After a disappointing loss to the Washington Wizards, the Sacramento Kings look to get back in the win column in a rematch against the Brooklyn Nets. It's hard to call a Summer League loss disappointing, but for the Kings, some concerning trends popped up once again.It's just Summer League, but here are three things to watch as the Kings look to right the ship in their third Las Vegas game.Darius Acuff Jr.'s DefenseEasily the biggest talking point coming out of the loss to the Wizards is Darius Acuff Jr.'s defensive effort. We've seen some ups and downs from the seventh overall pick on that end of the floor so far, but it was by far his worst game (arguably on both sides of the ball).On three consecutive possessions Acuff:- closes out lazily on his man who passes it to an open Camden. Acuff doesn't make an effort to run at him to cover for Sharp- misses layup & takes his time getting up- takes 8 seconds to re-enter frame while his teammates defend 4-on-5 https://t.co/womg6w69k3 pic.twitter.com/KYWUJkAxms— J r u e (@thatl0calguy) July 13, 2026Acuff isn't going to turn into an All-Defense player overnight, but he'll have to show signs of improvement over the season. Having two back-to-back games with so many clips like the above would be a hard watch for Kings fans and would just thrust the narrative about his poor defense throughout social media even more.Again, Acuff doesn't have to become a defensive stopper overnight, but this is his chance to show even a slight uptick in defensive activity and keep the trend from getting worse.Alex KarabanEmanuel Sharp's strong play has helped hide the early returns of fellow rookie Alex Karaban. The 29th overall pick of the draft injured his ankle leading up to the California Classic and missed all three of those contests, and his return to action in Las Vegas has been quiet, to say the least.The 23-year-old wing has scored three total points through his first two games, making just one of his nine field goals. At least it was a three-pointer, of which he took six. So it's safe to say that that's not quite going to cut it.This is where it's important to remind everyone that it's just Summer League, though. And to give Karaban even more benefit of the doubt, he is recovering from an ankle injury, which could be hampering his play more than he's letting on. But regardless, him having at least an average game would go a long way to help ease Kings fans before they start losing their minds over a bust with a trade and pick.Nique Clifford Breakout?Jan 11, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (5) shoots during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectNique Clifford has been solid through Summer League so far, but he hasn't had a huge breakout game. In his four games, he's scored 16, 8, 13, and 17 points. That's not bad, and I think he's played better than the numbers show, but it would be great to see him have a game where he takes over to show signs of a leap from his rookie year.Clifford might just not be that player, though. He has a Swiss-Army-knife skillset where he does a little bit of everything. That's not a bad thing, and I even wrote recently about how I think it's a perfect fit next to Acuff, but we're still trying to figure out exactly who Clifford is.Last season, he tended to disappear when he shared the court with the veterans. He looked most comfortable when he was running the show with the other young players, and what better chance to continue to thrive in that role than in Summer League. Follow us on Facebook and X for the latest Sacramento Kings news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow