Sacramento Kings Perfectly Filled Needs In 2025 NBA Draft

The Sacramento Kings completed two home-run moves.

That's not a phrase often said in recent years.

But after walking away with Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Kings deserve the praise, and here's why.

Nique Clifford – Pick No. 24 (Via OKC)

After seeing Clifford slip down draft boards, the Kings moved into the first round, sending a 2027 first-round pick (top 16 protected) from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Pick No. 24 in the 2025 NBA Draft. With that pick, they selected the Colorado State swingman to be the newest King.

Clifford was regarded as one of the most NBA ready prospects, as he spent five seasons between Colorado and Colorado State perfecting his game. In 2024-2025, he averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from 3-point range.

He's a nice change of pace for a typical Kings draft, as they've only selected one other first-round wing in the last 11 drafts, being Iowa's Keegan Murray.

The role he'll play

It's hard to tell what the Kings roster may look like at the start of next season, as veterans Demar DeRozan and Malik Monk swirl in trade rumors regularly. One thing that's certain, however, is the Kings lack of wing depth – as Murray's the only rostered King capable of guarding forwards and knocking down shots.

Even so, Clifford will likely receive heavy minutes early on, given his age and frame built to hang with NBA physicality. New Kings head coach Doug Christie has also been more inclined to playing younger players than his predecessor Mike Brown was, meaning that Clifford will get his fair chance.

It's fair to assume he'll may compete for the starting small forward job if DeRozan is on his way out, and he's certainly capable of winning the job. Clifford's defensive toughness and ability to hold his own at the point-of-attack is crucial in a lineup that would contain Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis – two relatively weak defenders in their roles.

While Keon Ellis will matchup with opposing team's star guards, Clifford will be tasked with many minutes guarding their scoring wings and forwards – barring a major acquisition. His blend of reach, speed and strength combine to make him one of the better defenders on Sacramento's roster right away.

Clifford's also a versatile offensive weapon that will excel playing off of Sabonis, who's fully embraced his role as the Kings offensive engine. He's a smart and active cutter, constantly flashing through the lane in open space. His athleticism also makes him an elite finisher at and above the rim, shooting 67.6 percent despite standing at just 6-foot-5, so he'll be able to convert those tough finishes off a Sabonis dime.

In his five collegiate seasons, he shot 38.9 percent on catch-and-shoot threes, meaning he'll be a reliable option to space the floor for drivers, or to hit on kick-outs.

The Kings ranked third in the association in points per possession off of screens (1.12), so Clifford's cutting and spot-up strength fits right in with Sabonis' screening and the Kings swarming offensive movement.

He's even shown the ability to to be a strong secondary creator and smart decision maker, hence his 4.2 assists per game. If this translates to the NBA, he'll become an elite connective offensive weapon, capable of moving the ball quickly to the right spot in all aspects – pick-and-roll, swinging for the extra pass and dumping off dunker spots.

Maxime Raynaud – Pick No. 42

The Kings were able to snag Raynaud with their second round pick, a steal considering many had the Frenchman as a first-round grade. Raynaud keeps up the trend of upperclassmen selected by the Kings, as he was a four-year player at Stanford.

Despite being 22 years old, he could have more upside than many teenagers selected in his class. He just started playing basketball competitively at the age of 17, and the results of his year-to-year growth made it apparent.

In his 2021-2022 freshman campaign, he played just 12 minutes per game, averaging 4.5 points and 3.8 rebounds. But by his senior season, Raynaud was the only player in Division 1 to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, with 20.2 and 10.6 respectively. He even developed a high-volume three ball, shooting 34.7 percent on 5.5 attempts per game in 2024-2025.

The role he'll play

For now, Raynaud will fill the role of third-string center for the Kings, sitting behind Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas. However, Valanciunas is aging, and may not be the best fit for the Kings athletic rotation moving forward, meaning Raynaud could quickly take those minutes for himself.

He'll never be able to share the court with Sabonis, given his defensive flaws and lack of agility, but Raynaud is a serviceable option to fill the non-Sabonis minutes for Sacramento.

He's a versatile screener who's proven capable of making the correct read out of the short roll – whether it's to hit the open man, or take advantage of a mismatch. He's also an efficient scorer in the deep post, shooting 69.3 percent at the rim with a variety of post-move finishes including hooks, step-throughs and more.

While he may lack the half-court mobility to switch on the fly or keep up with cutters, his overall speed is still enough to outrun other traditional bigs. When running in transition, his speed is enough to get out on break and finish at the rim using his soft touch – providing another fold to the Kings offense.

Ideally, he could share his minutes with potential returning forward Isaac Jones, who'd be the perfect fit to hide Raynaud's defensive flaws. A double-big bench unit including the pair could work well, with Raynaud's silky touch and plus vision makes for the perfect complement to Jones athletic bursts and above-rim-finishing.

Raynaud will serve a limited, but impactful role for the Kings, holding down the fort as the future backup center – great value in the second round.