The Sacramento Kings are coming off a 40-win campaign looking to bounce back after a couple of down years, following a rare playoff berth in 2022-23. After being eliminated in the Play-in Tournament, the Kings did not have a first-round pick of their own in June’s Draft but ended up making a trade to acquire Nique Clifford from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
While Clifford may develop into a fine NBA player in his own right, there are a couple of rookies Sacramento could regret not getting back into the first round to select.
Tre Johnson
Yes, Johnson went high in the draft at No. 6 to the Washington Wizards, but this guy is going to be very good in the NBA. There’s always a way to figure it out in the NBA, and the Kings will likely soon be wishing they’d found a way to go get Johnson. He’s a bigger guard at 6-foot-5 and nearly 200 pounds.
“I got a chance to coach Kevin Durant for one year at Texas, and [Johnson] and Kevin have a lot of things that kind of come from the same cloth, in terms of incredible work ethic. A guy that we have to literally push him out of the gym. … You put the scoreboard on, and he’s competing at another level.” – Rodney Terry former Texas Longhorns head coach
Johnson can score at all three levels consistently, and also possesses the one-on-one skills that have become so popular in today’s NBA. He’s a creator who can collapse a defense, then kick out to open teammates. The Kings drafted Devin Carter in last year’s draft with the No. 13 pick, but Johnson is a bigger guard with a greater upside, similar to Sacramento’s new head coach, former Kings player Doug Christie.
Rotowire summed up the appeal of Johnson's game:
"Jordan Clarkson (6-5), Cam Thomas (6-3) and CJ McCollum (6-3) are good examples of bigger, score-first guards who developed into solid playmakers at the NBA level. Johnson also shares a lot of similarities with Terrence Shannon (6-6), but Johnson spent only one year in college, while Shannon was a 24-year-old rookie in 2024-25. Johnson has a similar frame to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (6-6, 200), but SGA was more of a true point guard coming out of Kentucky. Clarkson is the most likely comparison for Johnson, but the Texas product has immense upside if he lands in the right spot.”
Collin Murray-Boyles
Collin Murray-Boyles is a sizable wing who could end up spending plenty of time inside at 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds. He’s already got the body of a fully grown man, despite being just 20 years old. The Kings could certainly use a young, big body defender who can play down low and out on the perimeter.
“When people that know basketball watch me play, it’s the smaller things that stand out," said Murray-Boyles, per NBA. "I’m not one to get oohs and aahs, but know what it takes to win games and impact a team positively. I hang my hat on how hard I play and my unselfishness. I love to play defense.”
Murray-Boyles’ game isn’t about flash, but about getting the task at hand done. He’s no frills and actually enjoys being a factor on the defensive end of the court. That’s no longer a prerequisite in the NBA, but it is one of his strongest attributes. He’ll score it when called upon and could develop into one of those “glue guys” we hear about. Murray-Boyles could’ve been a fresh young talent off the bench for the Kings this season before eventually working his way into the starting lineup down the line. His NBA ready body should get him some run for the Raptors at some point in his rookie campaign.
Rotowire summed up the appeal of Murray-Boyles' game:
“Projecting the kind of role Murray-Boyles will have at the NBA level will be ultimately determined by the position he plays, but all signs point to him playing more as an undersized interior presence rather than a physical perimeter player. One realistic comparison could be Grant Williams, who does a good job competing in the frontcourt and even playing at center if needed based on his physicality and strength despite being notoriously undersized for the position.”