Kings Need to Target Promising Magic Guard to Pair With Darius Acuff Jr.

Love it or hate it, the NBA’s apron system is here to stay, and teams are already feeling the sting when it comes to team building. The Oklahoma City Thunder had to find new homes for Isaiah Joe and Lu Dort this offseason as they try to work their way back to the Finals. New York Knicks owner James Dolan has been vocal about his unwillingness to cross the second apron threshold even after winning a championship.

Another team that will need to make some tough decisions this year is the Orlando Magic, who have over $150 million allocated to their top four players. The Sacramento Kings are also in prime position to make a run at one of their likely cap casualties.

The Orlando Magic will “have to figure out a way” to keep Anthony Black as he potentially heads for restricted free agency, per @JakeLFischer.

Orlando is currently projected to have only $26.4M in first apron space next Summer and has $161.5M committed to four starters.

(via… pic.twitter.com/s1OGxJB8gk
— APHoops (@APH00PS) September 8, 2026

Why wouldn’t the Magic keep him?

After being drafted sixth overall in 2023, Black has steadily become a reliable NBA starter as a lead or secondary guard. At 6’6” barefoot, the Arkansas product has great size to defend on the perimeter (although his wingspan leaves a bit to be desired). He definitely fits right into what the Magic want to do defensively, but the other side of the ball is where things start to get a bit dicey.

Black had a solid shooting season as a rookie, knocking down 39% of his threes on four attempts per game. Since then, he hasn’t been as much of a threat from deep, shooting 32% and 33% respectively over the last two seasons. Some of that could be due to the lineups he plays with and the Magic’s issues creating good offense recently, but that’s also why it’s important for them to play perimeter players who can shoot.

Fun sequence for Anthony Black pic.twitter.com/n2AAm62zER
— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) April 15, 2025

With Jalen Suggs solidified as a starter (when healthy), it’s tough to imagine a world where Black makes a lot of sense as another average-to-below-average shooter. Orlando also brought in Desmond Bane last season, further clouding Black’s long-term future with the team. Bane, Suggs, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner are likely the core that Orlando will continue building around, and Black could easily be the odd man out.

Doesn’t Sacramento already have too many guards?

Right now, the Kings probably do have too many players at the spots where they would deploy Black, but that won’t be the case for long. Zach LaVine is expected to move on after his contract is up this coming offseason. The same goes for De’Andre Hunter, and it’s also hard to imagine Malik Monk sticking around for too much longer either.

The mainstays are Nique Clifford and Daeqwon Plowden, with Emmanuel Sharp likely part of the future as well. Sharp is promising as a 3-and-D guard, and Plowden has shown that he belongs in an NBA rotation as well, but it remains to be seen if any of them can be as impactful as Black already has been in his young career.

The Kings' best hope might be Nique Clifford, but there are questions when it comes to his ability to contribute consistently on offense. He’s shown flashes of secondary creation, and he’s a solid defender; the issue is that there might not be a ton of development left, given that he’s already 24 and will turn 25 this season.

I also think it’s fair to say that Clifford isn’t expected to be someone who can play the point for long stretches, which is a big reason why Black is worth taking a run at.

Why he's a fit in Sacramento

Black started 40 games last season at point guard, mostly when Jalen Suggs was out of the lineup, and was significantly better in those games. This is all conjecture, but there’s a chance that Black is better suited as a secondary creator/off-guard even though he’s been billed as a point guard so far in his career.

With another creator on the floor (or multiple), Black is able to use his athleticism to attack mismatches and get downhill, something he’d experience a lot next to Darius Acuff Jr.

DUNK OF THE YEAR?!!?! ANTHONY BLACK ON 4 GRIZZLIES 😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/8QANj6pPUM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 15, 2026

Black was also a much better shooter from the corners and off the catch, providing some hope that he can be a reliable floor spacer when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands. He hit 35% of his catch-and-shoot triples and shot 36/91 (39.5%) in the corners last season, but struggled heavily off the dribble.

With Acuff Jr. handling most of the on-ball duties when he’s on the court, Black could hypothetically be more effective. As I alluded to, Black’s ability to play the point would also give Sacramento the option of playing Acuff Jr. off-ball or letting Black run the show when he’s on the bench.

I’m going to guess I haven’t sold you on Black just yet, and that’s fair given the modest shooting numbers. While he isn’t a bad offensive player by any means, he’s far more impactful on the defensive end.

Black has posted better than a 2% steal and block rate each of the last two seasons, which is pretty incredible for a guard. Beyond the numbers, he’s a great athlete and uses his quickness and explosiveness to make things extremely tough on his matchup, which is exactly what the Kings will need next to Acuff Jr.

Darius Acuff shot 50% on 120 catch and shoot attempts

Elite 3 point shooter, has the ability to play off the ball if needed pic.twitter.com/rr9sDrujBP
— NetsKingdom 👑🗽 (@NetsKingdomAJ) May 16, 2026

Okay, I’m sold… How do the Kings get him?

Black is set to hit restricted free agency this next summer, and Spotrac’s Keith Smith projects him to land a four-year, $80 million extension if he stays with the Magic. They’re only projected to be $18 million under the tax line, $26 million under the first apron, and $39 million under the second apron, with just five players under contract so far.

If the Magic were to sign Black to a $20 million/year deal, they would be over the tax line already, and just $6 million under the first apron with eight roster spots still left to fill.

It is still possible that the Magic will be able to free up the space needed to retain Black, but the Kings are also in position to send him an offer sheet worth north of $20 million per year. Sacramento would be smart to put pressure on the Magic next offseason, but a trade at the deadline may make more sense for both parties. It remains to be seen what Black’s price will be, but the Kings should be keeping a close eye on him the rest of this season.

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