AJ Dybantsa Meets With Sacramento Kings, but Does It Mean Anything?

While there is a clear-cut top four in the 2026 NBA Draft with AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson getting all of the attention, one prospect seems to be separating from the pack. Dybantsa has turned into the consensus No. 1 pick, but Washington Wizards executive Michael Winger said they could look to trade out of the top spot, per The Stein Line's Jake Fischer.

Is there reason to believe the Sacramento Kings could be looking to trade up to acquire the No. 1 pick?

Marc J. Spears reports that Dybantsa met with the Kings, along with every team that holds a top-nine pick in the draft. Of course, it is fun to think about the idea of the Kings landing Dybantsa, but does this actually mean anything?

BYU forward AJ Dybantsa met with the Wizards in Chicago during the NBA pre-draft camp. Washington is supposed to visit with “multiple players” in DC for the top pick, source days. Dybantsa also met with Utah, Chicago, Sacramento, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Dallas, Memphis & the Clippers.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) May 14, 2026

Could Kings trade up to No. 1?

This all comes down to whether or not the Kings are looking to trade into the No. 1 spot. With Dybantsa not expected to fall any further than the top spot, the Kings would have to find a trade with the Wizards. To do so, the Kings would have to ship away the No. 7 pick, along with most of their future draft capital.

This would be a franchise-altering move by the Kings, and a risky one. The Kings could feel it is worth it to gamble their entire future on a star-caliber prospect like Dybantsa, rather than sitting at No. 7 and taking whoever falls to them, likely hoping it is Darius Acuff. But still, that is a huge difference that could ultimately take the Kings back to the playoffs sooner than they would have expected.

With the new draft lottery changes, the Kings are punished for having a slow rebuild. While trading away all of their draft capital is not necessarily the answer, they are no longer guaranteed a premium draft position after a poor season. The longer the Kings' rebuild takes, the worse position they will be in.

While it would take a massive haul to move up to the highly-coveted top spot, the Kings could do it.

Is Dybantsa worth it?

Jan 26, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) looks on during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats at Marriott Center. | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Not many prospects would be worth wagering a franchise's entire future to acquire, but Dybantsa could be. The 6-foot-8 forward is one of the most intriguing prospects the league has seen in years. In his freshman season at BYU, he averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 51% from the field.

The Kings desperately need a new offensive alpha, and Dybantsa would be just that. The 19-year-old is a gifted offensive talent who should immediately come into the NBA and average 20+ points per game, as his mix of length, athleticism, and an all-around skill set should translate seamlessly.

Even with questions around his defense and three-point shot, he has the tools to develop those traits and become a balanced two-way force. It is much easier to imagine Dybantsa as an All-NBA player than anything worse, as he projects to be one of the best overall players in the league.

If the Kings have the opportunity to jump into the top two and secure either Dybantsa or Peterson, they should do it. They had an unfortunate draw by falling to the No. 7 pick, but that does not mean they have to walk out of the draft without a future star.

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