When the Sacramento Kings went into the 2026 NBA Draft, their intention was to select a new point guard to build around. That plan becomes a reality tonight when rookie point guard Darius Acuff leads the Kings into their first preseason game against the Lakers. Everyone will be watching him intently.
One of the few things that have been going right for the Kings in the last couple of years has been the draft. 2025 turned out incredibly well thanks to the rapid rise of then-rookie center Maxime Raynaud. It didn't hurt that undrafted center Dylan Cardwell followed a similar arc, quickly climbing the ranks.
General manager Scott Perry drafted equally well in 2026. The Kings added Emanuel Sharp and Alex Karaban to the roster, both of whom have the potential to be breakout rookies this season. These are two players who need to take every opportunity this season to earn their spots on the roster.
Sacramento used its number seven overall pick in 2026 to select Acuff. Since the departure of De'Aaron Fox, the Kings have struggled with the point guard position. Their plan was to draft a rookie PG to focus the rebuild around. With the preseason starting, it's the true beginning of that plan.
Acuff is the key to the Kings this season
So far, the only real look Sactown fans have gotten at Acuff on the Kings was during the California Classic and the Summer League. It's safe to say that wasn't an accurate version of him on the Kings. Most of the team wasn't there, including Maxime Raynaud, who was with the French national team.
Tonight's game against the Lakers will be a real test for Acuff, particularly if Luka Doncic plays. This matchup would pit one of the most anticipated rookie point guards in the league against one of the top point guards of all time. Talk about a big potential "welcome to the NBA" moment for Acuff.
You can bet the next couple of days will be filled with conversations about Acuff's performance. At the same time, it cannot define him or his season. Again, this is just the first preseason game, and there is a whole lot of basketball left to play before 2026-2027 comes to an end.
Acuff is poised to develop quickly and find a real flow as part of this changing Kings' roster, starting with this game. That being said, making a statement in his first outing against the Lakers isn't a bad thing either. Win or lose, Acuff could really give the league a glimpse of what he's capable of.
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