The Sacramento Kings Don’t Need to Draft

The Sacramento Kings just came off of a successful 2022-2023 season and are now looking forward to the NBA Draft on June 22. The question now is about their draft picks.

The Kings have picks 24, 38 and 54 this year. There are many ways that the Kings can use their picks but the most effective one is to trade them. Whether it be in a package deal or they’re moved individually, the Kings face a risk trying to improve with the draft. While the draft is always exciting, there are two major reasons why this year’s draft isn’t the way to go for them.

Reason 1: The Kings Need Defense

The Kings already have a great overall roster that only needs small tweaks to make it to the next level. The most obvious adjustment they need to make is to their defense. Though they can defend a fastbreak because of their overall speed, their defensive rating of 116 put them in the bottom fifth of the league. The only hope they could have to meaningfully improve this in the draft is hoping that Duke’s Dereck Lively II is still available at 24. They could also hope that a solid wing defender like Rayan Rupert from New Zealand is still available.

That’s not to say that there aren’t other players with defensive potential going in the late-first-round. But rookies struggle defensively, and the Kings are shifting toward trying to win it all within the next few years. There’s no need to draft when most of the remaining talent pool in the late draft is offensive-minded.

Reason Two: The 2023 Free Agency Pool

With Harrison Barnes potentially leaving in free agency, the Kings need to shop for replacements. Many outlets are suggesting they pursue Khris Middleton, who is a free agent this year. But it’s not necessary to pursue Middleton, considering the cost. If they’re looking for wing defenders, Will Barton is a solid scorer that shows flashes of defensive ability. Davon Reed, a good 3-and-D wing, is available for a small price tag.

If the goal is to bolster their paint defense on the bench, there are a plethora of options in free agency. Cody Zeller is a free agent and his defense was instrumental in Miami’s run in the playoffs. Though having taken a dip, Montrezl Harrell can still provide valuable bench minutes on the defensive end. If they would like to look toward younger players, Naz Reid and Drew Eubanks are both unrestricted free agents this summer.

None of the players that were named above are expensive contracts. But all of those contracts would be incredibly valuable for the Kings. As the Denver Nuggets proved with this most recent playoff run, the depth of a roster is incredibly important. It’s entirely possible that the draft proves lucrative.

But the Kings are already young enough that they can keep this core together for years. There’s no need for them to gamble in this year’s draft. This year’s free agency pool could provide enough improvement to take them on a deep playoff run.

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Featured image courtesy of NBA.com

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