While the Sacramento Kings ended up with the seventh pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, there is a chance for a bigger move. They could trade their single first-rounder to the OKC Thunder for their two lower first-round picks. This would give the Kings two chances to pick top names in the top 20.
Considering how big a horror show the 2025-2026 season was for Sacramento, fans were really hoping for a top-three draft pick. Instead, the lottery played out exactly how the odds dictated, and the Kings ended up with the seventh pick overall. It's a solid place to draft from.
That being said, there is a way to fix that, and it involves the Thunder. Thanks to the war chest of draft picks, OKC has collected, they have the 12th and 17th pick in the first round of this year's draft. Keep in mind, they are the defending champions and are currently in the Western Conference Finals.
The Thunder have an overabundance of talent already on their roster and in development. Plus, their aforementioned war chest of draft picks is nowhere near depleted. Still, they might be willing to swap their two lower first-round picks for the Kings' single first-round pick that's higher in the draft.
How this benefits the Kings in the long run
To make this rebuild work, Sacramento needs young, talented players to develop and build around, and a lot of them. They got that process started in the 2025 NBA Draft by picking up Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud. They added to that by signing the undrafted Dylan Cardwell in the offseason.
In the 2026 NBA Draft, having two picks is better than one for the Kings. The depth of talent is unprecedented, meaning taking two places further down the draft will still get Sacramento great players. That includes names like Yaxel Lendeborg, Brayden Burries, and Jayden Quaintance.
This move gives the Kings more versatility when drafting, allowing them to build a deeper development pool. That will be key for the rebuild as it moves forward in the coming months and years. They need a roster of young guns to work with and help grow the team.
Of course, it's important to keep in mind that the Thunder may want to hang onto those two picks. The hope here is that the offer of a solo pick higher up the draft will be enough to get them to move. Maybe the Kings' promise not to include Zach LaVine in the trade will help.
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