The Sacramento Kings are heading into Wednesday night with a lineup that looks much closer to the one fans expected all offseason.
When they open the 2026-27 season against the L.A. Clippers, the Kings will roll out Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, De'Andre Hunter, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis as their starting five. It’s the first official peek at the group Sacramento plans to build around after an offseason that kept the rumor mill spinning, even if the roster changes never got quite as wild as many anticipated.
For a while, Ben Simmons looked like he might force his way into the opening-night picture. The former three-time All-Star earned a starting role after joining the team, but a season-ending injury three days before the opener wiped out that plan and pushed the Kings back to the lineup many had circled from the start.
Offensively, the appeal is obvious. Acuff Jr., LaVine, and Sabonis give Sacramento a trio that could make life miserable for opponents if they are humming from the jump.
Sabonis gives the group a legitimate engine, and the preseason already offered a glimpse of how he and Acuff Jr. can work together when things are flowing. LaVine adds another layer as a secondary scorer and a dangerous shooter on the wing.
That’s why there’s a case to be made that this starting group’s offense is being overlooked. If Murray finds his groove, the Kings could have more firepower than people are giving them credit for. Sabonis, LaVine, and Murray also come into the season with something to prove after injuries hammered their 2025-26 campaign, and Acuff Jr. brings the kind of offensive skill set that can amplify everything around him.
The questions are on the other end of the floor.
Hunter was one of the biggest preseason disappointments, and that struggle is part of why plenty of fans were ready to hand Simmons the starting job. In four preseason games, Hunter averaged 3.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game while shooting 21.1% from the field. Now that he’s back in the first five, Sacramento needs a much better version of him right away.
Defense may be the larger issue. Acuff Jr., LaVine, and Sabonis give the Kings a defensive headache, and even with Murray providing value on that side, he can’t cover for everything. The Kings will get their first real read on how this group holds up Wednesday night, but the defensive expectations should stay modest.
Sacramento and Los Angeles are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. PT in Los Angeles.
In Other News...
Kings Opened With A Blowout Loss And The Postgame Only Got Worse
The Kings did not get the kind of opening-night jolt they were hoping for, falling 121-96 to the Clippers as the new season began with a thud. For Sacramento, it was a rough way to start, with the game getting away early and the scoreboard only reinforcing how much work still sits ahead in the first stretch of the year.
Los Angeles had its own backdrop hanging over the night, with coach Tyronn Lue dedicating the win to owner Steve Ballmer after the league handed down major punishment in the salary cap circumvention case tied to Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers penalty was steep, including a $30 million fine, the loss of five first-round picks and suspensions for Ballmer and two executives, while Leonard ended up traded to the Toronto Raptors. For the Kings, the game itself was bad enough, and the wider postgame only made the loss feel even more lopsided. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Already Face One Frustrating Question After Season Opener
The Kings 2026-27 season started with an early reminder that the margin for error in the West is thin, as Sacramento fell to the Clippers 121-96 in Inglewood. Zach LaVine supplied 28 points to pace the Kings, but Los Angeles had the cleaner answer throughout the night, with Darius Garland scoring 30 and the Clippers bench giving them a steady lift.
What stood out most was how quickly the game slipped away after halftime, when the Clippers widened the gap in the third quarter and kept Sacramento from ever finding a real rhythm. For a team trying to set a tone in the opener, the frustrating part is less the final score than how little time it took for the contest to stop feeling competitive. [Read more 🡒]
Doug Christie Sends Early Warning After Kings' Sloppy Opener
The Kings opened the season with a rough 121-96 loss to the Clippers, and the aftermath sounded less like panic than a coach laying down a baseline. Sacramento was already shorthanded without Malik Monk, who sat because of ankle soreness, and Ben Simmons, who is out for the season with an Achilles injury, but Doug Christie made it clear the missing pieces were only part of the problem. What stood out more was how the Kings let the game drift away with loose execution and too many empty possessions.
Christies early message centered on the habits Sacramento has to sharpen quickly, starting with defensive intensity and cleaner ball movement. He also wants the offense to show more patience instead of forcing the issue before opportunities develop. It is only one game, but for a Kings team trying to establish a reliable standard, the opener offered a blunt reminder that talent alone will not be enough. [Read more 🡒]