One mock draft now plugs the Arkansas sharpshooter landing with Sacramento. Who sees Acuff as a Kings fit?
The Sacramento Kings and Darius Acuff have grown into a popular potential pairing.
Now one mock draft believes Acuff is a Sacramento fit, even inside the top five.
Bleacher Report calls for the Kings to swoop up the Arkansas sharpshooter No. 5 overall. B/R's prediction is far different than what Yahoo! Sports predicted Thursday: Sacramento taking Cameron Boozer of Duke at No. 3.
But B/R NBA analyst Jonathan Wasserman has become one changing his perception of Acuff. With the belief he's now worth taking between one to five.
"Perceptions of Darius Acuff Jr. have shifted over the season's final two months, when he averaged 27.8 points and 6.7 assists while consistently carrying Arkansas during important stretches," Wasserman wrote.
Wasserman added what he's now seeing in Acuff upon further review.
"With diverse, accurate shotmaking, advantage-creating handles and quickness, finishing craft and convincing playmaking IQ, he's poked enough holes in the belief that limited size, athleticism and defensive resistance cap his ceiling," Wasserman said.
There may be one hurdle, however, before teams can further evaluate Acuff.
"NBA teams will still be eager to learn Acuff's official measurements, given the ongoing conversations around the value of small guards who can be targeted defensively. The current widespread love for Acuff figures to stand if his 6'3", 190-pound listing winds up being confirmed," Wasserman said.
Yet Acuff's play has made his rather smallish size an afterthought. He's even earned a Stephon Marbury comparison per Acuff's scouting report.
"Comparisons to Stephon Marbury for Acuff started early in the season, mostly because of stylistic and visual similarities," B/R wrote. "Neither are big or explosive, but they're shifty and physical attacking the rim. They initiated and took contact on drives. They stepped into threes and mid-range jumpers with the same type of mechanics."
There's one other trait that draws the Marbury comparisons in.
"However, based on assist and turnover numbers at the same age, Acuff appears to be a more polished playmaker and decision-maker than Marbury was at Georgia Tech," B/R said.
Acuff's floor general side is another selling point for the Kings.
"Aside from just showing he can deliver all the expected passes of a starting NBA point guard, he was also praised for how he was able to balance scoring with playmaking and picking the right spots," the scouting report wrote. "The numerous times Acuff took over and carried Arkansas late in tight games also strengthened the credibility of his intangibles. The idea that he has the clichéd "it factor" could play a big role in a team drafting a 6'3" guard in the top five."
Point guard may rise as a huge need for Sacramento. Even if Russell Westbrook is fully on board to return.
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