Projecting the Kings' Starting Lineup and Rotation After NBA Draft

The Sacramento Kings had an eventful 2026 NBA Draft, headlined by their selection of Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh overall pick, but they did not stop there. The Kings traded for another first-round pick to select Alex Karaban 29th overall, while also adding Emanuel Sharp with the 45th pick.

The Kings' new rookie trio should certainly get fans excited, as they have now added their new franchise point guard with two sharpshooters and plus-defenders to help him out. Of course, they still have work to do on the trade market and in free agency, but here is a look at their projected lineup for next season, with DeMar DeRozan the only rostered player not included, as he is expected to either be traded or waived.

Starting Lineup

Feb 28, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) attempts a free throw against the Florida Gators during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. | Travis Register-Imagn Images

Of course, the Kings drafted Acuff Jr. to be their new starting point guard. To complement him, they need to find the ideal backcourt partner, which might not be Zach LaVine. On the wing, they have a predictable duo of Keegan Murray and De'Andre Hunter, which will be very intriguing to see. Their biggest question mark is at the center position, though. Here is how I project the Kings' starting lineup for next season:

PG: Darius Acuff Jr.
SG: Nique Clifford
SF: De'Andre Hunter
PF: Keegan Murray
C: Domantas Sabonis

I would love to see the Kings start Clifford, regardless of what happens with LaVine. The two-time All-Star guard has a $49 million player option, and while the franchise would love for him to decline it, he is expected to opt in. Still, though, the Kings could look to trade him, even if he does opt in. If he is on the roster next season, I would prefer to see him come off the bench.

At center, I expect Sabonis to still be on the roster by opening night. It is no secret that the Kings are shopping Sabonis, but they will likely not get an offer that is worth parting with him. Plus, the Kings could be surprisingly successful with this Sabonis-and-Acuff Jr. starting lineup. In the long run, though, the Kings will pivot to their young center duo of Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell.

Bench Rotation

Feb 28, 2026; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) reacts after a play against the Seton Hall Pirates in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Fortunately for the Kings, their other two rookies should be able to make an immediate impact in the rotation. Both Karaban and Sharp are NBA-ready players, and we could see them slide into the Kings' second unit on day one. Besides those two, the Kings will have an exciting backup center duo of Raynaud and Cardwell, although it remains unclear whether they will share the court or split minutes.

Here is how I project the Kings' bench unit will shake out, although there are destined to be some moves made this offseason with too many mouths to feed currently.

G: Malik Monk, Emanuel Sharp, Zach LaVine
F: Alex Karaban, Precious Achiuwa
C: Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell

The Kings could run a 12-man rotation next season if this is how their roster shakes out by opening night, although they would certainly prefer to move on from LaVine to clear things up.

In this, we also see the Kings re-sign unrestricted free agent Precious Achiuwa, as all signs point toward the two sides striking a new deal for the 26-year-old forward to stay in Sacramento.

The only player currently rostered who is not seen in this rotation is Devin Carter, as his future in Sacramento is on the fence with the Kings' new draft class. If the Kings are able to move on from Monk and/or LaVine, then we could certainly see Carter still find a role in their bench unit, but as things stand, he is likely on the outside looking in.

Again, we should certainly see more changes to Sacramento's lineup ahead of the 2026-27 season, but for now, this is how I would predict things will shake out.

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