What the Kings' Ideal Lineup With Darius Acuff Jr. Will Look Like

After being selected seventh overall, Darius Acuff Jr. had a tough summer league for the Sacramento Kings. The former Arkansas guard was not as efficient or turnover-averse as he was in college, though he was able to score the ball.

To be fair to him, he was blitzed a lot in pick-and-rolls, and his team wasn’t exactly prepared to make life easier on him. He may not see the same type of defense in the NBA, but it will still be important to build a rotation around him that helps him ease into his new role.

Backcourt mate

Talent-wise, it is pretty easy to say Zach LaVine will be the starter next to Acuff when the season kicks off. LaVine’s shooting helps space the floor, and his isolation scoring will give Acuff an outlet when he’s struggling to create looks for himself against NBA defenders.

On paper, it would be great to have another guy who can create with the ball in his hands (albeit mostly for himself); however, LaVine’s limitations as a connector and defender are going to show up often this season. While I still believe that LaVine will be the starter on night one, the Kings coaching staff would be smart to get a few other guards on the floor with Acuff early and often.

Zach LaVine Was Impressed With Darius Acuff During Summer League, And Is Ready For The Backcourt Pairing. Per, @VinceGoodwill

“He was impressed with him, I really like his game, I think we’re gonna play well together.” pic.twitter.com/DKFDflBmXJ
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) July 25, 2026

Nique Clifford and Emanuel Sharp are both better fits around Acuff than LaVine is, even if LaVine is the more talented player. They’re both strong defenders who can take on tough assignments in lieu of Acuff, and they’re both much more comfortable playing off-ball.

I would expect Clifford to play quite a bit and could see him and Acuff having good synergy, while Sharp’s role is still unclear, just like another guard on the roster.

Monk is a bit more intriguing than LaVine with his passing and his ability to initiate the offense, though like LaVine, Monk would not make life easy on Acuff defensively. It still remains to be seen what Monk’s role with the team will be after an odd season where he seemed to be the odd man out of the rotation for much of the year. Monk and Acuff minutes could be fun offensively, but I can’t say it would be great for them to share the floor for long stretches.

Wings

The Kings don’t exactly have an abundance of riches on the wing, but they do have a lot of good options that fit well with Acuff. If I had to guess right now, I would say that the Kings start Keegan Murray and De’Andre Hunter when the season kicks off.

Murray is a mainstay by now, even if he hasn’t exactly lived up to his shooting potential we saw in his rookie year. Hunter also has potential to be a solid three-and-D wing, he just hasn’t been the defender he was at Virginia.

Keegan Murray with the weakside block on Zion. pic.twitter.com/wOPFHO8DQr
— Skyler (KFR) (@SacFilmRoom) February 13, 2025

The Kings could do worse than two long, mobile wings who can shoot from the outside, but there’s an argument that Acuff could benefit more from one of the other forward options instead of Hunter. Precious Achiuwa and Jonathan Mogbo (two-way) bring solid defense, athleticism, and toughness that would pair well with Acuff’s offensive talent.

Murray is a great defender, but swapping out Hunter, who is just alright defensively and struggles to stay engaged off-ball, with Mogbo or Achiuwa would likely result in better returns for Sacramento.

There’s also Daeqwon Plowden and rookie Alex Karaban, who will see minutes at the forward spots. Plowden will likely slot in behind Murray/Hunter as a backup three, and Karaban may get some minutes at both spots. Both would be fine fits with Acuff, albeit not as exciting as the other options. Overall, the Kings have actually done a decent job acquiring the right type of players that mesh well with an offensively tilted, smaller guard.

PRECIOUS ACHIUWA OH MY GOODNESS.

pic.twitter.com/VcL2lmP0fQ
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 7, 2026

Center

Like the off-guard conundrum the Kings are facing, the center position is a bit murky. With Domantas Sabonis, Dylan Cardwell, and Maxime Raynaud, the Kings have three good options, but no perfect fit. This is one of the only spots on the roster where I do think it makes sense to have a veteran on the court with Acuff. Sabonis is a flawed big, but he’s great at doing the things that make life easier for guards offensively, and that is big for a developing player.

Keon Ellis pull-up 3 w/ Martin getting caught on the Sabonis screen. pic.twitter.com/ptcnS6wF2y
— Skyler (KFR) (@SacFilmRoom) January 2, 2025

Sabonis’ ability to set good screens, score near the basket, and act as an offensive hub will all work in Acuff’s favor as it did for De’Aaron Fox before him. Still, it will be interesting to see who Acuff plays best with. Raynaud and Westbrook played extremely well together, and I could see that continuing with Acuff as well.

Cardwell isn’t an offensive threat at all, but he’s the only true defensive anchor on the roster, and the Kings may need that more than what Sabonis and Raynaud bring.

Guessing the Kings’ Best Lineups Including Acuff

Last season, the Kings only had two five-man lineups with a positive rating that played 60 minutes or more together. I can’t say that it will be much better this year, but if I had to guess, here is what I think will end up being the three best lineups for Acuff.

We’ll see where things shake out in the season, and while it isn’t exactly confidence-inspiring, the Kings have at least started to build the right type of roster for their top draft pick.

Acuff, Clifford, Murray, Achiuwa, Cardwell
Acuff, LaVine, Hunter, Murray, Cardwell
Acuff, Clifford, Murray, Achiuwa, Sabonis

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