The Sacramento Kings are heading into 2026-27 with the same old conversation hanging over them: defense. That’s understandable. They’ve been shaky on that side for years, they just used the seventh overall pick on Darius Acuff Jr., and they’re expected to open the season with Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis - two players widely viewed as poor defenders - still in the mix.
But the bigger picture is messier than a simple “fix the defense” storyline. Sacramento wasn’t just bad defensively last season.
The Kings were a mess on both ends, finishing with the third-worst defense in the league and the fifth-worst offense. That combination helped drag them to 22 wins and the third-worst advanced net rating in the association.
That’s why the real question isn’t whether the Kings can improve. It’s where the biggest jump comes from.
Acuff is a big part of that answer. His defensive questions are obvious, but the reason he went seventh in a loaded draft is just as obvious: he can score. Even with his lower efficiency in Summer League, he showed poise and offensive skill throughout the exhibition season.
Put him next to Sabonis in pick-and-roll action and surround him with shooters like LaVine and Keegan Murray (theoretical shooter?), and Sacramento could open up a much more dangerous offense. If the Kings also move away from DeMar DeRozan’s mid-range-heavy approach and lean harder into the three-point shot, the scoring ceiling gets a lot higher.
That’s how you get to those wild, high-scoring nights where both teams are pushing toward 130 points and Sacramento is trying to keep pace because the defense can’t slow anyone down.
Still, the offseason additions don’t point only toward offense. GM Scott Perry has brought in a group that leans heavily defensive, and some of them are built to help on both ends. Emanuel Sharp, with his 3-and-D profile, is one of the clearest examples, but even there the defense is what gets him on the floor.
And there’s another wrinkle: LaVine and Sabonis may not even finish the year in Sacramento. Even if they do, their roles could shrink late in the season if the Kings decide the priority is development for the younger players.
That matters because the Kings are still figuring out how everything fits together. Offense will take time.
Defense will too. But if this season is truly about building a new identity, the work could tilt toward the defensive side more than people expect.
The roster now includes a long list of defense-first or defense-leaning pieces: Dylan Cardwell, Murray, Nique Clifford, Sharpe, De'Andre Hunter, Daeqwon Plowden, and Precious Achiuwa. That group gives Sacramento a chance to build something sturdier on that end, even with the questions around Acuff.
It’s tempting to go with the safer prediction and say the offense will be better than the defense. But this is the offseason, and bold calls are part of the fun. So here’s the bet: the Kings’ defense ends up surprising people and driving more wins than the offense.
Final Predictions: Offensive Rating Rank - 24th, Defensive Rating Rank - 19th
And yes, that already feels like the kind of prediction that could look ridiculous in a hurry.
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The Kings have spent much of this summer trying to make their rebuild feel less like a reset and more like a foundation, and the early signs have come from a rookie group that looks older, steadier and more NBA-ready than a typical first-year class. Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharp have stood out in Summer League as the kind of players who can handle the pace and the details right away, a welcome development for a team trying to find useful pieces wherever it can.
Both rookies arrive with four years of college experience behind them, which has helped separate them from Darius Acuff Jr., who reached the league after just one season. Sacramento is hoping that edge in readiness carries into the fall, because the front office is counting on this rookie class, along with its returning young players, to give the roster a more credible shape as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Former Kings Guard Sparks Outrage With Another Ugly Off-Court Incident
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Lawsons latest arrest only adds to a long and messy history that dates back to 2008, including multiple prior run-ins with law enforcement. For Sacramento fans, it is another jarring reminder of a player who once spent a season with the Kings, but whose off-court issues have continued to overshadow whatever remains of his basketball legacy. [Read more 🡒]
Maxime Raynaud Just Gave Kings Fans The Answer They Needed
Maxime Raynauds summer with the Kings started late, but it quickly gave Sacramento something to feel good about. After missing much of preseason while with the French national team, the big man got back into the mix at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and showed why the organization was eager to see him on the floor. Even in a controlled setting, he looked like a player who could help, flashing the size, touch and rebounding presence that stood out in his return.
The Kings also made it clear they were not going to push him too hard. Raynauds minutes were handled carefully as Sacramento kept an eye on his workload and injury risk, which is why his strong showing came with a measured approach rather than a full-on workload. For a team trying to piece together its frontcourt picture, the early takeaway was encouraging enough, even if the real answer on what Raynaud can become in a bigger role is still waiting to be written. [Read more 🡒]