3 Guards the Kings Must Target in the NBA Draft

The Sacramento Kings could find a gem in the late lottery of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Tennessee Volunteers guard Dalton Knecht (3) holds up three fingers to celebrate a three-pointer. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY

The Sacramento Kings missed out on the 2024 NBA playoffs, but their lottery-protected first-round draft pick remains in their hands, granting Sacramento a silver lining. Barring a significant lottery jump, the Kings hold the 13th overall pick in the draft, a prime position to secure a talented, young prospect.

There is a history of star guards being drafted with the 13th pick, such as Kobe Bryant, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Zach LaVine, and Tyler Herro. While it is not always easy to find a gem late in the lottery, it is certainly possible. With star sixth man Malik Monk entering unrestricted free agency and Sacramento desperately needing more consistent guard play, crafting a talented backcourt through the draft could be in the cards this summer.

Here are three guard prospects the Kings should be targeting with the 13th pick:

Dalton Knecht - SG, Tennessee Volunteers

With Monk potentially leaving Sacramento this off-season, the Kings could be in search of their next star scorer off the bench. Dalton Knecht was eighth in the NCAA in points per game last season (21.7) with efficient 45.8/39.7/77.2 shooting splits.

Knecht spent his first two collegiate seasons playing JUCO, before moving on to be a Northern Colorado Bear, and ultimately ended up at Tennessee last season. Knecht had a phenomenal season, winning the 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year, and is now projected to be a lottery pick. While many mocks have the talented guard going top ten, the 23-year-old could drop a few spots if teams are afraid of selecting an older prospect.

Knecht is one of the most league-ready players in the draft, as his elite scoring ability should seamlessly translate to the NBA. If the Kings lose Monk in free agency, Knecht could be the perfect replacement to keep their offense as electric as possible.

Isaiah Collier - PG, USC Trojans

The Kings seem to be set at point guard with star De'Aaron Fox leading the team, but their backup point guard position was in shambles for most of the 2023-24 season. Kings HC Mike Brown could not decide who the superior backup point guard was between Davion Mitchell and Keon Ellis until Ellis was promoted to the starting lineup and Mitchell won the position by default.

Mitchell was productive as the backup point guard late in the season, but his inconsistencies remain a spot of focus. USC's Isaiah Collier is one of the most talented point guards in the class, as the true freshman averaged 16.2 points and 4.3 assists per game.

The 6-foot-5 point guard possesses all the tools to run a high-level offense, but with a jump shot that needs work, Collier is projected to fall out of the lottery. The Kings could use a true point guard with the physicality, playmaking, and natural skills that Collier has, getting rid of any worry Sacramento has about their backup point guard.

Jared McCain - PG, Duke Blue Devils

One of the top performers of the 2024 NCAA Tournament was Jared McCain, who went for 30+ points twice in four games, including his second-round performance where he knocked down eight three-pointers.

McCain is an impressive scorer with an elite shooting touch and could excel in the NBA as a combo guard off the bench. His versatility to be effective with and without the ball in his hands is a skill that not many prospects have, and his fundamental defense makes him a presence all around.

McCain fixes a similar problem as Collier but is effective in different ways than the USC point guard. His elite jump shot makes him stand out in this class, and the Sacramento native would be an immediate fan favorite on the Kings. If Monk opts to leave Sacramento this summer, McCain could bolster the second-unit backcourt in his absence, similar to Knecht and Collier.

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