Kings Host New Group of Intriguing Prospects for Pre-Draft Workout

The Sacramento Kings have already brought in big-name players like Alex Karaban, Ryan Conwell, Trevon Brazile, and more for pre-draft workouts as they search for second-round gems. The Kings are basically a blank slate as of now, with no constraints on who they should take in the draft. The goal for every one of the Kings’ picks should be finding the best player available, and they’re off to a good start with who they’ve brought to Sacramento for a closer look.

The Kings announced the next crop of players coming in for workouts, and below we’ll break down each of them and their fit with Sacramento.

The Sacramento Kings announce pre-draft group workout No. 4: pic.twitter.com/WyWLglAzVP
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) May 31, 2026

Quadir Copeland

The highlight of this list is North Carolina State guard Quadir Copeland. Copeland played two years at Syracuse before transferring to McNeese, then following head coach Will Wade to NC State for his senior season. Copeland led the ACC in assists this year with 6.5 per game and put up 14 points per game to add to that. While the numbers for him are solid, the main draw is positional size.

Copeland is listed at 6’6”, but likely measures closer to 6’5” without shoes, which is still great for a guard. On top of the height, Copeland has a 6’11” wingspan that will help his defensive versatility. He posted a 3.6% steal percentage last season, and that defensive activity, coupled with his length and playmaking ability, is exactly what Sacramento needs more of going forward.

feels like every time i watch NC state quadir copeland makes a play or two that makes me sit up in my chair. what a pass pic.twitter.com/uyfhJd4ijg
— Ben Pfeifer (@bjpf_) February 11, 2026

Melvin Council

Melvin Council is another older prospect who bounced a bit before playing for coach Bill Self at Kansas. Council has decent size for a guard at around 6’3” without shoes and a plus wingspan at around 6’9”, but I can’t say that I would be as thrilled with the fit on the Kings as I would be with Copeland. Council put up a little over 12 points per game, shooting 30% from three and 39% from the field, while adding 5 assists and 5 boards per game.

Council’s 28% assist percentage is solid, and on film, he’s a decent passer, but the lack of shooting and defensive playmaking is a hard sell for a team that needs more of both. Council could end up being a solid backup guard, but he would need to improve quite a few facets of his game. In the end, Council would provide some steady ball-handling for Sacramento, but I can’t help but think there are better options with Killian Hayes already signed for next season.

Tre White

Council’s Kansas teammate, Tre White, will be joining him in Sacramento, and I believe he’s the better fit out of the two. White was listed at 6’7” at Kansas, but was measured at 6’5.25” at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, which is likely more accurate. To me, the draw with White is that he played at four different division one schools and got a little bit better each year.

Last season at Kansas, White shot 40% from three on four attempts per game while playing next to Council and Darryn Peterson.

FINAL: No. 14 Kansas 69, No. 5 Houston 56

Just an awesome defensive performance by Kansas, especially over the final 25 mins or so. Huge bounceback after losing to Cincinnati at home by 16 over the weekend. Tre White with 23.

Houston: 3 losses in a rowpic.twitter.com/OgLgU0CAlo
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) February 24, 2026

Last season at Kansas, White shot 40% from three on four attempts per game while playing next to Council and Darryn Peterson. While his decision-making needs some work, he was solid on the boards with 6.7 rebounds per game and was extremely effective at the charity stripe, shooting over 87%. White’s blend of positional size, three-point upside, and willingness to do the little things on the court would be a great addition to Sacramento’s bench.

Nick Martinelli

If you haven’t watched any of Nick Martinelli yet, you’re in for a treat. I wouldn’t say his offense is the prettiest to watch, but it is certainly effective. Martinelli measured in at 6’6.5” barefoot and put up a Big Ten-leading 23 points per game for Northwestern this season. 23 points per game is nothing to turn your nose up at, but what stands out to me with Martinelli is his poise as a leader.

Nick Martinelli records his 25th 20-point game of the season 💥

He is @NUMensBball's all-time leading scorer in @bigten tournament games with 114, passing Michael Thompson who has 99 💪 pic.twitter.com/CqZWCacx5b
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 12, 2026

From taking responsibility for a rough season in interviews to rarely turning the ball over (6.9% turnover percentage) on extremely high usage (31%), it’s clear that Martinelli is the type of player you want on your team. There are some questions about his shooting, despite hitting 40% of his threes this season, and his defensive capabilities, but there’s something to be said about the intangibles Martinelli brings. The Kings are looking to build a reputation as a tough, gritty, hard-working team, and Martinelli would absolutely help.

KeShawn Murphy

KeShawn Murphy is a big, physical forward/center coming in at 6’10” and 245 pounds after his senior year at Auburn. Murphy put up solid numbers with 10 points and just under 7 rebounds per game; however, there are questions about what role he’ll play in the NBA. Likely too small to play as a full-time 5 and not enough of a floor spacer to play on the perimeter, Murphy likely needs to show more growth from behind the line to be a fit for the Kings in the second round.

Caden Powell

Last, but not least, we get to Baylor’s Caden Powell. Powell played two years at Wyoming and one year at Rice before transferring to Baylor and starting 20 games as a senior. Powell’s claim to fame is his offensive rebounding, posting a 13.2% offensive rebounding percentage for the Bears this past season.

Similar to Murphy, I’m not sure if Powell has the size to play the five in the NBA, and he doesn’t have the shooting ability most modern fours possess. The Kings are clearly looking for size, and Powell helps there, but there should be better options available in the draft.

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