Why It's the Perfect Time for Kings to Trade Up in 2026 NBA Draft

Despite falling in the 2026 NBA Draft lottery to the No. 7 pick, the Sacramento Kings are actually sitting in a favorable position moving forward. Not only should the Kings be able to land their potential franchise point guard at No. 7, but they also own a bulk of their draft capital moving forward.

However, it is uncertain how valuable their future first-round picks will be if the NBA's proposed lottery reform is accepted. Could the 2026 draft be the Kings' perfect chance to use their future draft capital to trade up and improve their draft position?

Kings need to explore a trade into the top four

Feb 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) exits the court after defeating the Pittsburgh Panthers at Petersen Events Center. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Kings seem to have their eyes set on Arkansas Razorbacks product Darius Acuff Jr., who could be available to them at No. 7, but they could turn their attention to the consensus top-four prospects. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson will be the top-four picks in this year's draft, and for good reason.

If the Kings want to get a legitimate franchise cornerstone, trading into the top four could be their best shot. The Kings could potentially package the No. 7 pick with multiple future first-rounders to get into the top four, and while it might seem like an unnecessary haul at first glance, it would be worth it.

The lottery reform casts far too much uncertainty around the draft moving forward, so even a rebuilding Kings franchise is not guaranteed to actually improve through the draft. They would be much better off swinging for the fences in this year's draft, when they are guaranteed a top spot, and with such a loaded group of prospects coming in.

Sure, there are some intriguing guard prospects the Kings could take at No. 7, with one of Acuff, Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., or Kingston Flemings likely to come to Sacramento, but landing one of the top-four guys would be a major upgrade.

According to @MattGeorgeSAC, the Sacramento Kings could have their eyes already set on BYU star AJ Dybantsa 👀 pic.twitter.com/f0yJ4YAsnw
— Sactown Sports 1140 (@Sactown1140) January 12, 2026

A Kings-Grizzlies blockbuster?

A trade into the top four could even be part of a larger deal, with the Memphis Grizzlies especially in mind. The Grizzlies hold the No. 3 pick in this year's draft, and as they are seemingly ready to get rid of Ja Morant, could they work out a deal with the Kings that sends both Morant and the No. 3 pick to Sacramento?

Here is what a potential deal between the two sides could look like:

Of course, this is just the basic framework of what a deal could look like, but it gives an idea of how the Kings could jump into the top four, while still landing their new franchise point guard. There is obviously some doubt about whether the Grizzlies would take this deal, but this would give the Kings a much-needed fresh look.

The Kings' new lineup could consist of Ja Morant, Nique Clifford, Keegan Murray, Cameron Boozer, and Maxime Raynaud, giving them a much younger and more promising look moving forward.

Regardless, the Kings should be willing to sell some of their future draft capital to jump up a few spots in the 2026 NBA Draft, as this is a must-win offseason for Sacramento.

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