Sacramento Kings coach Doug Christie has made it clear that he is playing to win, but in the final days of a season filled with pain and frustration, losing might be what’s best for the team’s future.
The Kings have the fourth-worst record in the NBA with six games remaining as they prepare to conclude a five-game road trip against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. The teams with the three worst records will have the best odds of securing a top pick in a draft some are touting as the best since LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Both entered the league in 2003.
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson are widely viewed as the top players in this year’s draft. Other top prospects include Houston guard Kingston Flemings, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. and Illinois guard Keaton Wagler.
The Kings (19-57) are a half-game behind the Brooklyn Nets (18-57) in the NBA draft lottery standings. They are 1 ½ games behind the Washington Wizards (17-58) and Indiana Pacers (17-58). The Utah Jazz (21-54) are lurking behind the Kings with the fifth-worst record.
The Kings could leapfrog the Nets for the third-worst record if they lose the rest of their games and the Wizards or Nets win two or more of theirs. That is a distinct possibility considering the Nets still have to play the Wizards and Pacers. If two teams finish with identical records, a coin flip will determine where each team is slotted in the draft lottery.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver announces a pick by the Sacramento Kings during the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2022 in New York City. Arturo Holmes Getty Images How the lottery works
The NBA draft lottery determines the top four picks for non-playoff teams using a weight ping-pong ball system. All non-playoff teams have a chance of being awarded one of the top four picks. In 2025, the Dallas Mavericks came away with the No. 1 pick despite going into the lottery with a 1.8% chance.
The teams with the three worst records will have a 52.1% chance of securing one of the top four picks and a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 pick. The team with the fourth-worst record has a 48.1% chance of one of the top four picks and a 12.5% chance of getting the No. 1 pick. Once the top four picks are established, the remaining picks will be assigned in reverse order of record.
The team with the worst record will pick no lower than fifth. The team with the second-worst record will pick no lower than sixth. The team with the third-worst record can fall no lower than seventh and the team with the fourth-worst record can fall no lower than eighth.
Strength of schedule
The Pacers have the 11th most difficult remaining schedule with games against the Pistons, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, 76ers, Hornets and Timberwolves, each of whom is still jockeying for playoff or play-in positioning.
The Kings have the 23rd-rated remaining strength of schedule followed by the Wizards (26th) and Nets (29th). Fortunately for Sacramento, the Nets still have to play the Pacers and Wizards.
If the Kings lose the rest of their games and the Nets or Wizards win at least two of theirs, the Kings will finish with the third-worst record. If the Nets and Wizards both win two or more of their remaining games, the Kings could finish with the second-worst record.
If the latter scenario plays out and the Pacers win two or more of their remaining games, the Kings could finish with the worst record, but that is highly unlikely. The Pacers will have to convey their pick to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade if it falls outside the top four, so they have every incentive to lose.
If the Kings win two or more of their last six games, they could fall to fifth in the NBA draft lottery standings behind the Jazz
Remaining schedules
Sacramento Kings
3/28 at Toronto Raptors
4/3 vs. New Orleans Pelicans
4/5 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
4/7 at Golden State Warriors
4/10 vs. Golden State Warriors
4/12 at Portland Trail Blazers
Brooklyn Nets
3/31 vs. Charlotte Hornets
4/3 vs. Atlanta Hawks
4/5 vs. Washington Wizards
4/7 vs. Milwaukee Bucks
4/9 vs. Indiana Pacers
4/10 at Milwaukee Bucks
4/12 at Toronto Raptors
Washington Wizards
4/1 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
4/4 at Miami Heat
4/5 at Brooklyn Nets
4/7 vs. Chicago Bulls
4/9 vs. Chicago Bulls
4/10 vs. Miami Heat
4/12 at Cleveland Cavaliers
Indiana Pacers
4/1 at Chicago Bulls
4/3 at Charlotte Hornets
4/5 at Cleveland Cavaliers
4/7 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
4/9 at Brooklyn Nets
4/10 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
4/12 vs. Detroit Pistons
This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 6:23 AM.
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Jason Anderson is The Sacramento Bee’s Kings beat writer. He is a Sacramento native and a graduate of Fresno State, where he studied journalism and college basketball under the late Jerry Tarkanian.