It seems that the youth movement is finally, mercifully on in Sacramento. Yes, there are still veterans such as Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine on the roster, but general manager Scott Perry clearly has injected youth into this roster. The headliner is seventh-overall pick Darius Acuff, but Alex Karaban — another first-round pick in the 2026 class — should also be considered part of the young core.
The Kings have next to zero expectations this season, so bettors can expect the kids to be in full control by the time we get to the post-trade deadline portion of the season. Can Doug Christie navigate those waters while also developing Acuff and the others into professionals? It’s Sacramento, so the answer is likely “no,” but there is at least some reason to be hopeful for the future.
BURNING QUESTIONS
What does Acuff-ing season look like?
Acuff is a scorer. In his lone season at Arkansas, he averaged 23.5 points per game on 16.5 field goal attempts per contest. He shot 48.4% from the floor and posted a 56.1% effective field goal percentage for the Razorbacks. The dude can fill up the stat sheet. How much does that translate to the NBA, and how green will the light be for Acuff this season? The point guard spot seems to clearly be his as we enter the regular season. Malik Monk is still on this roster, but he is at his best coming off the bench. It seems that Acuff will be sharing the backcourt with LaVine. That will be a fascinating dynamic, considering LaVine averaged 19.2 points on 14 shot attempts per game last season. Between the two, who will ultimately be fed the most? One would assume the Kings want to make Acuff into a star, so he likely wins out that battle. The opportunity could be there for him from a workload standpoint to steal Rookie of the Year, for which he is 12-1 to win at DraftKings.
Which of the veterans will remain with the team after the trade deadline?
This is going to be one of the biggest questions for Sacramento and win-total bettors alike. Sabonis is under contract through the 2027-28 season, but he is an effective player who will fetch some sort of package at the trade deadline. LaVine and DeAndre Hunter are on expiring deals, with the latter set to make only $24.9 million this season. Perry has a path set for the Kings, and that path goes through the young pieces on this roster. It would make too much sense for LaVine and Hunter to be gone once the deadline comes around, and Sabonis is a real candidate to be moved as well. If that is the case, this could be one of the youngest, most inexperienced rosters after the deadline. Under bettors will rejoice if that comes around, as the Kings will likely prioritize development over winning. Both could happen, but this team should be worse once the deadline passes.
How will the new draft lottery rules affect how Sacramento approaches the end of the season?
The Kings project to be one of the worst teams in the NBA this season. In most years, that would be a good thing for a team looking to build through the draft, but the new lottery rules make that vision a bit cloudier. Remember, the bottom three teams in the league will be placed in a “relegation zone,” meaning worse odds of landing a top pick than the teams that will finish fourth through 10th. If it comes to pass that Sacramento — a team with a win total of 20.5 — is in one of those relegation spots, how will the team approach the end of the regular season? In the previous question, we approached the topic of the Kings trading off some of their veteran pieces, but will they elect to keep one, such as Sabonis, in an attempt to stave off a finish in the relegation zone? It’s honestly one of the most fascinating questions of any of the teams in this guide, and it will be incredible to watch it unfold.
WIN TOTAL RECOMMENDATION: Under 21.5
