The 2025-2026 NBA season is just barely underway, and there's already talk of what the next NBA Draft will look like for the Kings. That's particularly true if they manage to tank this season, get a high-level draft pick, and land Duke sensation Cameron Boozer.
There's still a whole season of basketball between the NBA and the 2026 draft. While it's safe to make educated guesses about which teams will end up with higher lottery picks, anything can happen over the next several months. But there's something to be said for losing to win.
A lottery process is used to select the top four picks in the draft. Teams with the worst records have the best odds of placing high in that lottery. That's not a guarantee, as the entire league found out in the 2025 Draft when the Mavericks defied the odds, drafted first, and got Cooper Flagg.
Number one draft picks don't always work out for the best, though it's likely Flagg will. The same can be said for Cameron Boozer, the Duke player currently projected to go high in the next draft. And the Kings could end up being in contention for him.
Kings could hit the 2026 Draft hard
Some people are already speculating what could happen if the Kings have a tough season and end up with a top-tier draft pick. Sacramento is a bit of a wild card. Most pundits are expecting things to go badly for the Kings, but they also have the talent and potential to surprise everyone.
Imagine if the Kings lose enough to get a high enough pick and have to decide if they want a 6’10 18 year old phenom out of Duke who’s two syllable last name starts with B https://t.co/XJnZhAVNFN
— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) October 22, 2025
Cameron Boozer's collegiate career has barely started, but he is already drawing a great deal of attention. He has won multiple accolades both in high school and in international FIBA play. There are good reasons scouts from across the NBA and beyond are paying close attention to his career.
At the age of 18, this 6-foot-9-inch power forward is an absolute beast. He's a versatile ball-handler, scorer, and passer, not to mention a dominant rebounder. If that's not enough, he has the strength and basketball IQ to make him an absolutely elite defender.
These are all attributes that the Kings need on their roster, and they did pretty well at the last draft with Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud. If this season is a bust and Cameron Boozer declares for the draft, he is the light at the end of the tunnel, another significant addition to the Kings' young core.