3 Takeaways as Kings End Rough Summer League On High Note

After leaving the comfort of Sacramento and Golden 1 Center, the Sacramento Kings headed to Las Vegas for Summer League. Whether it was the nightlife, the heat, or just an overmatched roster, the Kings could never really get it going in Vegas. Sacramento found themselves in the consolation bracket after starting 1-3, but were able to finish Summer League off in the win column. Here are three takeaways from the Kings’ 92-90 win over the Hornets and some thoughts on Summer League as a whole.

FINAL: Kings defeat the Hornets, 92-90.

👑 Emanuel Sharp: 16 PTS, 3 STL
👑 Jonathan Mogbo: 14 PTS, 8 REB
👑 Alex Karaban: 14 PTS, 3 AST pic.twitter.com/njf0UdF60i
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) July 18, 2026

Rookies or Vets?

Both Emanuel Sharp and Alex Karaban feel more like veterans than rookies, even in comparison to some of the second-year players on the Kings’ roster. Karaban had a slow start to summer and drew the ire of many fans who could not figure out why the Kings had traded up for him. Karaban finally got it going in the last game against the Boston Celtics and continued on that path against the Hornets. The former UConn star finished the game with 14 points on 6-12 shooting, but his biggest contribution has been his ability to play within himself and make the right connective plays.

Sharp has been good for the majority of Summer League, and he finished things off exactly how he started. The former Houston Cougar finished with 16 points on 4-9 from three while adding three steals and a block on the defensive end. Even in a meaningless game, Sharp still plays as hard as he did in some of his biggest college matchups, and the confidence he has in his shot will continue to take him a long way.

Emanuel Sharp connects from DEEP 🎯

The Kings' second-round pick has 8 PTS in the 2Q of SAC/CHA NBA Summer League action on Prime! pic.twitter.com/IvueajRmR8
— NBA (@NBA) July 17, 2026

Throughout the summer it has become clear that Sharp and Karaban have the mindset of veterans who will do whatever it takes to help their team win. Both prominent names at their respective schools and now preparing for scaled down roles as supplementary pieces to the now Darius Acuff Jr. led Kings. Both players have brought a steadiness to a Summer League roster that seemed like it was filled with players who had forgotten the basics of the game at times, and I can easily see that translating to the regular season.

Y’all Got Anymore Roster Spots?

Oct 10, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Jonathan Mogbo (2) dunks for a basket against the Boston Celtics in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Sacramento Kings have filled up their two-way slots with Adam Flagler, Jonathan Mogbo, and the lone holdover, Isaiah Stevens. Flagler and Stevens have been fine over the summer, but Mogbo has looked like someone who might not need to spend any time in Stockton. The former 31st overall pick finished the night with 14 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks in 25 minutes of action. Mogbo also showed some growth in his game, knocking down two triples in four tries.

As I alluded to, Mogbo is currently on a two-way deal and slated to play half his season in the G-League. While there is still time for the Kings to look for reinforcements with their last full roster slot, they might not find a better fit for their identity than Mogbo. The USF product represents all of Scott Perry’s six pillars quite well and feels like the type of player that Doug Christie would be very excited to have for all 82 games.

Get Mogbo on a standard deal asap https://t.co/5fHB9Y9kE2 pic.twitter.com/0yYu0d6lEb
— Jack Dann (@JackBDann) July 18, 2026

If you ask me, the easiest fix would be to convert Mogbo’s deal to a standard contract and use the open two-way slot for Marquel Sutton. Mogbo has been impactful in each one of Sacramento’s matchups, and his defensive versatility is not something Sacramento has much of right now. His offense is still very much a work in progress, but he’s only 24 years old and would be a great fit as both a play finisher and defensive buffer as Darius Acuff Jr. gets accustomed to the NBA. Time will tell what the Kings do with that final roster spot, but after a great showing this summer, they could do a lot worse than Mogbo.

Better Without The Starters?

Karaban, Mogbo, and Sharp have all started games for the Kings over the summer, but four of the usual starters sat out this final matchup. Acuff, Dylan Cardwell, Nique Clifford, and Max Raynaud were all in street clothes tonight, and one could argue the Kings looked a little better. Was the team actually better without their “best” players?

While they were able to get the win, I don’t think we can necessarily chalk things up to Acuff, Cardwell, Raynaud, and Clifford being detrimental to the team. Much like the Kings last season with Russell Westbrook. Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan, it often felt like when one of those four had the ball that the rest of the team just stood around and watched. With them out, there was a more democratized offensive flow to the game.

Sacramento's rookies went to WORK tonight!

EMANUEL SHARP: 16 PTS, 3 AST, 3 STL, 4 3PM
ALEX KARABAN: 14 PTS, 3 AST, 2 3PM

The Kings secure the W in Las Vegas 👏 pic.twitter.com/L9c2nAVEi7
— NBA (@NBA) July 18, 2026

All of the Kings’ starters scored in double figures, and none of them took more than 13 shots in the game. While it isn’t reasonable to expect that to become the norm, there is something the parent team can take away from this game. With no “go-to” scorer on the court, the Kings moved the ball and looked for advantages wherever they could find them, kept their turnovers low, and defended with intensity most of the game. Overall, it was a great reminder of what team basketball can look like, even with a roster filled with quite a few players who will not be playing NBA minutes next season.

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