The 2014 NBA Draft has proven to be an excellent class over the past decade, with several players making significant contributions to their respective teams. Among them are NBA MVPs Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, who were both drafted in this class. Jokic even slipped to the Denver Nuggets in the second round, but he has since become one of the most dominant players in the league.
On the other hand, the Sacramento Kings did not have as much success with their first-round pick in 2014. Nik Stauskas was selected eighth overall, but he only appeared in 21 games for the Kings before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. This move by then-general manager Vlade Divac did not work out well for the Kings in the long run.
Looking back on that draft, many fans and experts agree that if the Kings could go back and redraft, they would have selected Marcus Smart instead of Stauskas. Smart was originally drafted by the Boston Celtics but has since become known for his defensive prowess in the league. He won Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022 and earned multiple All-Defensive team selections.
Moving forward to the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft, Kings fans can only hope that their first-round pick will have a more positive impact on their team’s future success.
