Darius Acuff Jr. is about to be thrown right into the fire for the Sacramento Kings, and the roster around him doesn’t offer much relief.
The Kings have no real alternative at starting point guard, which is why the rookie is set to open the season in that role. The problem is obvious: if Acuff has to shoulder a full 48 minutes night after night, that workload could wear him down fast. Sacramento still has one roster spot open, and the front office needs to use it on a point guard.
Right now, the Kings are carrying 17 players, including three on two-way deals: Isaiah Stevens, Adam Flagler, and Jonathan Mogbo. That leaves one opening, and the need at the one is hard to ignore.
Malik Monk is still on the roster, and the Kings are not actively shopping him. If the right opportunity comes along, though, the front office would take a look. Even so, Monk’s value is tied more to his shooting off the bench than to running the offense as a secondary playmaker.
Emanuel Sharp can handle some point guard duties too, but he’s dealing with the same kind of learning curve as Acuff. And with Sacramento not bringing back legendary point guard Russell Westbrook, the depth chart at the position looks thin.
That thinness got even more noticeable after the departures of Devin Carter and Killian Hayes. Nobody is claiming those two were difference-makers, but either one would have helped as a veteran backup while Acuff and Sharp develop.
The simplest answer would be to bring Westbrook back. He could back up Acuff and help guide the Kings’ new starter at the same time. That would make sense for both sides, yet Sacramento appears to be moving away from that path.
If the free-agent market keeps drying up, the Kings may have to get creative. Undrafted guards are still an option, and names like Milos Uzan and Nick Boyd have been mentioned as players with real upside. Isaiah Stevens is also in the mix, and he’s already in the second year of a two-way contract with Sacramento.
Depending on how the California Classic and NBA Summer League unfold, the Kings could decide to give Stevens a standard NBA deal and then add Urzan or Boyd on a two-way contract. That would give them a better cushion behind Acuff and another developmental guard to work with.
In Other News...
Former Kings Could Solve Sacramentos Biggest Roster Problems
The Kings keep circling back to a familiar truth: some of the players they once let go could fit the roster better now than they did when they were wearing Sacramento uniforms the first time. Keon Ellis still stands out for his defense and energy, Buddy Hield remains the kind of shooting threat that changes spacing, and Harrison Barnes gave the franchise a dependable two-way presence during his run there. Add in the younger names like Devin Carter and Davion Mitchell, and the conversation quickly turns into a reminder of how many different roster paths this team has taken.
For Sacramento, the appeal is less about nostalgia than about solving problems that have lingered around the edges of the roster. The Kings have dealt with questions about development, fit, and which pieces were moved before they could fully show what they could become, which makes the idea of a reunion more than just a what-if exercise. Whether any of these former Kings ever come back is another matter, but the fact that the discussion even makes sense says plenty about where the roster stands now. [Read more 🡒]
Malik Monks Next Contract Could Shape The Kings Roster Plans
Malik Monk remains one of the more interesting pieces on Sacramentos roster puzzle, not just because of what he brings on the floor, but because of what his next contract decision could mean for the Kings bigger picture. After signing a four-year deal in 2024, Monk is now eligible for an extension, and that puts the team in a familiar position of weighing present production against long-term flexibility.
Sacramentos roster planning has already been shaped by a willingness to explore different paths with Monk, and the next move could factor into how the franchise approaches future deals elsewhere on the cap sheet. There is also the wider backdrop of potential NBA expansion, which can alter the way teams think about contract strategy and asset management, leaving the Kings with another layer to consider as they map out what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Still Have Three Spots To Fill As Offseason Wait Drags On
The Kings still have three roster spots to sort out, but the offseason has not exactly pushed them toward a quick answer. With limited salary cap space, Sacramento has leaned into a careful approach while monitoring the market, looking for the right fit instead of forcing a move just to get the roster closer to complete.
Interest around some of the names on their board has also been soft enough to buy the Kings more time. Russell Westbrooks retirement altered one expected path, and there has been limited outside interest in Victor Oladipo, leaving Sacramento in a holding pattern for now as it waits to see how the rest of the market settles. [Read more 🡒]