Zach LaVine didn’t sound like a player clinging to old habits after Sacramento’s 107-100 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. He sounded like a veteran adjusting to a new reality, one where Darius Acuff Jr. is becoming the center of everything the Kings do.
“This is a different-Darius is special,” LaVine said. “And this isn’t for me anymore, you know.
And I got to be able to try to support him the best I can. And that’s playing off the ball a little bit more.
If that’s in catch-and-shoot situations, that’s the role I’m in now. I can go out and get it.
Obviously, like, you tell me to go score, I would do that for sure.
“But I’m trying to be in the best support role I can for him, you know, because he’s gonna be real special, man. And I’ve been in that situation before where I was young on a team that wasn’t winning and the face of a franchise, and I’ve had my ups and downs with that. I’ve had my mistakes, obviously, but, you know, if I can share any wisdom or help, I think that’s my duty now.”
That message matched the way the game played out. Acuff delivered another huge night, finishing with 29 points and six assists to stretch his streak to seven straight games with at least 20 points and five assists. That run moved the rookie to fourth on the NBA’s all-time list for consecutive games hitting those marks, trailing only Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson.
LaVine did his part offensively, too. He scored 31 points on 10-of-16 shooting and knocked down 6-of-9 from 3-point range. He was a big reason Sacramento erased a 14-point second-quarter hole, but the comeback didn’t hold.
The Kings dropped to 1-10 overall and 0-6 at home, matching the worst start in franchise history through 11 games.
Turnovers kept sinking them. Sacramento coughed it up 20 times, and Orlando turned those mistakes into 33 points. LaVine owned his share afterward.
“I’ve been in the league too damn long to turn the ball over,” he said. “I’ve had careless turnovers, and, you know, it’s a momentum shifter, and it sucks because our margin for error isn’t good enough for that. So I take that one on me.”
Sacramento also didn’t get much help outside its two main scorers. Domantas Sabonis returned after missing one game, but he was held scoreless, and the Kings’ offense went flat in the fourth quarter while Orlando kept control of the lead.
LaVine said Acuff will keep getting opportunities to handle the ball, attack downhill and force defenses to react. He also made clear that Sacramento still has work to do around its rookie centerpiece, even as he embraces a different job himself.
For now, LaVine’s message is simple: help Acuff, make the adjustment, and try to turn those competitive stretches into wins.
In Other News...
Kings Trade Buzz Suddenly Tests Sacramentos Commitment To Its Youth Movement
Scott Perrys latest move already signaled how Sacramento is thinking about the back end of its roster, sending guard Nique Clifford to Oklahoma City for future second-round picks. It was the kind of deal that fits a team trying to keep its options open, and it also comes at a time when the Kings are still shaping the next wave around rookie Darius Acuff Jr., whose development has become part of the bigger conversation in the organization.
Now the buzz around Draymond Green is putting that youth-first approach to the test. Green, Perry and Acuff all have Michigan ties, and Green recently offered Acuff advice during a preseason game, which only adds to the intrigue around a possible fit. Sacramentos interest appears tied in part to the idea of Green as a mentor, but with the Kings still leaning into younger pieces and Green currently a free agent, the path from speculation to something real is far from clear. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Unexpected Center Move Raises A Bigger Sabonis Question
After moving Nique Clifford in a separate deal, the Kings filled out their roster by signing veteran center Mason Plumlee to a rest-of-season non-guaranteed contract. It is a practical depth move more than a headline-grabber, but it does give Sacramento another experienced body in the middle and helps the team get back to the 14-player minimum.
Plumlee is entering his 14th NBA season, and the structure of the deal gives the Kings some flexibility while they sort through their frontcourt plans. The contract is prorated and carries a guarantee date of January 10, with Sacramento needing to waive him by January 7 to avoid the full salary becoming guaranteed, which keeps the focus on how long the team intends to keep him around. [Read more 🡒]
Darius Acuffs Frustration Says Everything About The Kings 1-10 Start
The early season has been rough enough in Sacramento that even the rookies are sounding worn down by it. After the Kings fell to the Orlando Magic and slipped to 1-10, Darius Acuff voiced the kind of frustration that usually comes only after a team has spent too long searching for a win, especially with the home skid now at 0-4. For a group that has talked about effort and urgency, the results have not followed, and the mood around the roster reflects it.
Acuff has still been producing, averaging 26.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists in more than 37 minutes a night, which makes the lack of team success feel even sharper. Zach LaVine also pointed to turnovers and the outside noise surrounding the Kings, a reminder that this start is drawing criticism from every direction. The bigger question now is whether Sacramento can turn that individual frustration into something more stable before the season gets away from it. [Read more 🡒]