The Sacramento Kings are counting on Darius Acuff Jr. to step in quickly, and General Manager Scott Perry isn’t pretending that rookie life will be easy. Acuff, the No. 7 pick, is expected to shoulder a heavy load right away as the franchise tries to see whether its top draft choice can become the lead guard of the future.
Perry, speaking Friday on SacTown Sports’ Radio, said the Kings are prepared for the rough patches that usually come with a young guard being asked to do so much so soon. He said Acuff will have “A lot of responsibility” and that the organization is willing to live with the “bumps and bruises.”
What stands out most to Perry isn’t just Acuff’s game, but the way he approaches it. He said the rookie’s biggest trait is how much he loves basketball, and added that Acuff has a real drive to be great. That ambition has already shown up in the way Acuff has handled the attention since draft night.
When Acuff has been mentioned alongside NBA names such as Jalen Brunson and Allen Iverson, he has pushed the comparisons aside and said he wants to build his own legacy and make his own mark.
The Kings used their top draft pick on a player who was electric in his lone season at Arkansas, and the production backed up the hype. Acuff led the SEC in scoring at 23.5 points per game and also paced the league with 6.4 assists per game, helping Arkansas win its first conference title in 26 seasons.
That blend of scoring and playmaking is exactly what Sacramento needs in a backcourt that has been looking for more shot creation. Acuff can take over a game in multiple ways, and that dual-threat ability is a big reason the Kings spent the No. 7 pick on him.
He also earned strong praise from Texas coach Sean Miller after a 28-point, 13-assist outing against the Longhorns. Miller didn’t hold back.
"In my time -- and I'll just go 34 years -- I've never seen a point guard better," Miller said. "People talk about who's going to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft or who's the best player in the conference. ...
This No. 1 pick thing, I don't know why people aren't talking about him more. I can't imagine anybody better."
Acuff has already shown some of the rookie growing pains Perry mentioned during NBA Summer League, where efficiency came and went and he forced shots at times. That kind of adjustment is hardly unusual for a high-usage guard moving to the next level, especially when the pace changes and the shot quality gets tougher.
The good news for Sacramento is that Acuff won’t have to carry everything by himself. With Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine healthy, the Kings have proven offensive talent around him, which should give the rookie room to settle in while still being asked to create.
In Other News...
Kings Interest In Jalen Duren Just Got A Lot More Serious
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The catch is the same one that has shadowed Sacramentos pursuit from the start: the Kings do not have the cap room to sign Duren to a max deal right now. So the focus has turned to creating a path, and that has reportedly included exploring a Domantas Sabonis trade to clear the necessary space. If Sacramento can get that flexibility, Duren becomes a much more realistic target either before or during the 2026 season, or when he reaches free agency in 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Kings New-Look Roster Is Already Fueling A Brutal 2026-27 Debate
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Lloyd also raised questions about whether newcomers Darius Acuff Jr. and DeAndre Hunter will live up to the expectations attached to them, which only adds to the uncertainty around Sacramentos next step. And if the Kings do decide Domantas Sabonis is part of the answer they want to move off of, Lloyd suggested they may have to be more realistic about the trade return than they would like. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Final Two-Way Spot May Be Down To One Young Guard
The Kings have brought Tristen Newton into 2024 training camp, putting the former UConn guard squarely in the mix for one of the team's two-way openings. Newton arrives with a G League-heavy resume and some real pedigree, since he was a 2024 second-round pick by the Pacers before Sacramento picked up his rights in a trade involving the Stockton Kings.
For a roster still sorting out its final developmental spot, Newton is the kind of player worth a long look: young, experienced in the G League grind, and familiar enough to the organization through the Stockton connection. He also went on to earn All-NBA G League First Team honors in 2026, which only adds to the intrigue around whether the Kings see him as the right fit for that last two-way slot. [Read more 🡒]