Sacramento Kings Lose NBA Draft Lottery Tiebreaker to Utah Jazz, Secure Fifth-Best Odds With the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery set for May 10, the Sacramento Kings have officially been assigned the fifth-best odds in the lottery after losing a tiebreaker to the Utah Jazz. Both teams finished the 2025-26 season with identical 22-60 records, triggering a random drawing process to determine their relative positioning in the draft order. According to verified reports, the NBA conducted tiebreaker drawings in Secaucus, New Jersey on April 20, 2026, to resolve six instances of identical regular-season records among non-playoff teams. In the Kings-Jazz matchup, each team was assigned three ping-pong balls, with one ball drawn at random to determine the winner. Utah’s ball was selected, granting them the fourth-best lottery odds and pushing Sacramento to fifth. As a result of the outcome, both the Kings and Jazz retain an identical 11.5% chance of winning the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. They also share a combined 45.2% probability of securing a top-four selection. However, the tiebreaker carries significant implications beyond the top of the board: Utah is now guaranteed to pick no lower than eighth, whereas Sacramento could fall as far as ninth if no teams move up in the lottery. If neither team improves its position through the lottery process, the Jazz will select immediately before the Kings in the first round. Beyond their lottery pick, Sacramento holds two additional second-round selections at Nos. 34 and 45 in the 2026 draft. The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery will be broadcast live on May 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET, with the actual draft scheduled for June 23-24. Teams with the three worst records — the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, and Brooklyn Nets — each enter the lottery with a 14% chance at the No. 1 pick. The full odds distribution, as confirmed following the tiebreaker resolutions, is as follows: 1. Washington Wizards (14%) 2. Indiana Pacers (14%) 3. Brooklyn Nets (14%) 4. Utah Jazz (11.5%) 5. Sacramento Kings (11.5%) 6. Memphis Grizzlies (8.0%) 7. Atlanta Hawks (6.8%) 8. Dallas Mavericks (6.7%) 9. Chicago Bulls (4.5%) 10. Milwaukee Bucks (3.0%) 11. Golden State Warriors (2.0%) 12. Oklahoma City Thunder (1.5%) 13. Miami Heat (1.0%) 14. Charlotte Hornets (0.5%) The Kings’ front office will now prepare for a range of outcomes heading into the lottery, knowing their draft positioning could significantly influence their rebuilding trajectory. A top-four pick would allow Sacramento to select among the consensus elite prospects in what is regarded as a deep draft class, while a pick outside the top five may shift focus toward acquiring immediate contributors or consolidating assets for future flexibility.
33