Pre-Draft Outlook
There is something worse than having a season dreary enough to land you in the Draft Lottery – landing in the lottery but not having your own draft pick. That is the Kings’ plight, their first-rounder sent off to Atlanta in 2022 for a player, Kevin Huerter, no longer on the roster. Sacramento has earned its way into the lottery 16 times in the past 18 years, which speaks loudly about its scouting acumen. Languishing among the league’s worst 14 teams so many times but reaching the playoffs just once since 2006 is the antithesis of what the draft is supposed to be about. Now it’s new GM Scott Perry and coach Doug Christie trying to breathe life into a listless, defensively-challenged group.
The Way To Go
Of all the Kings’ lottery picks, only two are still on the roster: Keegan Murray (2022) and Devin Carter (2024). Shoulder issues limited him to 36 appearances as a rookie, highlighting the absence of three other recent point-guard picks no longer on board: De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell. Going from logjam to shortage makes that a position of need. Sacramento also needs help defensively after ranking 22nd at that end, and near the bottom in protecting the arc (opponents shot a league-high 38.1% on 3s). Should the Kings look for size at No. 42 to help Domantas Sabonis, possibilities include Stanford’s Maxime Raymond and Serbia’s Bogoljub Markovic.
— Steve Aschburner
Here’s a quick look at Sacramento’s current roster entering the Draft:
Under Contract
G: Devin Carter
G: DeMar DeRozan
G: Zach LaVine
G: Malik Monk
F: Keegan Murray
F: Domantas Sabonis
C: Jonas Valančiūnas
Free Agents
G: Keon Ellis
G: Markelle Fultz
G: Mason Jones
F: Isaiah Crawford
F: Jae Crowder
F: Isaac Jones
F: Jake LaRavia
F: Trey Lyles
F: Doug McDermott