While the Sacramento Kings drafted almost perfectly in 2026, it's hard not to wonder what might have been. Yaxel Lendeborg is a seasoned player who was ready to take the court. His performance in the California Classic put the league on notice, and has to have the Kings thinking trade.
As the 2026 draft got closer and closer, pretty much everyone was saying that the Kings would take Darius Acuff Jr. It's not hard to see why. He's an explosive point guard who scores while still facilitating for his team. His defense needs work, but his offense is already on another level.
At the same time, there were others, mainly me, who really wanted to see the Kings draft Lendeborg. Fresh off a national championship with the Michigan Wolverines, his stock was at an all-time high. He's basically a Swiss Army player who can fit any situation and find a way to excel.
The Kings had the seventh pick and could have taken Lendeborg before the Warriors got him. Regardless, Sacramento went with Acuff and that was the right choice. That doesn't meant the Kings can't keep an eye on Lendeborg, which they definitely should after his Summer League performance.
Lendeborg came to play in the California Classic
Golden State ran two teams in the Classic. Gold, which included Lendeborg, played out of San Francisco while the Blue team was in Sacramento. The Gold team finished with a record of 2-1 while Blue went 0-3. The Warriors should probably stop splitting them up from now on.
Lendeborg was superb in both Gold team wins, but didn't play in the loss. He was one of several player who rested that game. The man made a statement in game one by getting 19 points while shooting 100% from the field, the three point arc, and the free throw line, It was a thing of beauty.
It was obvious from the moment the Warriors drafted him that Lendeborg would be a good fit. That being said, he's such a versatile player that he would fit on any team. Given his overall Summer League performance, the Kings simply must be keeping Lendeborg on their opportunity radar.
The Warriors absolutely blew the Jonathan Kuminga situation and recently let Quinten Post walk to the Grizzlies as an unrestricted free agent. Yet, they hang onto Brandin Podziemski. Golden State isn't known for handling their rookies well, so they could yet give the Kings an opening to sign Lendeborg.
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