The Sacramento Kings have spent the majority of the season in a rut that appeared to be difficult to climb out of. They lost 16 consecutive games at one time, the worst in franchise history, and it seemed to be the end of the season long before the final portion of the schedule. But the problem now appears very different.
The Kings have also just won four of their last five games and are 5-5 in their last ten games, which has improved their record to 18-51. To the majority of teams, that would be an indication of progress. This late push in the case of Sacramento might end up damaging their most valuable asset remaining in the season quietly.
The draft position.
Just a week ago, the Kings sat near the very top of the NBA Draft Lottery standings. Their record placed them right behind the Indiana Pacers for the best odds at the number one pick. At that point, the mathematics worked strongly in their favor. They were guaranteed no worse than a top-six selection and had a real chance at landing the first overall pick.
The recent wins changed that picture quickly.
Sacramento has now dropped to fourth in the lottery order. The odds have shifted as well. Their chances of securing the number one pick currently sit at 12.5%, followed by 12.2% for the second pick, 11.9% for the third, and 11.5% for the fourth. The most likely outcome now becomes the middle of the lottery. There is a 25.7% chance they land the sixth pick and a 16.7% chance at seventh. There is even a path down to eighth.
That possibility did not exist before this recent stretch. Sacramento held a guaranteed top-six position and could not fall lower. The four wins over the past week removed that protection. The situation highlights a strange tension late in NBA seasons.
The value of winning games on a nightly basis is always important to players and coaches. Front offices tend to view the larger picture in a different way, particularly at the point where the playoffs cannot be won. That dilemma is even more complicated by the Kings’ roster.
This team was never built to tank.
The team is comprised of veterans such as Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Russell Westbrook. With such talent, Sacramento was supposed to battle to reach the playoffs and not the lottery. Instead, injuries and roster construction issues derailed the season.
Once the losing streak stretched past two weeks, the reality changed. The Kings suddenly found themselves positioned for a high pick in what scouts consider a loaded 2026 NBA Draft class. Prospects such as Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer headline a group that many believe holds multiple franchise-changing players. At one point in a mock draft this season, the Kings were destined to pick Peterson and Dybansta.
That opportunity makes every late-season win feel more complicated.
Sacramento also faces a schedule that could make the situation worse. The Kings have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the league, and that means they could get a few more wins before the season ends. And each win would lower their lottery odds. For a team searching for a long-term solution, the stakes remain huge.
Finishing with a worse record would strengthen their odds of landing a top-tier prospect and potentially reset the trajectory of the roster. Winning meaningless games now risks sliding into the middle of the lottery, where the chances of drafting a franchise cornerstone drop sharply.
Whether it ultimately costs them their best shot at a transformational draft pick will only become clear when the lottery arrives in May.
