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SACRAMENTO KINGS

Could the Kings’ remaining schedule become a concern?

The Sacramento Kings are in strong position to secure a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but could an 'easy' final stretch derail those odds?

Frankie Cartoscelli BY FRANKIE CARTOSCELLI
Mar 3, 2026, 7:53 AM Updated: 11:04 am
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Watch: Should We Be Worried About the Kings Strength of Schedule? | 7 mins

With 20 games remaining, the Sacramento Kings find themselves in a strange spot: worst record in the NBA, and maybe too easy of a road ahead.

This week on The Drive Guys, Kevin “Whitey” Gleason and Allen Stiles broke down the numbers. Depending on the model, Sacramento has either the 28th or 29th-hardest remaining strength of schedule — in other words, the second- or third-easiest slate in the league.

“Bottom line, Washington, Indiana, Utah have really hard schedules, and the Kings have an easy schedule. And when you’re trying to lose more games than them, that’s a bad thing,” Gleason said.

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(Tankathon)

Could the Sacramento Kings’ schedule hurt their draft position?

The Sacramento Kings are currently clinging to the league’s worst record — and with it, the best lottery odds. If they finish with the worst mark, they can fall no lower than fifth in the draft order.

“That is the big thing,” Gleason emphasized. “If you have the worst record, you pick no worse than fifth.”

Draft odds are everything at this stage. It’s not all bad for the Sacramento Kings, though. They currently own the worst record in the NBA, giving them a 52.1% chance of landing a top-four pick and a 14.0% chance of winning May’s NBA Draft Lottery.

Still, the schedule complicates things. Nine of the next 10 games come at home. That’s significant for a team trying to maintain its position at the bottom.

Sacramento also faces several fellow lottery-bound teams multiple times — the Nets twice, the Hornets twice, the Pelicans twice, plus another matchup with the Jazz.

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“This is where things get real, people,” Gleason warned.

Adding another layer: injuries. Franchise stars Zach LaVine (hand), Domantas Sabonis (knee), De’Andre Hunter (eye), Keegan Murray (ankle), and Dylan Cardwell (ankle) are all sidelined. The Sacramento Kings aren’t exactly rolling out a win-now rotation, even if the schedule suggests opportunity.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 16: (R-L) DeMar DeRozan #10, Domantas Sabonis #11, and Zach LaVine #8 of the Sacramento Kings sit on the bench at the end of the game in their loss to the Dallas Mavericks in othe NBA play-in tournament game at Golden 1 Center on April 16, 2025 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Stiles acknowledged the emotional toll of rooting for ping-pong balls instead of wins the rest of the way.

“It’s really hard not watching a game as a fan, either wanting them to lose or expecting them to lose. It’s just really hard,” he said. “They let you down if they win.”

That’s the paradox. Development matters. Culture matters. But so does positioning.

Gleason admitted the internal conflict. “If the Kings are in position next year to tank again, I will understand it intellectually… but emotionally, I don’t want to go through another year of this.”

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For now, Sacramento walks a tightrope. An easy schedule and a long homestand could spark a few unwanted wins. And in this phase of the season, those wins might cost more than they’re worth.

Check out the full conversation by scrolling to the top of the page or by clicking here.

Listen to The Drive Guys from 2 – 6 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

Frankie Cartoscelli
Frankie Cartoscelli Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

Author Name: Franklin Cartoscelli Bio: Franklin 'Frankie' Cartoscelli is Sactown Sports 1140's Lead Editor, Sacramento Kings beat writer and co-host of the Return of the Roar podcast. Professional Background: Worked in professional sports… Read more

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