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The Sacramento Kings may have finally found their point guard of the future by selecting Darius Acuff Jr. The organization drafted him seventh overall in the highly touted 2026 NBA Draft. The coaching staff expects him to be a starter immediately, but there is a gap at backup point guard.
The Kings traded previous backups Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis last season, and Russell Westbrook‘s one-year minimum contract has expired. As a result, the Kings find themselves without a true backup point guard.
Acuff should contribute immediately, but as a rookie, he still has a lot to learn. The Kings have tried converting several shooting guards into ball handlers but without success. They could look within the organization for a backup, but if not, what options do they have to fill that vital backup position?
The Free Agency Option
The Kings have two open roster spots for a free-agent point guard seeking a fresh start. The only issue is that the Kings are currently above the luxury tax. Any addition needs to sign for the minimum, limiting Sacramento to veterans and unproven guards.
No NBA team has signed Lakers and Hawks guard Gabe Vincent — it’s been a week since the moratorium period ended. Vincent averaged just 4.4 points, 1.4 assists, and 1 rebound per game last season. He made over $11 million in the process.
Vincent’s unsigned status suggests teams aren’t offering the contract he wants. As time ticks by during free agency, Vincent may be more willing to accept a minimum contract. In that case, the Kings could swoop in and sign him.
While his statistics last season weren’t fantastic, he is the exact lead ball-handler the Kings are looking for. He could also mentor Acuff while providing veteran leadership.
Vincent started for a Heat team that reached the 2023 NBA Finals. He’s faced adversity every step of his career. He went undrafted out of UC Santa Barbara, made a name for himself in the G-League and eventually earned a Heat roster spot. While being the leader of a second unit may not be how he envisioned his career going at this stage, it’s a role he would learn to thrive in.
Another option is former first-round pick Cole Anthony. The Orlando Magic included him in the Desmond Banetrade before bouncing between Memphis, Milwaukee and Phoenix, eventually ending up as a free agent.
Last season, Anthony averaged 6.7 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game, shooting 42.4% from the field and 30.6% from three-point range. He is a skilled shot creator who attacks the paint well and rebounds effectively for his size.
His biggest criticism is shot selection, as he often hunts his own offense instead of creating for teammates. Nonetheless, he still possesses many of the tools needed to provide the Kings the backup point guard they’re looking for.
At 26, Anthony still has room and time to grow as a facilitator. The Kings bench has plenty of solid options to turn to when looking to make a correct read, like Clifford, Monk, Precious Achiuwa and Alex Karaban.
A final option the Kings should look into is former Houston Rockets guard Aaron Holiday. Holiday is an efficient shooter, with marks of 41.7% from the field overall, and 39.4% from beyond the arc for his career. While he averaged just 5.5 points, 1.1 assist, and 1.0 rebounds per game in Houston, he still had a positive impact on games.
Holiday consistently uses his impressive speed to score in transition and on isolation attacks to the rim. With a quick first step, he can drive to the basket and force defenders to collapse on him, leaving open teammates. The Kings boast several spacers like Karaban who can knock down open shots at a high rate. The space generated by Holiday is substantial.
Unlike the two previously mentioned guards, Holiday has also made a name for himself on the defensive end. He stands at just 6-foot-1, but his wingspan is 6-foot-7.5. This makes his perimeter defending solid and him well worth taking a chance on.
The Internal or Former King Option
There is, of course, a world where the Kings’ front office looks at the pieces they have, or recently had, and sticks with them. In such a tough financial spot, with both Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine owed over $40 million, it would make sense to cut their losses. If they were to look internally, they would likely turn to Monk or Clifford.
The Kings attempted to play Monk at point guard after trading De’Aaron Fox in February 2025, but the move didn’t work. Monk was loose with the ball and saw his efficiency drop. Granted, that came after the Kings promoted him to the starting lineup.
During the 2023-2024 season, Monk was the runner-up in Sixth Man of the Year voting, showing he’s more than capable of leading the second unit. He received this honor operating as a secondary ball-handler and primary scorer though, not as the primary initiator of the offense.
Recently, Monk has dealt with numerous injuries, hindering his burst and first step. Those are two skills that make him great. If he can stay healthy and no free agent guards are willing to sign with Sacramento, the Kings front office would probably decide to give him the keys to the offense.
Clifford’s handle was a lot tighter in the recent California Classic. He was turnover-prone at times, but he showed dramatic improvements from last season. He could assume some ball-handling responsibilities, but he tends to be easily fazed by the slightest bit of ball pressure.
A healthy mix of Monk and Clifford could work wonders for the second unit. The Kings crave consistency though, that’s why they may look to re-sign one of their own former point guards in the free agent market.
The aforementioned Westbrook averaged over 15 points, six assists, and five rebounds per game over the course of last season. He managed to outperform his minimum contract.
Westbrook is now looking to claim a standard contract and has received interest from several teams. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer recently reported that the Washington Wizards are looking into signing him. The details of what the contract would look like have not yet been revealed.
Last offseason, Westbrook received varied levels of interest from different teams. When the offseason came to a close, he was a King. There could very well see a similar result in the coming months, and he’d be forced to accept another minimum deal if he hopes to remain in the NBA.
The Waiting Period
After the Las Vegas Summer League concludes, the resolution to this problem will be closer to being revealed. All NBA teams are hoping to sign younger, up-and-coming prospects over aging veterans. The market features a bounty of talent, but signings remain at a standstill.
For now, the Kings remain on the fence about where their backup point guard should come from. The 2026-27 season will likely be a rebuilding year for the franchise, but they still seek direction. A reliable backup to Acuff would elevate the team.
The post Where Will the Sacramento Kings Find Their Backup Point Guard? appeared first on The Lead.
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