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Concerning NBA Trend Could Hurt the Kings' Rebuild
Dec 23, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie reacts after a play against the Detroit Pistons during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Concerning NBA Trend Could Hurt the Kings' Rebuild

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Logan Struck  |  Last updated Feb 10, 2026 4:30 PM ET

Riding a horrendous 13-game losing streak and a blowout loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, the Sacramento Kings have cemented themselves as the NBA's worst team this season. The silver lining, though, has been that they are expected to land a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Having the league's worst record with one of the oldest rosters is certainly not ideal, and it signals to the franchise that it is time to blow it up and start a rebuild. However, that rebuild starts at this summer's draft. Getting the top pick in the draft to build around a legitimate potential superstar could completely change the trajectory of this franchise.

Unfortunately for the Kings, there is an unfortunate trend surrounding the teams that finish with the league's worst record.

Since the NBA changed the lottery odds in 2019, the team with the worst record has not landed the first pick. And, in each of the past three years, the team with the worst record has dropped to the fifth overall pick.

Can the Kings break this streak?

Six straight years of the team with the worst record not landing the top pick is exactly why the NBA changed the lottery odds, as it was an attempt to stop tanking, but it gets to a point. It makes it much more difficult for the league's worst franchises to get better when the lottery works against them, but the Kings are certainly hoping the ping pong balls go in their favor this year.

The last team to finish with the league's worst record and land the first overall pick in the draft was 2018, when the Phoenix Suns had a 25% chance to get the top selection. Of course, the following year, they changed the lottery rules. This was also the last year that the Kings had a top-three pick, as they selected Marvin Bagley III second overall.

As it stands, the Kings have a two-game cushion as the league's worst team. As long as they finish with a bottom-three record in the league, then they will have a 14% chance of landing the top pick. However, by finishing last, the Kings are guaranteed a top-five pick.

Luckily for the Kings, this is an incredible year to be the league's worst team. The 2026 NBA Draft class is unbelievable, and the beauty of it is that there are not just one or two top prospects. Any team that is picking in the top six or so of this year's draft will be ecstatic, but of course, all eyes will still be on the top pick to have your pick of the litter.

After everything Kings fans have been through over the past two decades, the fanbase deserves a break, and the 2026 NBA Draft lottery could completely change everything. However, they need to snap a shocking six-year trend to land the first overall pick. For a team about to enter a rebuild, they can only dream about kicking things off by landing the top pick in the draft.


This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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