Darius Acuff Jr.’s first Summer League wasn’t a dominant one. The Kings have made it clear their newest lottery pick is expected to become a franchise cornerstone.
After five Summer League appearances between the California Classic and Las Vegas, he will not appear in Sacramento’s finale versus the Charlotte Hornets, per Mark Haynes.
Sources tell The @SacObserver that Sacramento Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr. is not expected to play the remainder of Summer League. pic.twitter.com/Nxpi5a2iiO
— Mark Haynes (@markhaynesnba) July 16, 2026
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His Summer League largely mirrored the scouting report that made him the seventh overall pick. Acuff averaged 20.8 points and 4.6 assists, productive counting stats on the surface.
But he struggled with efficiency, shooting just 35% from the field, 27.7% from three-point range, and 69.9% from the free-throw line. Five Summer League games are an incredibly small sample, and the chaotic environment matters, but the efficiency wasn’t ideal.
There were stretches where Acuff looked like he was forcing the issue, especially early in Summer League — his 9/29 debut being a prime example. That adjustment period was expected coming into Summer League.
A big part of Acuff’s success coming out of Arkansas was his ability to take and make tough shots off the dribble, but creating those same looks becomes significantly harder against NBA size and athleticism.
He looked most effective attacking the rim, either by getting out in transition or in the halfcourt. Those downhill bursts were reminders of why Sacramento was comfortable betting on his offensive upside.
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He also found some success finishing plays when functioning more off-ball. Acuff’s 16-point third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets in Vegas showed that.
Sac-Town’s rooks were cooking in Las Vegas today@Dariusacuff5: 26 PTS (16 in 3Q), 5 AST@emanuelsharp_: 23 PTS, 4 STL, 6 3PM pic.twitter.com/NbvcnQOUCJ
— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2026
His defensive shortcomings, which were a talking point all throughout the draft process, were evident once again. While there were stretches of solid on-ball effort, the off-ball lapses remained noticeable, including occurrences where his effort getting back on defense or recovering was lackluster. The clip below, where he casually drifts away from his defender, was a prime example.
First @NBASummerLeague bucket for Keaton Wagler is a clean triple! 👌 pic.twitter.com/gg1ilwGcJX
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) July 10, 2026
He’ll have to work on his technique fighting through screens as well, and head coach Doug Christie will want to see more from his new franchise guard. Of course, Sacramento didn’t draft Acuff seventh overall because of his defense.
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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 04: Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings shoots a technical foul shot against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half in the California Classic a NBA Summer League game at Golden 1 Center on July 04, 2026 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings shoots a technical foul shot against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half in the California Classic in an NBA Summer League game at Golden 1 Center on July 04, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
That’s also why evaluating his first five Summer League games requires the proper lens. It felt like a largely expected first showing in a Kings’ jersey. Overreacting to Summer basketball is almost always foolish, but it reinforced much of what scouts already believed.
As a high-volume scorer, he was clearly the focal point of opposing defenses, who will likely need an adjustment period as he attempts to thrive against NBA talent. He often drew multiple defenders in pick-and-roll and used that attention to create advantages for teammates.
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NBA defenses are likely to treat him similarly, and dealing with switch-heavy schemes that feature defenders with exceptional length and athleticism will make isolation scoring tough. Defensively, many of the pre-draft concerns looked warranted throughout Summer League
Five Summer League games were never going to define Acuff’s future. If anything, they largely reinforced the scouting report that made him the seventh overall pick.
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What is the next Sacramento Kings Offseason Event?
The Sacramento Kings will conclude their Las Vegas Summer League slate on Friday afternoon when they face the Charlotte Hornets at 3:30 PM PT at UNLV’s Pavilion.
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Sactown Sports will be ON-SITE in Las Vegas ALL WEEK LONG from July 12-19th! Be sure to remain locked into Sactown Sports for your Sacramento Kings Summer League news, analysis, and much more!
Upcoming Sacramento Kings Offseason Schedule
Thursday, July 9th – Sunday, July 19th – NBA Las Vegas Summer League
August TBD – 2026-27 NBA Schedule release
Late September – NBA training camps begin
2026 Sacramento Kings Las Vegas Summer League Schedule
Friday, July 17th: vs. Charlotte Hornets – 3:30 p.m. PT (Prime)
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