The Sacramento Kings are trying to shake off a frustrating loss to the Washington Wizards and get back on track when they meet the Brooklyn Nets again in Las Vegas. Summer League results only mean so much, but the Kings have already seen a few trends worth keeping an eye on as they head into their third game in Vegas.
The biggest concern from the Wizards game was Darius Acuff Jr.’s work on defense. The seventh overall pick has had his share of highs and lows on that end so far, but that outing stood out as his roughest showing yet, and not just because of one side of the floor. There were multiple possessions where his effort looked well below the standard the Kings need from him.
On three consecutive possessions Acuff:- closes out lazily on his man who passes it to an open Camden. Acuff doesn't make an effort to run at him to cover for Sharp- misses layup & takes his time getting up- takes 8 seconds to re-enter frame while his teammates defend 4-on-5 https://t.co/womg6w69k3 pic.twitter.com/KYWUJkAxms
No one is expecting Acuff to become an elite defender overnight, but the Kings do need to see progress. Another game filled with clips like that would only fuel the conversation around his defense and make it louder across social media. What matters now is whether he can show even a small jump in activity and keep the issue from snowballing.
Alex Karaban is in a different spot, but his early Summer League line has also been quiet. Emanuel Sharp’s strong play has helped cover for some of that, yet the 29th overall pick has not found much rhythm since returning from the ankle injury that kept him out of the California Classic.
Through his first two games in Las Vegas, Karaban has scored just three points and made only one of nine shots, though that one make did come from beyond the arc. He has taken six threes overall.
There is still the obvious reminder that this is Summer League, and Karaban is also coming off that ankle injury, which could be affecting him more than it appears. Even so, a more ordinary outing would help settle things down for Kings fans before the noise around his slow start gets any louder.
Nique Clifford has been steady, if not explosive, through the first stretch of Summer League. His scoring totals have come in at 16, 8, 13 and 17 points over four games, and while those numbers don’t jump off the page, he has looked better than the raw production suggests. What the Kings still haven’t seen is the kind of takeover performance that would hint at a bigger leap from his rookie season.
That may simply not be Clifford’s game. He brings a little bit of everything, the kind of Swiss-Army-knife skillset that can fit in a lot of places.
He also seems like a natural fit next to Acuff, and Summer League should be a good setting for him to keep operating in the kind of role where he looks most comfortable. Last season, he tended to fade when he was alongside the veterans, while he looked more at ease running the show with the other young players.
This is another chance to do exactly that.
In Other News...
Kings Guard Shakeup Just Claimed A Name Fans Feared
The Kings backcourt picture changed quickly after the 2026 NBA Draft, when Sacramento added Darius Acuff Jr. and Emanuel Sharp to a guard group that already needed sorting out. With the roster sitting at 21 players and the leagues limits forcing the club down to 15 standard spots plus two-way contracts, the front office was always going to have to make some uncomfortable choices.
Devin Carter became the first notable casualty of that squeeze, a reminder that draft-night upgrades can come with a real cost for players already on the margin. Sacramentos guard-heavy reset gives the team more options, but it also leaves the rest of the roster in a more uncertain place as the Kings keep trimming toward opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Point Guard Dilemma Just Put One Risky Name Back In Focus
The Kings point guard search has a way of dragging old names back into the conversation, and Ja Morant is one of them. Sacramento was linked to him in trade chatter before deciding not to go that route, a reminder that the franchises backcourt questions are still very much alive even when the loudest rumors move on.
Zion Williamson is part of the same broader discussion around risky star bets, but New Orleans is taking the opposite stance and says it has no interest in moving him. The Pelicans still believe they can build around Williamson, even with the injury and conditioning concerns that have shadowed his career and limited his availability, which is exactly why his situation keeps getting measured against other high-profile names around the league. [Read more 🡒]
Kings May Have Another Undrafted Name For Fans To Watch
Marquel Sutton has turned into one of the more interesting Summer League names on the Kings roster, which is saying something for a player who arrived as an undrafted add-on. The forward has looked more comfortable with each game, and his blend of size, activity and shot-making has given Sacramento something worth tracking beyond the usual July box scores.
Suttons path already gives him a little credibility, with productive stops at Omaha and LSU before he landed in Sacramento. The Kings have also shown they are willing to reward undrafted players who seize this stage, so Suttons rise is the kind of development that can quietly matter if he keeps forcing the issue in front of the staff. [Read more 🡒]