The Sacramento Kings will maintain their post at the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery, making it 11 consecutive seasons the team will be searching for answers in the NBA’s annual sweepstakes.
It’s been 12 seasons without a playoff berth and 27 years since the Sacramento Kings held the first overall pick. All that can change Tuesday, May 15, when the Kings will hold out hope for a top-three pick or perhaps, the No 1. selection, in the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery.
In the team’s first full season without DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings finished five games worse than the season prior. Their 27-55 record tied for sixth-worst in the NBA and they finished 20 games out of a playoff spot.
The Kings lost the coin flip to the Chicago Bulls, giving them the seventh spot in the lottery standings, though both teams have an equal opportunity at cracking the top-three.
Sacramento has a 5.3 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick, and an 18.3 percent chance of moving into the top three. If the Kings don’t land in the top three, they can’t move higher than the No. 7 spot. If a team or even two jumps the Kings in the lottery, they can move back as far as No. 10, though it’s unlikely they fall that far.
Here are the odds for for each pick:
- 1st: 5.3%
- 2nd: 6.0%
- 3rd: 7.0%
- 7th: 57.3%
- 8th: 22.6%
- 9th: 1.8%
- 10th: >0.0%
The Kings were slated to draft eighth in the 2017 NBA Draft, but the odds were in their favor, as they moved up to secure the No. 3 pick. Unfortunately, the Philadelphia 76ers had the rights to a pick swap, bumping Sacramento down to No. 5. The Kings selected one-and-done star De’Aaron Fox out of Kentucky. Now the team is hoping Fox can repeat last season’s lottery luck.
The Kings’ starting point guard, who averaged 11.6 points, 4.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game in his rookie campaign, will represent the team on lottery night in Chicago says Sean Cunningham of ABC10 (KXTV) Sacramento.
The Sacramento Kings will be represented by De’Aaron Fox at next month’s NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago. He’s developed a knack for coming through in clutch situations during his rookie campaign - can @swipathefox bring that karma to the lottery?
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) April 16, 2018
The number Fox and the Kings are focusing on is 5.3 — the percentage chance they launch to the top of the draft. The last time the Kings drafted first overall was in 1989, when they selected big man Pervis Ellison out of Louisville. The NCAA champion and Final Four Most Outstanding Player was plagued by injuries for most of his career and played in only 34 games for the Kings before being traded to the Washington Bullets.
If the Kings get lucky enough to land the No.1 pick, they would likely draft talented freshman DeAndre Ayton from the University of Arizona. Other players they could look at if they move into the top three include Marvin Bagley from Duke or 19-year-old shooting guard Luka Doncic from Slovenia.
If the Kings maintain the seventh spot, they will have a tougher decision to make as several prominent players will be off the board. Some players who still might be available include a trio of freshman: Trae Young, who led the NCAA in points and assists, versatile wing player Michael Porter Jr. and Duke big man Wendell Carter Jr.
Since moving to Sacramento in 1985, the Kings have selected seventh overall five times: Lionel Simmons in 1990, Walt Williams in 1992, Bobby Hurley in 1993, Jason Williams in 1998 and Ben McLemore in 2013. They held the seventh pick in 2011 as well, but used it as part of a draft night trade.
Next: 2018 NBA Draft: Top 60 Big Board
After a year in which the Kings regressed in wins, the franchise could use a spark heading into next season. Landing a top pick could certainly ignite the fire.