Former Sacramento Kings broadcaster Kyle Draper thinks the new season brings a lot of the same old questions in Sacramento: Can the Kings play with more consistency? Can they shoot it better from deep? And can they actually give their young players the kind of runway they need?
Those were the themes Draper hit on during an appearance on Sactown Sports’ The Drive Guys, where he broke down the Kings’ outlook and what it will take for rookie Darius Acuff to settle in. His view on the rookie was blunt: the Kings can’t expect Acuff to be the engine.
“If we’re asking Acuff to go out there and average 22, 25 points, shoot 15, 20 times a game, the Kings are in trouble because he’s a rookie,” Draper said. “He’s going to have some good nights, and he’s going to have some nights like we saw.”
Draper said Sacramento’s veterans have to do more to make life easier for Acuff. He pointed to Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, De’Andre Hunter, Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray as the kinds of players who need to shoulder that load.
The bigger issue, in Draper’s eyes, goes beyond one rookie. He said the Kings still have stretches where they simply get outplayed, and he also flagged their three-point shooting as a lingering concern.
He also raised a bigger organizational question: has Sacramento really done enough to help its young talent grow?
Draper brought up Keon Ellis, now with the Brooklyn Nets, and Devin Carter, now with the Boston Celtics, saying both can play in the NBA. His point was that young players need real opportunity and the freedom to make mistakes without being buried for them.
“You have to inspire these young guys to be the best they can be,” Draper said.
He added that Carter never got a steady chance in Sacramento, while Ellis also had limited opportunity. In Draper’s view, players can break through when they get more room to play, and that should force the Kings to take a hard look at how they handle their prospects.
That conversation naturally led to Murray. Draper noted that the forward was drafted fourth overall and said Sacramento now has to figure out whether Murray has already hit his ceiling, and whether his development matches what comes with that draft status.
Sabonis was another focal point. Draper said the center is talented, but he also pointed out how the league now values big men who can stretch the floor and bring certain defensive traits. Sabonis’ three-point shooting, he said, affects how well the Kings’ offense comes together.
For Draper, it all loops back to the same core idea: the Kings need steadier play, better support around Acuff, and a clearer path for their young players to reach their potential.
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