Kings’ Lottery Pick Projections Look Scary After Winless Start

The Sacramento Kings are on the wrong side of the new lottery reform, and their lottery pick projections are jarring for a rebuilding organization.

Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo Sports podcaster and writer, did four draft lottery spins on Tankathon on Tuesday. Sacramento ranked pretty low in most of O'Connor's rolls as one of the four winless teams.

The Kings finished twelfth twice and eleventh once. Their highest finish was fifth, two picks above this year's placement, where general manager Scott Perry drafted Darius Acuff Jr.

Losing felt encouraged during the old lottery era, with even odds for the three teams with the worst league records. The Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers each had a 14% chance to land the No. 1 pick, and a 52% chance to receive a top-four pick.

Sacramento would be on pace to add another high-level rookie in the lottery if the old lottery rules lasted one more season. Now, the new lottery reform forces the bottom feeders to win games, and that's a struggle for this team.

Coach Doug Christie can't put together the talented pieces to overcome late-game struggles. Acuff became the first rookie to score 30 points last Friday, Domantas Sabonis has been on a double-double tear, and Zach LaVine is one of the team's most efficient players.

The 11th or 12th pick is still valuable, but the Kings effectively lose the chance to draft Tyrann Stokes, who is seen as the top candidate for the first pick.

Capitalizing on multiple transaction windows is key to building a great team — and getting out of a rebuild. Perry drafted two rotation-ready rookies with Acuff and Emanuel Sharp, and has three more cycles to prepare.

February's trade deadline will determine the team's direction. Veterans like Sabonis, LaVine and De'Andre Hunter could be on the trade block to prioritize the young core's development.

Next offseason's draft and free agency are the ideal time for Perry to build around Acuff. He could open up $40 million in cap space, making Sacramento a potential destination for free agents.

The draft is the most significant variable in this rebuild, and the time to change course is now.

Sacramento is 0-4 for the first time since 2022-23. Christie's squad will face the New Orleans Pelicans, the other winless team in the Western Conference, at 8 p.m. on Thursday at Smoothie King Center.

One team will leave Thursday night with its first win, and it should be the Kings.