Ever since the preseason game between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings, a hot topic of conversation has been the interaction between Draymond Green and Darius Acuff. The whole situation proves why Acuff needs a proper mentor, one who isn't on a divisional rival.
When it came to fixing their point guard problems, the only move the Kings had was the 2026 draft. They simply don't have the salary cap space to pick up medium name free agent, let alone a big name. As such, drafting a top rookie to develop as part of the rebuild was the best option.
That's how Acuff ended up in Sacramento. While he has a ton of potential, another issue immediately presented itself. Specifically, the Kings didn't have another dedicated point guard to back Acuff up or act as his mentor. The Kings fixed part of that problem by bringing Ben Simmons back to the league.
Simmons should be a good backup for Acuff, if the Kings weren't apparently using him as a starting forward. At the same time, Simmons would be a just awful mentor for the rookie. When healthy, Simmons can ball but he's also not someone who you want guiding the NBA's next generation.
Green has highlighted the Kings' biggest Acuff problem
During the game, Green took some time to impart his wisdom on Acuff, presumably something about choking out Rudy Gobert when the opportunity presents itself. Later on his podcast, Green said he essentially warned Acuff that the Kings and their current vets may not have his best interests in mind.
To be fair to Green, he might not be wrong. The Kings' plan for developing Acuff has been to essentially throw Acuff in the deep end of the NBA and see if he makes it. They're just going to put the ball in his hands, then let whatever happens happen. That sounds like a recipe for disaster.
At the same time, Sacramento's veterans are not out to get Acuff. That's paranoid nonsense. Still, the majority of them have no idea how to help Acuff. They can guide him through the ins and outs of surviving the NBA, but none of them can show him how to do it successfully as a point guard.
From what Green said on his podcast, he basically told Acuff to not try and be a one-man-team. He has a roster of players who should be invested in his success. Involve them in the play, and build a team dynamic now over establishing himself as a lone wolf others might not want to work with.
This is why Acuff needs an actual mentor
If nothing else, the exchange between Green and Acuff showed that the league can see the kid might already be in over his head. He's young and learning the NBA, but is also the starting point guard for a rebuilding franchise that's been in the NBA's basement for 19 out of the last 20 years.
Green looked at Acuff on the court, saw he needed guidance, and stepped in. Now, is Draymond Green the guy you want mentoring your rookies? If your plan is to turn them into hyper-aggressive defenders who get sent to anger management classes by the NBA, then Green is the right call.
He's also not wrong. Acuff needs support and guidance. A proper mentor on the Kings' who had been around the league would have told Acuff that Green is a lunatic and he probably shouldn't listen to him most of the time. This is the man who curb-stomped Domantas Sabonis in a playoff game.
Throughout the preseason, there have been glimpses of how great a player Acuff could be. There have also been moments where pressure cracks can already be seen forming. In this very specific situation, the Kings need to listen to Green and find Acuff a proper mentor to keep him on track
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