Kings Shuffle Starting Lineup in Desperate Bid to Fix Leaky Defense

The Sacramento Kings are rolling out a new starting five for Friday's game against the Spurs, and it looks like a 2K MyTeam roster drafted by someone who accidentally auto-filled the small forward spot.

According to Underdog NBA, Sacramento is officially starting Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, Leaky Black, Precious Achiuwa, and Domantas Sabonis.

"Underdog NBA reported the lineup change on X."

They are swapping out Hunter for Black on the wing, which is the exact kind of deck-chair shuffling a coaching staff does when the season is already taking on water.

The Kings are currently sitting at a brutal 1-7 record and own the 28th-ranked defense in the league. Giving up 121.1 points per 100 possessions is not a slump, it is an open invitation for opposing guards to get career highs.

It is not like the stars are failing to produce on the offensive end. LaVine is putting up 22.4 points per game over his last seven outings, Sabonis is ripping down a massive 14.9 rebounds a night, and Acuff is logging a heavy 37.3 minutes per game.

But when you are getting blown out by the Grizzlies and Lakers on a weekly basis, individual counting stats are just empty calories. Throwing Black into the starting unit feels less like a tactical masterstroke and more like a desperate plea for anyone to play a lick of perimeter defense.

Bettors looking at Friday night's matchup against San Antonio should probably note that Sacramento is also an abysmal 1-7 against the spread. Until this new-look rotation actually proves it can stop a simple pick-and-roll, trusting the Kings is a heavier lift than guarding Victor Wembanyama in the paint.