Sacramento Kings: A look back at the last 10 NBA Drafts

2018

Kings pick: Marvin Bagley III (2nd), Gary Trent (37th)

It’s difficult to judge these picks since they only have one season under their belts. Marvin Bagley III was a consensus top-three pick heading into the 2018 NBA Draft. The biggest hole in the Kings ‘roster was at the power forward position, so it only made sense for them to choose the Duke product.

He performed well in his rookie season and will likely be on the All-Rookie First Team. As good as he was, Bagley missed major time. The 20-year-old only suited up in 62 games due to two main stretches where he sat out with injury. Bagley moved into the starting lineup toward the end of the season and, if he continues to develop, could be the third piece of a “Big 3″ in Sacramento.

Gary Trent Jr. was another King draftee who was dealt on draft night. The Blazers sent the Kings two future picks and cash for the 6’6” swingman. Trent can provide shooting off the bench, and even though he saw very few minutes in his first season, the Blazers are likely hoping to turn him into a reliable 3-and-D player.

Who they missed

Again, since these players have only played one season, it’s foolish to classify them as a draft mistake, but there are a couple of intriguing names that the Kings’ front office left on the board.

• Luka Doncic (3rd)
• Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (47th)

There were notable players drafted after Bagley in the lottery, but most were point guards, so it wouldn’t have made sense for the Kings to select any of them. A big name they did miss on, though, was Doncic.

The Slovenia native is the clear leader in the Rookie of the Year race and has ignited excitement for Mavs fans. He’s also turned Dallas into a dark horse free agency destination. Bagley may end up being better than Doncic, but for now, Luka is the top dog. Svi Mykhailiuk didn’t have much of an opportunity in his rookie year, but his ability to spread the floor could’ve been valuable off the bench.