For the Sacramento Kings, the 2026-27 season could come down to whether their newest guard can find the right balance fast enough.
Mark Jones thinks Darius Acuff Jr.’s growth will be one of the biggest storylines, and not just because of what he can do with the ball. The challenge, as Jones sees it, is for Acuff to step into a lead-guard role while still keeping Sacramento’s established scorers involved.
Jones joined Sactown Sports’ The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross to talk through the roster, and he zeroed in on how Acuff’s early progress will be judged. The rookie’s scoring and playmaking will both matter, especially in how he creates for Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis.
“The surprise is going to be in how fast Darius Acuff is able to take the reins of the offense and strike that delicate balance,” Jones said. “How much he is scoring versus how much he is getting off the ball and distributing.”
There’s more to monitor with Acuff than just the offense. Jones also pointed to his defense, pushing back on any notion that the rookie is content to fade on that end.
In Jones’ view, Acuff takes pride in his work and does not want to be seen as someone opponents can target. That competitiveness on defense, Jones said, will tell part of the story of how far along he is.
Murray’s role brings its own set of demands. With Ben Simmons out, Sacramento loses a versatile defender who could have matched up across multiple positions. That shifts more pressure onto Murray, who also needs to get back to the shooting form he showed as a rookie.
Jones views Murray’s two-way value as a major indicator for where the Kings can go. If Murray can take on difficult defensive assignments and rediscover his shot, Sacramento gets more lineup flexibility around its high-usage scorers.
Sabonis, meanwhile, remains a central piece of the whole operation. Jones said the center did not get much time to build up to the season, which means it might take a few games for him to get rolling. But the bigger issue is keeping him on the floor and getting him back to the steady double-double production the Kings rely on.
“Just keeping Sabonis healthy on the floor and getting him back to the double-double machine that he was,” Jones said.
That’s the thread running through the Kings’ outlook: Acuff has to run the offense without disappearing, Murray has to matter on both ends, and Sabonis has to stay available as a dependable anchor. If those three pieces click, Jones believes Sacramento could have more room to surprise people than expected.
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Dallas may have the edge on paper because it has a two-way roster spot available and a pre-existing relationship with Clayton, which could make that an appealing landing spot if he clears waivers. Still, the next step may come down to something simpler than team fit alone: where he can actually get minutes, and how that lines up with the long-term direction he wants for his career. [Read more 🡒]