Matt Johnson
Who will the Sacramento Kings draft in 2026? Ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, there’s been a lot of smoke regarding Sacramento’s target with the seventh overall pick. It’s also led to buzz of a potential trade-up, with rival clubs seemingly hoping to exploit the Kings’ draft strategy.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported this week that while teams picking ahead of Sacramento might be hoping it trades up to draft point guard Darius Acuff Jr., the Kings’ front office is “comfortable” waiting for him at the seventh pick.
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There had been circulating NBA Draft Rumors that the Los Angeles Clippers (fifth overall pick) and Brooklyn Nets (sixth overall pick) may try and take advantage of Sacramento’s interest in Acuff. Trading up for the All-American point guard would cost the Kings future draft capital in the way of at least one future first-round pick.
There has been a lot of chatter tying Sacramento to Acuff. The young point guard’s father once played for current Kings general manager Scott Perry. It’s also well-known that the team is eyeing a lead guard who could become the face of the franchise.
Related: Kings Looking Into High-Upside 2026 NBA Draft Prospect
However, there shouldn’t really be a strong incentive for Sacramento to overpay in a trade-up. The 2026 NBA Draft class is deep at point guard, with Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Houston’s Kingston Flemings and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. all largely viewed as being on the same tier of prospects as Acuff.
So, even if Acuff gets taken fifth overall, the Kings will still be in a position to land one of their point guard targets at the seventh pick. There also seems to be a decent chance that Acuff is available, with reports connecting Los Angeles to Wagler and Brooklyn to wing Nate Ament.
Ultimately, even with it seemingly being the worst-kept secret in the NBA that the Kings want Acuff, it appears that Perry and his staff will take the smart approach and not overpay to land their coveted guard.
Related: Kings GM Met with Family of Top Prospect
