Darius Acuff Jr. hasn’t been efficient, but he has been everywhere for the Kings.
Through his first three NBA games, the rookie guard has hit only 32.9% of his shots and 14.8% of his attempts from beyond the arc. Even so, he’s averaging 22.3 points per game, and that includes a 33-point outing in the Kings’ home opener on Friday.
That scoring line has come with a heavy workload. As Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic tweets, Acuff has already launched 73 shots, or 24.3 per night, in those three games. That total is the most any rookie has attempted through his first three games since the start of the 1975/76 season, Vorkunov notes, surpassing the 64 field goal attempts Kevin Durant had for the SuperSonics in 2007.
The numbers point to the same thing: Sacramento is handing the 19-year-old a featured role right away. Acuff leads the Kings in shot attempts and usage rate at 34.0%, and he also ranks second on the team in minutes per game at 36.0.
Elsewhere around the Pacific, Sean Pedulla said his new two-way deal with Sacramento makes sense for both sides. Having reported to the Stockton Kings for training camp, the point guard spoke to Brenden Nunes of Sactown Sports 1140 about what he can add to the organization and the areas he wants to keep developing after being named the G League’s Rookie of the Year last season.
In Phoenix, the Suns got back to .500 with a win over Golden State on Saturday after opening the season with an ugly loss to Portland. But the victory didn’t erase the issues that showed up in that first game.
Doug Haller of The Athletic and Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic both noted that rebounding remains a problem, and Phoenix has had a hard time controlling the glass early. The Suns were already 29th in the NBA in defensive rebounds per game last season, and with Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro out, that weakness has carried over.
Entering Monday’s matchup with Oklahoma City, Phoenix ranked 29th in offensive rebounding rate and 30th in defensive rebounding rate.
There were also roster notes from the Valley Suns and the Lakers’ affiliate. Koby Brea and CJ Huntley, both recently waived from two-way contracts by Phoenix, are on the training camp roster for the Valley Suns, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Meanwhile, undrafted rookie big man Rafael Castro, who had been in camp with the Lakers, is not listed on the Coachella Valley Lakers’ camp roster, Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register tweets.
In Other News...
Suns Could Already Have A Trade Opportunity Fans Didn't See Coming
The Suns may already have a little roster-business wrinkle on their hands as Orlando weighs an answer to Jalen Suggs injury. Phoenix has both Jordan Goodwin and Jamaree Bouyea available, and either name could draw attention from a Magic team looking to stabilize its backcourt without overcommitting resources. For the Suns, it is the kind of opportunity that can appear quickly in the margins, especially when they are sorting out a roster built around veterans and asset management.
Goodwin stands out as the more valuable piece after recently signing a three-year contract, while Bouyea looks like the more affordable route if Orlando wants a lower-cost addition. Phoenix has other veterans on the roster who could also attract interest as teams around the league start searching for solutions, and this is the sort of situation where a small transaction can turn into a meaningful one. The question now is whether the Suns see a chance to keep one of those guards or use the market to add more future value. [Read more 🡒]
Shawn Marion Just Reopened A Hall Of Fame Debate In Phoenix
Shawn Marions return to the Suns building before the home opener against the Golden State Warriors served as a reminder of how much his career still resonates in Phoenix. Honored in front of the home crowd, Marion looked back on the defensive identity that made him such a unique force in the NBA, while also reflecting on how different eras shape the way players are remembered. He spoke with clear appreciation for the franchises history and the former Suns who helped define it.
Marion also touched on the Hall of Fame conversation that continues to follow him, and he didnt shy away from the idea that league politics can shape that process. For a player whose value was never always captured by the usual stat-line conversation, the timing of his comments only sharpened the debate around his place in basketball history. In Phoenix, where he remains one of the most memorable figures of that era, the conversation is hardly going away. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Starters Have An Early Problem The Bench Isn't Showing
The early returns have left Phoenix with an unusual twist: the starting group is still trying to sort out its chemistry, even as the season gets going. New pieces have changed the mix, and the Suns have already felt the effects on both ends of the floor, where communication and coordination are still works in progress. It is the kind of issue that can take time to smooth out, especially when roles are still being defined.
Devin Booker pointed to the second unit as the steadier group right now, with the bench showing a better grasp of responsibilities and a clearer sense of how to play together. For the Suns, that creates an interesting imbalance. The unit that most teams count on to set the tone is still searching for its rhythm, while the group behind it looks more settled, and the fix may simply come down to more practice and more time together. [Read more 🡒]