The Sacramento Kings are a long way from being talked about as a real playoff threat, and the early numbers back that up. With a new-look young core headlined by seventh-overall pick Darius Acuff Jr., the bigger question for 2027 is less about a postseason run and more about whether this group can take a meaningful step forward at all.
On paper, the road looks brutal. Even if Sacramento outperforms expectations, the Western Conference is stacked with teams that sit well ahead of them.
The OKC Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves are all described as significantly better, and the Kings would also be chasing the Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, L.A. Clippers, and Phoenix Suns.
That leaves Sacramento needing something close to a miracle just to crack the top 12 in the West.
The franchise is at least headed in a direction that makes sense. The Kings have started to lean into youth and have begun moving away from their veterans, with DeMar DeRozan the first major example this offseason. But this is still the kind of rebuild that takes time, not one that flips overnight.
With the 7th pick of the NBA Draft the @SacramentoKings select Darius Acuff Jr.!The 2026 NBA Draft is LIVE on ABC & ESPN. pic.twitter.com/nk1zyfj3uW
There is talent in place. Acuff Jr., Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, Maxime Raynaud, and others give Sacramento a legitimate core to work with. The problem is that talent alone does not solve the bigger issues, and the source points to defense and cohesion as the main obstacles standing in the way of real competitiveness.
The best-case version of next season is not necessarily about the standings. If the young players show growth and the veterans build enough value to become trade pieces, that would count as progress. If everything breaks right, the Kings could land somewhere in the 35-40 win range and hang around the play-in picture.
The betting market, though, wants no part of that optimism. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Sacramento’s regular-season win total is set at 22.5, the lowest in the NBA. The Kings are also listed at -5000 to miss the playoffs, an implied probability of 98%.
FanDuel’s numbers are just as cold on the play-in and postseason chances. Sacramento is at +1000 to make the play-in tournament and +2700 to make the playoffs.
For now, the expectation is another difficult season, with the hope that it at least looks better than the disastrous 60-loss 2025-26 campaign.
In Other News...
Former NBA Guard Just Sent Kings Fans A Huge Darius Acuff Signal
Darius Acuff Jr. has already given Kings fans a reason to lean in during Summer League, and the early returns have been exactly what Sacramento hoped to see from the No. 7 pick. The young guard has shown real offensive polish, putting together a strong run of scoring and playmaking while flashing the kind of confidence that can make a rookie stand out even in a crowded exhibition setting.
The bigger question now is how much of that production can hold once the games get more serious. Acuff has had stretches where the shot-making looked easy and others where the efficiency dipped, which is part of the normal summer learning curve, but the ceiling is obvious enough that even a well-known former NBA guard has already put a spotlight on him. For a Kings team always hunting for another creator, that kind of early buzz is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Kings May Already Have Their Answer To A Lingering Problem
The Kings entered the offseason with a clear opening in their frontcourt after waiving DeMar DeRozan, and Jonathan Mogbo has already given them a reason to look twice. Sacramento signed him to a two-way contract, but his Summer League run suggested more than a developmental flier, with the kind of versatility and activity that can matter for a team trying to sort out its forward rotation.
Mogbos blend of rebounding, playmaking and defensive disruption also comes with a little NBA history, since he has already spent time with Toronto. For the Kings, the question is whether that background and his recent play are enough to push him beyond the two-way lane and into a more secure role as they continue filling out the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Season Is Starting To Take Shape With Two Key Reveals
The Kings are beginning to map out the 2026-27 season with a preseason slate that gives fans an early look at some familiar Western Conference rivals. Sacramento announced a five-game schedule that includes meetings with the Lakers, Warriors, Trail Blazers and Spurs, starting Oct. 5 at Golden 1 Center against Los Angeles.
The other reveal came on the broadcast side, where Mark Jones is set to return as the full-time play-by-play voice alongside analyst Kayte Christensen. Jones had previously split time with Kyle Draper, and the pairing gives the Kings a familiar on-air setup as the preseason winds through a final Oct. 16 matchup with San Antonio. [Read more 🡒]