Kings Eyeing Two First-Round Prospects in Potential NBA Draft Trade

Murmurs, whispers, rumblings, there are so many ways to describe what the media hears from teams and agents alike as we close in on the NBA draft. As this is being written, we’re only about an hour away from the draft, and as of now, Sacramento will not be participating today. However, there have definitely been audible signs from the Kings that they expect to change that with a trade.

Jake Fischer on The Stein Line first reported that the Kings were “confident” that they would be able to secure a first-round pick, but there have been some developments on which players they may be targeting from Fischer as well.

“I believe Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. has multiple suitors in the early 20s. Many rival teams have slotted Clayton to Miami at No. 20 itself … while there is also no shortage of league insiders who think Clayton and Michigan State guard Jase Richardson are two of the targets for Sacramento in the event that the Kings — as we've been reporting since mid-June — succeed in their long-running quest to acquire a first-round pick in the 20s.”

We’ve heard that the Kings have been targeting a point guard, but rumors have made it seem that the team is more likely to look for a veteran to take on the job, for now. Marc Stein recently reported that the Kings are the front-runners for Dennis Schroder when free agency starts next month, but trying to find an answer in the draft could be a much better move. James Ham and Sean Cunningham also brought up Clayton Jr. as someone that the Kings have their eyes on during their Kings Beat Podcast yesterday.

Walter Clayton Jr. his senior year:

— 18.3 PPG
— 4.2 APG
— 3.7 RPG
— 38.6 3P% (on 7.8 3PA)
— 60.2 TS%

Measurables:

— 6’3” Height w/shoes
— 6’4” Wingspan
— 8’1.5” Standing Reach
— 37” Max Vertical
— 199 lbs https://t.co/Q6IxZztf6R pic.twitter.com/QnFraJD5aV
— KingsMuse (@kings_muse) June 25, 2025

Clayton Jr. is an older prospect, but he’s coming off leading the Florida Gators to a national championship, where he averaged over 22 points per game in the tournament. Clayton Jr. showed a ton of what GM Scott Perry and head coach Doug Christie are likely to be looking for in a franchise point guard.

Poise, grit, hustle, and leadership are all qualities that Clayton Jr. brings in droves, and coincidentally are all things that the Kings should be looking for to help turn the culture of the team around. The knocks on Clayton Jr. have a lot more to do with age than they do his actual play, but it’s fair to question the development timeline when quite a few prospects are 3-4 years younger than Clayton.

Jase Richardson is a very different player from Walter Clayton Jr, but he also brings a lot of what the Kings need with his shooting and efficient scoring. Richardson didn’t start his entire year at Michigan State, but once he cracked the starting rotation, he never looked back.

Michigan State Freshman Guard Jase Richardson is quickly becoming one of the most underrated players in this years draft class.

Jase was one of the best players in the B10 as just a freshman who was a top player on a top 8 team in the country.

Jase is one of the best shooters… pic.twitter.com/akxUJVBW6e
— KJ (@KJ__Hoops) June 24, 2025

Richardson shot a blistering 41% from 3 last season and nearly 50% from the field; that’s not the kind of efficiency you usually see from a freshman guard. Richardson’s draft stock definitely slipped after his height came in lower than expected, but there are plenty of examples of players with his measurements being successful in the NBA.

As Fischer mentioned, Clayton Jr. has other suitors, and Richardson will definitely be taken in the first round, so Sacramento will have to pay up if they expect to select either player. With just a short while until the draft begins, the Kings will have to act fast to get themselves in the mix. Keep your eyes out for more intel as the draft begins, and don’t be surprised if a trade isn’t announced until the Kings’ trading partner is on the clock.

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