The Sacramento Kings looked more alive last season when the veterans were out and the young players were forced into the spotlight.
That’s the uncomfortable truth hanging over this year’s team. The current roster has been slowed by injuries and hurt by coaching, but the bigger issue is that the starters still don’t look like they fit together. Sacramento has not played like a connected group, and the contrast with last season is hard to miss.
The 2025-2026 finish already feels far away, but it left a clear mark. The Kings ended that season 22-60, and even that record came with a sense of relief.
The year was a mess from the start, with major turnover in the coaching staff and front office, plus the departure of De’Aaron Fox. Sacramento never found a rhythm, and at one point the losing streak stretched to 16 straight games.
Injuries were a major reason things fell apart.
Then the roster changed shape. The rookies and younger players started getting real minutes, and the team finally found some momentum. They were never close to the postseason, but they became more watchable and, more importantly, started winning some games.
That’s what makes the current version of the Kings so frustrating. Sacramento’s 2026-2027 starting group is built mostly around veterans who don’t seem to click. Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis remain the biggest problem area, and their production still isn’t translating into wins.
Meanwhile, the young core that gave last season some life has been pushed to the side. The rookies from a year ago are now sophomores, and there’s a new batch of first-year players in the mix.
Outside of Darius Acuff Jr., who is the team’s starting and only point guard, very few of them are seeing steady minutes. The result has been plain to see: the Kings aren’t winning much, and the games haven’t been much fun either.
Precious Achiuwa deserves credit for what he’s doing. After Ben Simmons’ season-ending injury, Achiuwa moved into the starting power forward spot and has held it down. He was also part of last season’s Beam Team group alongside Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, and Nique Clifford, and that young group was the driving force behind the roster.
There’s still a path for Sacramento to rediscover some of that energy. Cardwell is back from injury, and Raynaud is not far behind.
If the Kings can get those two back with Achiuwa and Clifford, the group could bring some much-needed juice. Add Acuff, Alex Karaban, Emanuel Sharp, and Daeqwon Plowden, and there might actually be a chance for the Kings.
In Other News...
Kings Fans Wild Ref Incident Drew Luka Into The Drama
A tense moment in Sacramentos game against the Lakers spilled well beyond the usual back-and-forth on the floor when a Kings fan, Duncan McFetridge, was ejected after throwing a basketball toward a referee. The incident quickly became one of the nights most talked-about scenes, especially once Lakers star Luka Doncic stepped into the moment and confronted McFetridge during the game.
McFetridges wife later confirmed his identity and said he did not mean to hurt the official, adding another layer to a situation that already had plenty of attention. For the Kings, it was the sort of off-court flashpoint that can follow a heated matchup long after the final whistle, with the fan reaction and Doncics involvement ensuring the episode did not stay contained to one possession. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Suddenly Have A Bigger Sabonis Concern Than One Missed Game
Domantas Sabonis is set to miss the Kings upcoming game against the Heat because of left knee soreness, a development that carries a little more weight than a routine absence. Its the same knee that needed surgery last season and cut his previous campaign short, which is enough to make any update on his status feel more significant than a single night off.
Sacramento will have to lean more heavily on other players while Sabonis sits, and that only adds to the pressure in what has already been a difficult season. Even before the matchup with Miami tips, the bigger question is not just how the Kings cover for him in one game, but what this latest knee issue might mean if it lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Darius Acuff Jr. Is Chasing A Teenage Mark Kings Fans Know Well
Darius Acuff Jr. has wasted little time making his name known, and the early production has already put him in rare company. Through his first 10 NBA games, he has averaged 25.9 points and 7.4 assists per game, with two outings of at least 30 points and 10 assists, a level of creation that tends to get attention fast when it comes from a teenager.
For Kings fans, the comparison is the kind that naturally turns heads, because it points toward a teenage benchmark long associated with LeBron James. Acuff Jr. has done it in fewer games before turning 20, and the next stretch will show whether his offensive growth can keep him on pace with a record that has become part of the leagues shorthand for precocious star power. [Read more 🡒]