Should Kings Consider Trading Down in 2026 NBA Draft?

I caught a post from NoCeilings’ Tyler Rucker the other day with a unique proposal for the Sacramento Kings. He posed the question of the Chicago Bulls leveraging the pick that will be conveyed to them from the Portland Trail Blazers and their own lottery pick for the Kings’ pick (number five in this scenario). Personally, I don’t think trading down would be smart for the Kings if they end up in the top five, but it’s a worthwhile discussion as to where trading down might make sense.

With Portland win, looks as if Chicago Bulls should get another first rounder...

So here's a draft chaos Hypothetical for fun...

(order not set obviously)

Chicago offers #9 & #15 pick to Sacramento for #5.

Who Says No?
— Tyler Rucker (@tyler_rucker) April 15, 2026

Where Should The Line Be?

There is a clear drop-off in the 2026 NBA draft after the consensus top four prospects, who have been Cam Boozer, Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Caleb Wilson for quite some time now. The next spot has been up for debate; however, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler has started to get some momentum as the consensus number five. Both ESPN and The Ringer have Wagler at number 5, and I have to say that I agree. The question is, is Wagler too good to trade down for Sacramento specifically?

The answer is yes, and I do also think that Wagler would be the line of demarcation in terms of prospects. The 6’6” guard led Illinois into the Final Four as a freshman while showing off incredible shot-making and the ability to create for himself and others off the dribble. He will need to get stronger, and there are some questions about his ability to create separation against NBA athletes, but Wagler is too good a shooter and processor to think that he wouldn’t immediately boost the Kings’ offense.

Illinois Keaton Wagler pic.twitter.com/NK8EEwAYup
— Pitless (@pitlessball) April 5, 2026

Next in line for both ESPN and The Ringer is Darius Acuff Jr. The SEC Player of the Year shot a blistering 44% from three and averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists per game last season, and played even better in big games. I thought about this one for a while, and I do think there’s a chance that the Kings would regret trading this pick with Acuff on the board, but ultimately, his flaws were too loud to overlook. The Kings need someone who can at least hold their own defensively at the lead guard spot, and I’m not sure that Acuff has a path to that, which makes him a risky selection.

Should Sacramento Look For More Draft Picks Or Established Players?

In Rucker’s scenario, the Kings end up with two top-15 picks (projected 9th and 15th), and that would be hard to pass up if Chicago is hypothetically open to taking the 6th overall pick for both. This would give the Kings the chance to land someone like Mikel Brown Jr. or Jayden Quaintance AND Hannes Steinbach or Labaron Philon Jr. Filling two holes in the starting lineup would be huge for Sacramento (who also still have two second-round picks), but I’m not sure that trade would be available.

Another scenario is the Kings using the pick to trade down and acquire an established player that fills a need. The lottery still hasn’t been set, and I don’t think there’s any reason for the Kings to trade out of it, but there are some moves that could be interesting toward the end of the top 14. This is all hypothetical, but what if the Miami Heat offered the 13th pick and Tyler Herro in exchange for the 6th pick and matching salary?

TYLER HERRO. 🔥🔥🔥

THIS SEQUENCE IS CRAZY pic.twitter.com/zVLZkex4Cc
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 15, 2026

Another interesting idea is the Kings using their pick to trade down and shed a bad contract. Would the Memphis Grizzlies send the 9th or 10th pick and Ja Morant for the 6th pick and Zach LaVine? Would a team take on Domantas Sabonis’ contract for the 6th pick in exchange for their late lottery pick? Who knows, but these are all things that the Kings need to think about if the lottery doesn’t end up going their way.

The Safe Choice

Anything can happen with prospects, and although I’m not as big a fan of the Kings using a high draft pick on a player with major question marks, the safer choice is to keep the pick. I’m unsure that passing on someone like Acuff Jr. will sting as badly as missing out on Damian Lillard, but it certainly could. Betting on a star upside in the lottery is smart, but I would have a hard time saying no to getting two top 15 picks or an All-Star caliber point guard and a top 14 pick if the Kings fall out of the top 5.

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