Kings Commit to New Rookie Emanuel Sharp With Three-Year Contract

The Sacramento Kings had a huge 2026 NBA Draft, headlined by their selection of Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh overall pick, but they did not stop there. The Kings traded up for the 29th pick to select Alex Karaban and stayed put at 45 to draft Emanuel Sharp.

Walking out with Acuff Jr., Karaban, and Sharp immediately made them one of the biggest winners of this year's draft, and now they are fully committed to their new-look young core. Of course, Acuff Jr. and Karaban got standard four-year, first-round rookie-scale contracts, but the Kings are already committing to their second-round pick as well.

On Wednesday, the Kings officially signed all three rookies to their new deals, and HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported that Sharp's deal is worth $6.35 million over three years, with two fully guaranteed seasons.

The Sacramento Kings signed Emanuel Sharp to a three-year, $6.35 million deal, which includes two fully guaranteed years, league sources told @hoopshype. Sharp was the 45th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Agent Alex Saratsis of Octagon finalized the deal. pic.twitter.com/GmpUdlgbc5
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 2, 2026

It is not uncommon for players drafted in similar positions to sign two-way contracts, but the Kings are ready for Sharp to make a difference from day one. Signing him to a standard contract with two fully guaranteed years solidifies his spot in Sacramento's young core.

Why Sharp will make an impact in Sacramento

Sharp spent each of his four college seasons with the Houston Cougars. By the end of his career, he was Houston's all-time program leader in three-pointers made, free-throw percentage, and offensive win shares, while finishing third all-time in box plus/minus and defensive win shares.

Houston is a historic program, yet Sharp became one of the most impactful players the school has seen on both sides of the ball. Sure, the NBA is a much different league, but his two-way impact will translate.

Emanuel Sharp is a flamethrower and can play defense too!

— 15.5 PPG
— 3.0 RPG
— 1.7 APG
— 1.2 SPG
— 41.3 FG%
— 37.2 3P% (7.1 3PA)
— 89.1 FT% .

25-26 All-Big 12 first-team selection. pic.twitter.com/jLAJFkwcaA
— KingsMuse (@kings_muse) June 25, 2026

While a bit undersized for an NBA shooting guard at 6-foot-3, Sharp is a winning player. While the 3-and-D label is commonly overused, that is exactly what Sharp brings to the table. Last season, the Kings ranked last in three-pointers made per game and 28th in defensive rating. Sharp will be a great help in both areas, while being a potential ideal backcourt partner for Acuff Jr. in the future.

Sacramento's new backcourt

Now, after signing Sharp to a standard contract and trading away Devin Carter, the Kings have a revamped guard room. Here is a full look at their new-look backcourt:

Darius Acuff Jr.
Zach LaVine
Nique Clifford
Malik Monk
Emanuel Sharp
Isaiah Stevens (two-way)
Adam Flagler (two-way)

Sharp should undoubtedly be able to compete for minutes in Sacramento's rotation as a rookie, especially given how he is Doug Christie's ideal player. Not only does Sharp have high character, but he hustles every play. The Kings need more players willing to do the dirty work, and Sharp has everything the team could ask for.

The futures of LaVine and Monk are still uncertain, but even with them on the roster next season, their young guard trio of Acuff Jr., Clifford, and Sharp should be able to shine. Ideally, the Kings part with one of their veterans to open up more opportunities for Clifford and Sharp, while saving money, but we will see what happens in the rest of the offseason.

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