Sacramento Kings Open Tonight at the Clippers: Opening Roster Announced, Rookie Acuff Starts, Simmons Out for the Season
The Sacramento Kings, based in Sacramento County, California, announced their 2026-27 opening-night roster on Monday. The Kings open the season tonight (October 21) on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. PT and Sacramento-area television coverage on NBC Sports California.
The 15-man roster lists guards Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Daeqwon Plowden, Ben Simmons and Emanuel Sharp; forwards Precious Achiuwa, Leaky Black, Nique Clifford, De'Andre Hunter, Alex Karaban, Jonathan Mogbo and Keegan Murray; and centers Dylan Cardwell, Maxime Raynaud and Domantas Sabonis. Jonathan Mogbo and Leaky Black are on two-way contracts. The announced starting five is Acuff Jr., LaVine, Hunter, Murray and Sabonis.
The team also confirmed that veteran Ben Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon in practice on Sunday; an MRI confirmed the injury, and he is expected to undergo surgery and miss the entire season. The Kings have not announced a replacement signing. Acuff Jr., taken by Sacramento with the seventh overall pick in this year's draft, makes his NBA debut tonight.
Sacramento reshaped its roster this summer: DeMar DeRozan was waived after a contract buyout with the Kings and went on to join the Denver Nuggets, and Russell Westbrook announced his retirement in August, ending an 18-season NBA career.
(GSM, based on reporting by Sactown Sports, ESPN and USA TODAY)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 萨克拉门托市中心天际线与 Tower Bridge（资料图）/ Sacramento skyline and Tower Bridge (file photo), Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
