Why Kings Got Shut Out by Top NBA Draft Prospect and How It Impacts Them

The NBA Draft is less than one week away, and tea leaves are really starting to drop as it relates to which prospects the Sacramento Kings have been courting. Sacramento has been conducting numerous public pre-draft workouts with second-round prospects, but none with the blue chippers that they are considering with the 7th pick.

In recent days, though, reports have trickled out about the Kings hosting some top prospects for private workouts. Darius Acuff and Kingston Flemings have both reportedly worked out in Sacramento. Keaton Wagler has also been rumored to be set to work out in Sacramento at some point before the draft, too.

On the other side of the coin, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that former Arizona guard Brayden Burries has turned down an invitation to work out in Sacramento.

“The 20-year-old Arizona guard has declined workouts with select teams in the top 10, including the Sacramento Kings (No. 7), league sources said,” Slater wrote. “There's a belief that the Dallas Mavericks, selecting at No. 9, are one of his preferred landing spots.”

Why Would Burries Decline the Invitation?

Mar 28, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) celebrates after a three-point basket against the Purdue Boilermakers in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

There are a few reasons why Burries could have done this. First, top prospects are becoming more and more selective about how and where they spend their pre-draft time.

Looming large over this topic is Burries’ representation: Klutch Sports. If you are unfamiliar with the agency, it is run by Rich Paul. Paul and Klutch have significant pull across the league. They represent De’Aaron Fox, and we know how Fox’s relationship with the organization changed over time. Klutch also represents Zach LaVine, the “headline” of the return in the Fox trade. They also represent head coach Doug Christie.

Given these connections, Klutch probably has a good idea of how the organization works and what the vision is for the future. They are also never afraid to be brash and direct about their desires.

Another key trend with Klutch clients is their tendency to do what they can to attach their clients to the league’s upper echelon. Think Anthony Davis specifically demanding a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers to play with LeBron James. Davis signed with Klutch in September 2018. He then requested a trade in January 2019. In June 2019, he was traded to the Lakers.

The same played out with Fox. He signed with Klutch in November 2022. By December 2024, the discontent was loud (in fairness, firing Mike Brown would have upset me, too). Unlike Davis, who at least played coy about his preferred destination, Fox specifically noted that he wanted to be traded to the San Antonio Spurs to play with (among other good young talent) Victor Wembanyama.

REPORT - Rich Paul recently “sent word” that it would be wise for the Kings to trade De'Aaron Fox now, per @sam_amick pic.twitter.com/iNcTyBcxBZ
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) January 28, 2025

With this context in mind, it does not take much imagination to see Burries and Klutch thinking that starting his career with either Cooper Flagg in Dallas or with the twilight years of Steph Curry/Draymond Green/Jimmy Butler in Golden State would be well worth slipping a couple of spots in the draft. They will happily trade a couple slots' worth of rookie-scale contract money now for a sustainable, winning environment that will lead to a bigger rookie extension down the road.

How Will This Impact Sacramento’s Draft Strategy?

Sacramento met with Burries at the NBA Combine last month. They may have attended his pro day in Los Angeles, too. These factors, paired with likely spending significant time scouting Burries during his lone season at Arizona, may leave the Kings feeling comfortable enough to select him regardless of working him out in Sacramento.

Arizona guard Brayden Burries says he met with the Kings this week in Chicago pic.twitter.com/I9GHwgdJvG
— Deuce Mason (@DeuceMason) May 13, 2026

However, Scott Perry has publicly stated that he wants volunteers, not hostages, on his Kings teams. A willingness (or lack thereof) to engage in the process with Sacramento in Sacramento can certainly shed some light on whether the player would feel like a volunteer or hostage if Sacramento were to invest a top-10 pick in them.

It would be one thing if Burries did not take part in any other workouts aside from his Klutch pro day. Taking a separate trip to Northern California to work out for the team down I-80 paints a different picture, though - one that has become more and more frequent for top prospects, and one that has been a part of the Klutch playbook for years.

6’4 Brayden Burries is a big stock riser in the NBA Draft 🔥 he had several teams in attendance at his NBA pro day at Lakers Practice Facility and teams value him as a high pick in the Draft pic.twitter.com/XiKTtItDUc
— Jordan Richard (@JordanRichardSC) May 22, 2026

Considering all of these factors, it feels reasonable to conclude that this reinforces what most probably already believe: that Burries will remain behind Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings, and Keaton Wagler on Sacramento’s board, and would likely be a trade-down target as opposed to a target at No. 7.

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