Kings' Plan for Darius Acuff Jr. Has Been Made Clear This Offseason

The Sacramento Kings took a swing on Arkansas Razorbacks product Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh-overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and they obviously have big plans for the talented point guard.

Despite some questions about his defense, Acuff Jr. is expected to have no trouble adjusting to the NBA game, and the Kings need him to find his rhythm sooner rather than later.

The Kings have made just one playoff appearance over the past 20 years, and there is only one thing we can call Acuff Jr. for Sacramento: a savior. The Kings need Acuff Jr. to be the star-caliber point guard they know he can be, and this offseason, they have made that clear.

Kings are all-in on Acuff Jr.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets Darius Acuff Jr — Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the seventh pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. after he was selected by the Sacramento Kings at Barclays Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Kings had any doubts about Acuff Jr.'s ability, they would've been quick to bring in an improved backup, just in case. However, as it stands, they have zero backup point guards on the roster. Sure, Malik Monk will likely be the primary ball-handler off the bench, but they do not have a single true point guard behind their esteemed rookie.

The Kings' only rumored attempt to bring in a backup point guard for Acuff Jr. was trying to re-sign Russell Westbrook before the future Hall of Famer announced his retirement. However, he reportedly turned down the Kings' offer because they wanted him to be more of a mentor to Acuff Jr., rather than a significant contributor as he was last season.

Russell Westbrook reportedly wasn’t fond of playing a reduced role behind Darius Acuff Jr. on the Kings and apparently balked at the specific terms of the offer presented by the Wizards, per @TheSteinLine

“League sources tell The Stein Line that Washington made a two-year offer… pic.twitter.com/lDH2L8O1f7
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 17, 2026

The Kings have done everything they can to commit to Acuff Jr. this offseason, even before the draft, when it was clear that the 19-year-old was at the top of their draft board.

Acuff Jr. is handling the pressure

At the Summer League, a Kings executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith how excited the franchise is about their new point guard.

"Beyond excited doesn’t even begin to convey how we feel about Darius. He’s out to prove everyone wrong who passed on him. We’re the ones who will benefit from that,” the Kings executive told Smith. “Beyond that stuff, Darius is an outstanding scorer and playmaker. He’s already taking on a leadership role. He’s a true franchise guy that we can build around."

Darius Acuff Jr. (19.0 PPG, 5.3 APG) played in his @SacramentoKings threads for the 1st time at NBA Summer League!

"5ive" aka @Dariusacuff5 is ready to shine in Sac-Town 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PjvNDRkb2p
— NBA (@NBA) July 21, 2026

Despite the high expectations to be the Kings' "franchise guy," Acuff Jr. does not let the pressure get to him. In fact, he knows exactly what he needs to be for this struggling franchise.

“I’m looking to bring [winning basketball] back,” Acuff Jr. told NBC Sports Bay Area and California's Tristi Rodriguez in early July. “That’s what I’m here for. I’m not a guy to just tell you a lie in the media. I’d rather just go on the court and do it. Like I said, I’m excited to play in front of the fans; they deserve to start winning again. So I’m excited to do it for them.”

Despite the weight of the franchise on his shoulders, Acuff Jr. does not let it get to him. He knows what he has to do, and he seems ready to prove himself at the next level and do whatever it takes to help the Kings win.

Simply put, the Kings need him to be their next franchise star, and he is up for the challenge.

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