What if the Kings traded Zach LaVine, the No. 7 pick and a future draft capital to the Grizzlies for Morant and the No. 3 pick? The Kings could pick Boozer or Wilson to join Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis in Sacramento’s frontcourt, fast-tracking their rebuild. The Grizzlies could draft Acuff or Flemings to replace Morant while acquiring LaVine’s $49 million expiring contract.
Trade down
If the Kins don’t like the options they are left with at No. 7, they could consider trading down. A number of teams would jump at the opportunity to move into the top 10, including the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Oklahoma City has two first-round picks in this year’s draft, No. 12 and No. 17. The Kings could acquire both of those picks and additional draft capital. The Thunder could draft a player who would make an immediate impact as Oklahoma City makes another run at an NBA championship after losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals.
