As the Sacramento Kings‘ season continues to descend into dark places, it’s time for their front office to start looking at players they could soon move to land a first-round pick in a stacked NBA Draft next June.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, there was real hope inside the Kings organization. Coach Doug Christie had a full training camp in the role. They have name talent like DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis. They even added one-time MVP Russell Westbrook.
Unfortunately, this season, thus far, has been a disaster. On Thursday, things hit a new low for Sacramento when they lost to a Memphis Grizzlies team without bout Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. It was not just an eighth straight defeat, it was the eighth straight by double digits. It was further proof that this is going to be a very long season.
The Kings need to be sellers and soon. Especially since early reports suggest the 2026 NBA Draft will be one of the best in a long time. Sacramento needs to try and get more first-round picks if possible and rebuild. But which talent on such a terrible team could actually fetch that return? Let’s take a look at which players on the Kings roster have the value to get a first-rounder in a trade.
DeMar DeRozan
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DeRozan is no longer in his prime, but he is still a pretty good player. Furthermore, he has always been viewed as a plus in the locker room and is only on the books for one more season at $25.7 million. Playoff contenders like the Detroit Pistons or Chicago Bulls could eventually be in the market for more impact scoring and would be open to giving up a first-rounder in the back half of next year’s draft for a player like a six-time All-Star.
Zach LaVine
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LaVine is probably the best player on the Kings’ roster. The big issue is that he makes a ton of money. However, after this season, he just has one expensive year left on his deal. The Golden State Warriors were once high on the two-time All-Star. They might be willing to part with a late first-rounder and Jonathan Kuminga in a trade for the skilled scorer. The San Antonio Spurs could also be a possibility if they feel they lack the scoring to compete with the elites of the West.
Malik Monk and Denis Schroder
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As the season plays out, talented bench scorers and proven lead guards will gain value with elite teams. That is why a deal that includes both Malik Monk and Dennis Schroder could potentially land a late first-rounder in next year’s NBA Draft. The Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets could be in the market for players like Monk and Schroder in the next couple of months.
Domantas Sabonis Won’t Get the Kings a First Rounder
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On paper, Sabonis should be a player worthy of a late-round first-rounder in a trade. At his best, the three-time All-Star can be a top 10 big man in the game. However, his contract is a big problem. Being owed $93 million in the next two seasons will be too much for a contending team to take on for a 17-point and 12-rebound player right now.
Bad teams like the Brooklyn Nets or Washington Wizards could certainly use him and build around a proven All-Star in his prime. However, those clubs will have a lottery pick in June and will choose to go with a high upside prospect instead of taking on Sabonis’ contract and 10 years of wear and tear on his body.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos