One Draft Prospect the Kings Will Have to Cross Off Their Board After Lottery Fall

The Sacramento Kings are going to miss out on the top picks in this year's NBA draft after falling to the seventh spot.

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) shoots a Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings were hoping for good news yesterday at the NBA Draft Lottery, but unfortunately, as many feared, they fell to the seventh spot in the draft. It played out exactly like the numbers showed, as the Kings' highest odds were that seventh slot at 25.5%. But nevertheless, it puts a bitter and disappointing end to an abysmal 22-win season.

There is still talent that can be found in the middle and backend of the lottery, but the odds of finding a perennial All-Star decrease with every selection.

The good news for the Kings is that Scott Perry's best part of his first year with the Kings was the draft. He got Nique Clifford in a draft-day trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Maxime Raynaud in the second-round, and even Dylan Cardwell as an undrafted player. There weren't many positive takeaways from the Kings' season, but the three rookies were easily at the top of the list.

Perry's job will certainly be easier than last year, when they didn't even come into the day with a first-round pick. Still, it's going to be more of a challenge than it looked like throughout the season, when the hope was the Kings would guarantee a top-five pick with the worst record in the league. And part of that is instantly crossing off some great prospects from draft day lists.

Caleb Wilson

Nov 11, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) blocks a shot from Radford Highlanders guard Jr. Dennis Parker (11) during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

This draft is shaping up to be top-four heavy before anyone's guess at pick five, with AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson generally making up the top four in mock drafts around the association. But if there's one player who feels most likely to fall out of the four, it's big man Caleb Wilson.

There was reason to hope that with the fifth-ranked position, the Kings would secure a chance to grab one of these top-four players, even if it meant one of them falling. But it's safe to say that hope is over with Sacramento falling to seven.

Wilson has the potential to be a game-changing big, but his lack of shooting keeps him on the bottom end of the top-four. And it's possible that could scare a few teams away from him. But he has elite athleticism that gives him star potential, something the Kings desperately need.

The Silver Lining

If there's any silver lining from the disappointing draft lottery, it's that the Kings will all but certainly walk away with a point guard. After Boozer and Wilson, there are a half-dozen or so point guards that are next on the big board.

Grabbing a player like Wilson would be great for the Kings, but if there's one position that feels like a strength moving forward, it's the big-man position with Raynaud and Cardwell. Obviously, having Wilson to pair with them would be a great situation to be in, but the Kings would still have a gaping hole at the point guard position. And that's not even taking Domantas Sabonis, whose future with the team is still to be determined.

At least with the current trajectory of bringing in a point guard in the draft, the Kings have a semi-balanced roster heading into next year.

Follow us on Facebook and X for the latest Sacramento Kings news.