There are a few NBA events every season where many team staffers, agents, and media members all end up being in the same rooms: Las Vegas Summer League, All-Star Weekend, and the NBA Draft Combine are prime examples.

Sam Amick, national NBA Insider for The Athletic, joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross to share what he’s been hearing from the 2026 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. The conversation had moments centered on the Sacramento Kings, but they first discussed some of the leaguewide topics.

When asked what he’s been hearing about the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft, Amick said there’s been more focus on it than on the draft itself. “Admittedly, not as much, ironically, to the draft chatter as you would think,” he said.

 

“There’s plenty of (draft-related conversations),” Amick continued. “But there’s, you know, a lot of curiosity about Giannis (Antetokounmpo), about Kawhi (Leonard), about some of these front office and coaching positions. So, it’s a little bit of everything.”

From Sacramento’s perspective, what they’ll do after falling to the seventh pick in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is probably their most important offseason decision. Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. catapulted up draft boards after a stellar season functioning as the Razorbacks’ offensive engine.

Could he be someone in play for Sacramento? Will he even be available after the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets make their selections at fifth and sixth?

“He’s a guy that, as far as the Kings are concerned, there’s some chatter about,” Amick said of the dynamic guard prospect. “Just curiosity if they’ll go that direction, if he’ll fall down to them.”

Check out the full conversation at the top of the page or by heading over to the Sactown Sports YouTube channel.

Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PDT, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

Upcoming Sacramento Kings & NBA Offseason Schedule

Tuesday, June 23rd – NBA Draft (Round 1)
Wednesday, June 24th – NBA Draft (Round 2)
Tuesday, June 30th – NBA Free Agency negotiation period begins (3 PM PT)
Thursday, July 9th – NBA Las Vegas Summer League begins
Monday, July 13th – Free Agency moratorium ends / signings can become official

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