Kings crushed by Nets in NBA Summer League, but Acuff offers encouraging sign
The Sacramento Kings turned in an embarrassing performance in the NBA Summer League on Tuesday.
The Kings shot 47% from the free-throw line and committed 28 turnovers in a 115-83 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, but there was one big bright spot.
Rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr. finally found a rhythm after struggling to make shots in his first four summer league games. Acuff, who came out of Arkansas as the No. 7 pick in June’s NBA draft, scored a game-high 26 points in 26 minutes, going 9 of 18 from the field and 2 of 6 from 3-point range.
Acuff shot the ball much better than he did at the California Classic in Sacramento and the first two games in Las Vegas. He averaged 19.5 points in those games, but he was terribly inefficient, shooting 31.7% from the field and 25.8% from beyond the arc.
Kings summer league coach Chris Darnell was happy to see Acuff have some success.
“I think he played with a little bit more pace,” Darnell told reporters in Las Vegas. “I think him and Alex (Karaban) found some continuity out of one of our actions where they were able to create some advantages. He was able to get downhill, and then with some of the ghost screens we were setting, he was able to free himself up for some shots as well so that was great to see.”
Rookie second-round draft pick Emanuel Sharp also had a good game for the Kings (1-2), continuing to impress at both ends of the floor. Sharp finished with 23 points, three rebounds and four steals while going 7 of 12 from the field and 6 of 11 from 3-point range.
Second-year guard Nique Clifford was held to two points on 1-of-3 shooting in 15 minutes. Second-year center Maxime Raynaud, an All-Rookie Second Team selection last season, was held to three points on 1-of-3 shooting with seven turnovers in 15 minutes.
Egor Demin scored 22 points to lead six players in double figures for the Nets (2-1), who avenged a 79-76 loss to the Kings on Day 1 of the California Classic in Sacramento.
Drake Powell scored 18 points. Rookie point guard Mikel Brown Jr., who was selected one spot ahead of Acuff with the No. 6 pick in the draft, scored 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
Brooklyn shot 52.7% from the field while holding Sacramento to 44.8%. The Nets went 14 of 14 at the free-throw line. The Kings went an abysmal 8 of 17.
The Nets led by as many as 36 points. They outscored the Kings 56-34 on points in the paint, 19-12 on second-chance points and 30-3 on fastbreak points.
“We were just soft. We didn’t play to our identity,” Kings center Dylan Cardwell said. “It’s terrible. We’re trying to build something for next year, and getting punked, we can’t let it happen again.
“Someone has to step up. That starts with me. It starts with Nique. It starts with Max. It starts with the second-year guys who want to change this team and change the organization. It’s on us. It’s not on the coaches. It’s not on the front office. It’s on the guys on the court, so when the game gets sloppy like that, one of us has to step up, and none of us did today.”
Brooklyn set the tone early, outplaying Sacramento from the opening tip. The Kings were outscored 22-6 while committing eight turnovers in the first seven minutes of the game, including three by Raynaud and two by Acuff. The Nets led 38-18 at the end of the first quarter.
Brooklyn went up 49-20 on a 3-pointer by Brown with 6:04 to go in the second quarter. The Nets led by as many as 30 before carrying a 56-34 advantage into the halftime break.
The Nets shot 47.2% from the field while going 7 of 17 (.412) from 3-point range. The Kings shot 42.9% overall and 36.4% from beyond the arc with more turnovers (15) than made baskets (12).
Raynaud attempted only two shots and didn’t make either one while committing five turnovers in nine scoreless minutes. Acuff and Clifford had three turnovers apiece while combining to go 3 of 9 from the field.
“They won the physicality battle from the start,” Darnell said. “We couldn’t even get to our spots. I don’t think it matters what play you call if we can’t get the ball across halfcourt. If we can’t win the physical battle to get a catch on the 3-point line or set a screen to get somebody open, you’re not going to have success no matter what you run.”
Schedule/results
California Classic
Kings 79, Nets 76
Kings 91, Warriors Blue 85
Kings 95, Bucks 89
NBA Summer League
Kings 91, Clippers 85
Wizards 104, Kings 85
Nets 115, Kings 83
7/15 vs. Boston Celtics, 5 p.m.
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 5:57 PM.
