While all the focus has understandably been on their lottery pick, the Sacramento Kings have a chance to add other young talents in the 2026 NBA Draft thanks to their two second-round picks.
Look no further than last season, where Maxime Raynaud (42nd pick) and Dylan Cardwell (undrafted) carved out valuable roles in their disappointing 22-60 season. General manager Scott Perry also found some second-round gems during his time in the New York Knicks front office, with Mitchell Robinson and Deuce McBride as standout highlights.
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As an organization, the Kings have lacked players with the combination of skill and size at the wing positions. Even with Keegan Murray, De’Andre Hunter, and (potentially) Precious Achiuwa, adding to their options there would never hurt.
Continuing the Sactown Scouting Report series that will lead up to the June 23rd Draft, here’s a look at a variety of wings/forwards they could consider in the second round.
Sactown Scouting Report: Second Round Wings/Forwards
Joshua Jefferson (Senior, Iowa State)
16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists on 47/34/70 shooting
Standing at 6’7.75″ without shoes at the combine while weighing 250 pounds, Jefferson has perhaps the most NBA-ready frame and versatile skillset of the bunch. Given that he’ll be roughly 22.5 years old when drafted, you would hope that would be the case.
From the Kings’ (or any team’s) perspective, caring too much about age in the second round could easily end up being a mistake. If they land one role player between picks No. 34 and 45, that’d be a success.
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Managing nearly five assists per game, Jefferson functioned both as a point-forward and connective passer during his senior season on one of the better collegiate teams in Iowa State. Rather than being a standout athlete, he was more of a patient player who used his size advantage to keep his primary defender occupied while reading the floor for the right play.
His high-IQ style showed itself on the defensive end as well, managing 2+ steals in 17 of his 35 games played as a senior.
His ability to read the game and function as a connective playmaker and finisher has led to a decent range of analyst projections for where Jefferson could be taken in the upcoming draft. While plenty believe he’s deserving of a later first-round pick, you never know what players in that range could decide they would prefer to pick their landing spot in the early second round.
The swing skill for Jefferson is his jumper. After converting under 30% in his first three collegiate seasons combined, the wing jumped up to 34.5% on 3.1 three-point attempts per game last season. Being able to comfortably knock down open looks at a respectable rate could be the difference between him getting the chance to explore his on-ball upside or struggling to make it as a role player in the league.
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A prospect with that blend of size, feel, physicality, and versatility is one that a team tends to be happy to bet on, as he has the most upside of the players on this list.
PROVO, UT - JANUARY 24: Richie Saunders #15 of the Brigham Young Cougars calls a defense against the Utah Utes during the first half of their game at the Marriott Center on January 24, 2026 in Provo, Utah.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Richie Saunders (Senior, BYU)
18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists on 49/37/81 shooting
While Sacramento desperately could’ve used BYU star AJ Dybansta, there’s another BYU product that could make sense for them in the early second round. Richie Saunders (6’5 without shoes) showed how his offensive spacing and off-ball threat can help make life easier for primary scoring options.
For Saunders, it all starts with his shooting. Converting 37.6% of his 6.8 three-point attempts per game in his senior season with the Cougars, he made 3+ triples in 11 of his 25 showings, including four games with six. Running through screens before catching and letting it fly was the name of the game for the wing prospect.
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It’s easy to imagine how that would be appealing to general manager Scott Perry, as his 2025-26 Kings were dead last in three-point attempts (30.2) and tied with Brooklyn for the worst percentage (34%).
Having spent four seasons at BYU, Saunders will be nearly 25 years old on draft night, but that maturity showed up in his game as well. The shooters who stick in the NBA know how to use their gravity and threat from range to open up the rest of their game, which Saunders showed he’s more than capable of. Defenders would bite on pump fakes before attacking the basket and finishing with touch.
Despite being more of a below-the-rim player, the 6’5 prospect still managed an impressive 69.4% conversion rate at the rim, where he utilized both hands, floaters, and more. While not a lockdown defender, he showed potential to be a functional piece of an NBA defensive scheme.
To put it simply, Saunders has your typical ‘3&D’ archetype, as his ability to comfortably put the ball on the deck without an advantage left more to be desired. Often projected in the late-first to middle second-round, Saunders doesn’t have as much size as some of the other options on this list, but his shooting would help fill a skillset the Kings have been lacking.
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Sactown Scouting Report: Alex Karaban #11 of the UConn Huskies shoots the ball against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half of a game in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Alex Karaban (Redshirt Senior, UConn)
13.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists on 46/37/85 shooting
If you prefer a more typical stretch-four archetype, Alex Karaban may be more your type. Measuring in at 6’6.75″ without shoes at the combine while shooting 37.4 percent from three on 5.2 attempts per game in his collegiate career is going to draw some attention.
The fact that after redshirting his first season, Karaban came off the bench in his first game with UConn before starting the next 150 consecutive showings. Racking up two NCAA Championships, proving effectiveness over that long a span for one of the better college programs, bodes well for his projection.
As mentioned with Saunders, Sacramento needs spacing. His comfort working through off-ball actions, even as the screener, before relocating around the perimeter for an open catch-and-shoot look, was impressive. Projected to go in the late-first to early-second round due to his lack of self-creation, the UConn product likely has a limited upside, but play-finishers are an underrated aspect of team building.
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Established as a deep-ball threat, Karaban used that advantage to up his scoring and passing totals. If he were being top-locked, Karaban would recognize and cut backdoor, or he’d put the ball on the deck decisively to attack a closeout. And that threat from range is unquestionably necessary, because the handle, speed, and overall craftiness with the ball aren’t the sell here.
Playing with plenty of other lottery talents in his successful college career, Karaban took a leap as distributor in his junior season and maintained it in 2025-26. Being a connective play finisher has value in the league. While creating advantages is perhaps the most important skill set for top players, being able to capitalize on them and maintain them is necessary on every roster.
There are defensive question marks, as he’s probably best suited guarding the other team’s slower forward, but the offensive skillset is appealing.
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More Sactown Scouting Reports
Upcoming Sacramento Kings & NBA Offseason Schedule
Tuesday, June 23rd – NBA Draft (Round 1)
Wednesday, June 24th – NBA Draft (Round 2)
Tuesday, June 30th – NBA Free Agency negotiation period begins (3 PM PT)
Thursday, July 9th – NBA Las Vegas Summer League begins
Monday, July 13th – Free Agency moratorium ends / signings can become official
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