After the Kings were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, fans are likely looking ahead to the 2022 NBA Draft in hopes that Sacramento will land a top pick in the first round.
The Kings currently sit at No. 7 in the draft with a 29-50 record and have a 32 percent chance of moving into the top four following the lottery, per Tankathon. When it comes to the No. 1 overall pick, Sacramento has a 7.5 percent chance of moving into the top spot and selecting an elite prospect to help end its 16-year playoff drought.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor predicted how the organization would utilize the draft’s first pick -- should the lottery play out in Sacramento’s favor -- with his latest mock draft updated on Tuesday.
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It wouldn’t be completely surprising if the Kings did move into the top four or even up to No. 1, O’Connor explained, since at least one team with seventh or worse odds has moved into the top four every year since 2019, when the NBA flattened the lottery odds.
“So seven seems to be the lucky number, and the Kings currently hold that spot,” O’Connor said. “It would be a gift from the basketball gods for the Kings to have an opportunity to pair one of these great prospects with De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.”
O’Connor’s mock has the Kings selecting Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. No. 1 overall if that 7.5 percent chance works out for Sacramento.
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The 19-year-old averaged 17.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game and made 43.6 percent of his 163 3-point attempts during his freshman year at Auburn.
Coupled with Fox’s scoring efficiency and Sabonis’ playmaking ability, Smith would fit right in with the Kings.
“Smith could naturally slide in as a shot-making forward, standing at 6-foot-10 with the ability to drain 3s off screens and handoffs,” O’Connor said. “With Fox and Sabonis, there’d be less pressure on Smith to develop his own shot creation early in his career. That can come in time. As a young player, he can focus on shooting and playing versatile defense just like he did at Auburn. This is the type of fit that could finally put the Kings back in the postseason.”
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O’Connor believes Smith shows shades of Michael Porter Jr. and is a taller Harrison Barnes or two-way Rashard Lewis. His jump shot is described as “unblockable,” and his coach Bruce Pearl has described Smith as the best player he has ever coached.
It might be written in the stars for Smith to end up in Sacramento. His father, Jabari Smith Sr., was selected by the Kings in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft and went on to play four seasons in the league. The young forward would certainly bring an element of hope to a franchise looking forward to the future.