In FanSided's 2026 NBA Mock Draft, the Sacramento Kings got the sixth pick, proving they can't catch a break even in theoretical scenarios. What they did get was Jayden Quaintance, a legit rim protector and paint dominator who could be the powerhouse defender the Kings desperately need.
Quaintance is an 18-year-old sophomore playing center for Kentucky, and has definitely reminded people whose house they're in. At 6-feet 9-inches and 225 pounds, he has the size and strength to muscle pretty much everybody and anybody around. And he does so on a regular basis.
Without question, he is one of the best defenders out there. Jayden is a legitimate, top-tier rim protector who averaged 2.6 blocks per game last season. Once he finds his rhythm in the NBA, he will be the defensive quarterback the Kings need for the rebuild to be a success.
How Quaintance fits on the Kings' roster
Sacramento is not short on centers, but a majority of them such as Domantas Sabonis are likely on their way out. The ones left should hopefully be Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell with Precious Achiuwa as a back up in a pinch. With Jayden, the Kings can experiment with bigger lineups.
Quaintance and Raynaud make an interesting duo. Both can rebound well, but Maxime is the more efficient scorer. That's an area where Jayden still struggles. Putting Quaintaince at center with Raynaud as power forward creates a one-two punch of rebounding and scoring.
The opposite is true of Quaintance and Cardwell. Neither of them are top tier scorers, but they both dominate on defense and rebounding. If they find a rhythm together, they would lock down the paint and put at lid on the rim. Scoring on this duo would be incredibly difficult.
Let's get crazy in Sacramento
As a great man once said, "Now you wanna get nuts? Come on! Let's get nuts." Think about putting all three bigs out at once. Quaintance at center, Cardwell at power forward, and Raynaud at small forward. This is a dominant size-first lineup that could play the game on the Kings' terms.
To be fair, this is not a lineup you want to run a lot, maybe five or six minutes a game at the most. What it does is change the flow if the opposition is getting a little too frisky. It amps up the defense and rebounding, and opens Sacramento's guards to some interesting scoring opportunities.
The reality is that Sacramento's main problems are age, size, and defense. Adding Jayden Quaintance to a roster that already includes Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell is a major step to addressing all three of those issues.