Even though the NBA season is barely underway, it's never too early to start thinking about the future. And three college freshman are already making an impression, so much so that the Kings look like they're working to sign Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, or Cameron Boozer in the next draft.
If you can say nothing else positive about the Sacramento Kings, you have to admit that they know how to draft. After a great performance in the preseason and the regular season, before his injury, Nique Clifford proved himself to potentially be the steal of the 2025 NBA Draft.
For the 2026 Draft, the Kings currently have their own first and second round picks as well as another second round pick via the Charlotte Hornets. The rumor is that the Kings are still attempting to trade Malik Monk and/or Devin Carter for another first round pick.
There are also more than a few people around the league with the opinion that Kings are allegedly trying to tank the season to get a better lottery spot. Keep in mind that there is zero evidence to support that theory. If the Kings have a terrible season, it will happen naturally as usual.
Kings are looking for more young guns
Regardless of the rumors, it does look like the Kings are already making plans for the 2026 NBA Draft. The goal is, of course, to get a rookie star like Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe, or even Victor Webanyama to build around. That's no small feat, but there are certainly some options out there.
Three marquee freshmen went OFF in their first exhibition:
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) October 25, 2025
Cam Boozer - 33 Pts, 12 Rebs, 4 Asts vs UCF
AJ Dybantsa - 30 Pts, 7 Rebs, 10-19 FG vs Nebraska
Darryn Peterson: 26 Pts, 9-15 FG, 6-10 3PT vs Louisville
Serious talent 😮💨 @brhoops pic.twitter.com/V3CGAyVowH
Guard Darryn Peterson, small forward AJ Dybantsa, and power forward Cameron Boozer are all freshmen this season at their respective colleges. In their first exhibitions, each one of them absolutely showed up and showed out. Now, they just have to maintain that production level.
Peterson would be a good pick, keeping in mind that the Kings really don't need more guards. Dybantsa also presents an interesting opportunity for the Kings who could use another small forward. But a power forward like Boozer could change the game for Sacramento.
At this point, no one knows if any of these three players will declare for the draft in 2026. Frankly, it would be good to see them develop their games and mature through their full college eligibility. Whether it's in 2026 or 2029, any of these draft picks would be huge for the Kings.