The Sacramento Kings’ future now runs through a young group that has quickly become the center of the conversation, even with veterans like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Malik Monk still in the mix. With the franchise in a clear rebuild, the kids matter more than ever, and that makes the under-25 crowd worth sorting through before the 2026-27 season.
At the top of the list sits Darius Acuff Jr., the seventh pick in this summer’s draft and the newest name being treated as the face of what’s next in Sacramento. The 19-year-old point guard arrives with serious buzz after a freshman season at Arkansas that produced 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, along with 48.4/44.0/80.9 shooting splits.
He also became just the second player in SEC history to lead the conference in both points and assists in the same season, joining “Pistol” Pete Maravich. That kind of résumé explains why the expectations are sky-high.
Right behind him is Maxime Raynaud, who already has a strong case to be viewed as the best young piece in the organization. The No. 42 pick in 2025 didn’t just hold his own as a rookie - he stood out.
Raynaud averaged 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists last season, and he was the only non-lottery selection to land on a 2025-26 All-Rookie Team. That made him the steal of the draft, and it’s why plenty of fans are now looking at him as the answer in the post-Sabonis era.
Dylan Cardwell is part of that same center conversation. After a rookie season in which he put up 5.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, he established himself as one of the league’s best young big men and one of its premier shot blockers. At 6-foot-10, he gives Sacramento the defensive presence many around the team want to see in the starting lineup, and the Kings need to do whatever they can to keep him long-term.
Nique Clifford also has a clear place in the young core after being Sacramento’s first-round pick in 2025. He posted 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.9 steals per game as a rookie, and his play improved as the season went on.
This year, he is expected to back up at shooting guard, though his role could shrink compared with last season. Even so, the pressure is rising with the expectations around him.
Emanuel Sharp comes next, and while it may look odd to slot the Kings’ 45th overall pick from the 2026 NBA Draft ahead of the 29th pick, the belief here is that his ceiling is higher. Sharp still has a lot to prove, but his profile is hard to ignore: a sharp three-point shooter, a strong defender, and a player with a very high motor. Karaban may get more minutes as a rookie, but Sharp is the one with the bigger long-term upside.
Alex Karaban, the 29th pick this summer, lands lower on the list because his value is tougher to project. Sacramento targeted him for his championship background at UConn and his reputation as a high-character leader, and those traits matter. He can shoot it from deep and brings length, but his intangibles are what stand out most, which makes it harder to get overly excited about what his role in the future will look like.
Jonathan Mogbo rounds out the group. He has more NBA experience than anyone else here, but the two-way contract in Sacramento keeps him from climbing much higher.
Still, the Kings made a smart, low-risk move by bringing him in, and he should get chances this season. As a rookie with Toronto, he averaged 6.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 stocks per game, and now, heading into his third NBA season, the bar is low enough for him to surprise people and help this young roster.
In Other News...
Kings Face One Sabonis Trade Problem They May Not Accept
Sacramentos offseason rebuild has run into the sort of accounting problem that can freeze a big move before it ever gets off the ground. The Kings are reportedly exploring a trade involving Domantas Sabonis, but talks with Toronto have hit a snag because Sacramento does not want to take back Jakob Poeltls hefty contract. Sabonis is under team control through the 2028 offseason, which gives the Kings a valuable asset to work with, but also makes any pivot around him more complicated than a simple star swap.
Torontos interest in Sabonis fits with a front office that has shown a willingness to chase major names, and the Raptors acquisition of Kawhi Leonard remains a reminder of how aggressive they can be when a target is available. For this deal to move, a third team would likely have to step in and absorb Poeltls contract, and that extra layer makes the framework harder to pull off. For now, the idea is there, but the math may be the bigger obstacle than the player. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Have A Murray Reunion Chance Fans Should Be Watching
Keegan Murray remains one of the most important pieces in Sacramento, but theres a sibling subplot that could matter down the line. Kris Murray, now with the Memphis Grizzlies, is reportedly in danger of being cut before the 2026-27 NBA season, and that has at least opened the door to a possible Kings reunion if the opportunity ever becomes real.
Sacramento has both roster space and cap room, which gives the front office a path to bring Kris in if he becomes available. A move like that would reunite the Murray brothers on the same team for the first time since college, and it would also fit neatly into the Kings rebuilding picture, even if it remains more of a possibility than a plan right now. [Read more 🡒]
Darius Acuff Jr. Could Change How Stars See The Kings
Darius Acuff Jr. has not played an NBA minute yet, but the buzz around him already feels bigger than a standard rookie profile. For a Kings team always searching for ways to raise its ceiling and reshape how the league views Sacramento, a potential star-level talent like Acuff brings more than on-court upside. It brings a different kind of attention, the sort that can alter how other players begin to imagine the roster.
Jalen Duren is still unsigned and is expected to return to the Detroit Pistons for another season, though Sacramento is one of the teams that could linger as a future possibility. That is where Acuffs potential becomes more than a development story for the Kings. If he looks like a player stars want to play with, it could help Sacramento in the long run when the next wave of talent starts weighing fit, trajectory and opportunity. [Read more 🡒]