2026 NBA Cup: Who will the Kings face in Group Play?

The Sacramento Kings now know their path in the 2026 NBA Cup.

The NBA officially announced the group-stage draw for the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on Wednesday, placing Sacramento in a challenging West Group C alongside the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers.

Group Play begins on Friday, Oct. 30, with games on designated “Cup Nights” every Friday through Nov. 27, plus additional games on Tuesday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Each team will play four group-stage games, with the six group winners and one wild-card team from each conference advancing to the quarterfinals.

For Sacramento, the draw sets up several marquee matchups against familiar Western Conference rivals. The Kings will battle old friend De’Aaron Fox and the defending Western Conference champion Spurs, face their old rival in the Lakers, face off against Stephen Curry and the Warriors, and take on a new-look Trail Blazers squad as they hope to advance out of group play.

The groups are set for the Emirates NBA Cup 2026!

All 30 NBA teams were randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2025-26 regular season.

The groups are available below. pic.twitter.com/bZHTlRGs29

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 1, 2026

The complete 2026 Emirates NBA Cup groups are:

2026 NBA Cup Groups

West Group A

• Denver Nuggets
• Houston Rockets
• Phoenix Suns
• Dallas Mavericks
• Utah Jazz

West Group B

• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Minnesota Timberwolves
• Los Angeles Clippers
• New Orleans Pelicans
• Memphis Grizzlies

West Group C

• San Antonio Spurs
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Portland Trail Blazers
• Golden State Warriors
• Sacramento Kings

East Group A

• Detroit Pistons
• Toronto Raptors
• Orlando Magic
• Milwaukee Bucks
• Brooklyn Nets

East Group B

• New York Knicks
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Philadelphia 76ers
• Miami Heat
• Indiana Pacers

East Group C

• Boston Celtics
• Atlanta Hawks
• Charlotte Hornets
• Chicago Bulls
• Washington Wizards

NBA Cup History

Following the conclusion of group play, the quarterfinals will be held on Dec. 4-5 before the semifinals take place Dec. 8-9 in team markets. The 2026 Emirates NBA Cup Championship is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 11, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The NBA Cup has quickly become a meaningful part of the league calendar. The inaugural tournament in 2023 saw the Indiana Pacers reach the championship game before advancing to the NBA Finals the following season.

Oklahoma City followed a similar path by reaching the 2024 Cup final before capturing the 2025 NBA championship.

Last season, the New York Knicks defeated the Spurs to win the NBA Cup before the two franchises met again in the 2026 NBA Finals.

The Kings will be looking to make their own deep run in the NBA Cup this fall, beginning with one of the tournament’s most competitive groups.

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What is the next Sacramento Kings Offseason Event?

The Sacramento Kings will now set their sights on the California Classic, with action set to run from July 4th through July 6th at Golden 1 Center.

New Kings point guard Darius Acuff Jr. (7th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft) will go head-to-head against Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. (6th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft) at 2 pm PT on July 4th, right here in downtown Sacramento.

Be sure to remain locked into Sactown Sports for your Sacramento Kings Summer League news, analysis, and much more!

Upcoming Sacramento Kings Offseason Schedule

• Saturday, July 4th – Monday, July 6th – California Classic at Golden 1 Center
• Thursday, July 9th – NBA Las Vegas Summer League begins
• Monday, July 13th – Free Agency moratorium ends / signings can become official

Sacramento Kings California Classic Schedule

Games played at Golden 1 Center

• Saturday, July 4th – vs. Brooklyn Nets (2 p.m. PT)
• Sunday, July 5th – vs. Golden State Warriors (2 p.m. PT)
• Monday, July 6th – vs. Milwaukee Bucks (7 p.m. PT)

2026 Sacramento Kings Las Vegas Summer League Schedule

• Thursday, July 9: vs. Los Angeles Clippers (8 p.m. PT)
• Sunday, July 12: vs. Washington Wizards (5 p.m. PT)
• Tuesday, July 14: vs. Brooklyn Nets (3 p.m. PT)
• Wednesday, July 15: vs. Boston Celtics (5 p.m. PT)
• Final game TBD

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