Sacramento Kings: A look back at the last 10 NBA Drafts
2014
Kings pick: Nik Stauskas (8th)
The Sacramento Kings only had one pick in 2014, their first time with less than two picks since they drafted Spencer Hawes in 2007. They put their faith in the sharpshooting Michigan product, Nik Stauskas.
Stauskas seemed like a good pick for the team. He could space the floor as well as anyone, as he shot 44.2 percent from 3-point land on 5.2 attempts per game in his final college season when he won the 2013-14 Big Ten Player of the Year award. Continuing the trend, Stauskas didn’t make a smooth transition from college to the NBA.
He failed to make an impression in his rookie year and was subsequently packaged in a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers. His lackluster play continued in Philly, which later sent him to the Brooklyn Nets. Stauskas signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2018 free agency. At the 2019 trade deadline, Stauskas got Luke Ridnour‘d. In the course of a week, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, traded to the Houston Rockets, traded to the Indiana Pacers, waived by the Pacers, then ultimately signed by the Cavaliers.
Who they missed
College Nik Stauskas was a force to be reckoned with. NBA Stauskas was not, and there were several other player that the Kings would’ve been better off drafting.
- Zach LaVine (13th)
- T.J. Warren (14th)
- Jusuf Nurkic (16th)
- Gary Harris (19th)
- Clint Capela (25th)
- Joe Harris (33rd)
- Spencer Dinwiddie (38th)
- Nikola Jokic (41st)
The 2014 NBA Draft had multiple late steals. Even if the Kings were set on drafting a shooting guard, they could’ve selected LaVine, either Harris or Dinwiddie and they would’ve been better off for it.