One Player the Kings Desperately Need In Rotation Amid Shooting Concerns

The Sacramento Kings may be winless in two preseason games, but that's not generally a concern for any team in the exhibition season before the real games kick off, let alone a team expected to be at the bottom of the standings like the KIngs. But what is a concern for Sacramento, even through just two preseason games, is once again their three-point shooting.

As a reminder, the Kings were the worst three-point shooting team in the NBA last season. They took the fewest attempts (30.2), tied for last in percentage (34%), and ultimately had the fewest made threes at just 10.3 per contest. Moving on from DeMar DeRozan should naturally help, but the Kings are going to have to be intentional this season to make sure they are getting more looks from beyond the arc.

Through two preseason games, it's clear that they still have a lot of work to do in that department. They shot 4-of-23 (17.4%) in the first game and 10-of-36 (27.8%). After two games, that averages out to 7.0 made threes per contest at 23.7%. It's obviously a small sample size, but it's the piggybacking off last season that makes it a continued trend for the Kings. And quite a bad one at that.

The shot-making being low is expected in preseason, but it's the volume that once again stands out for Sacramento. Luckily for them, though, there's another clear trend that is always showing up. Emanuel Sharp is going to get up as many three-point shots as possible, and the Kings can't afford to keep him out of the lineup.

Sharp's Shooting

Oct 5, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Emanuel Sharp (34) gestures to a teammate during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Of the Kings' 59 three-point attempts, 17 have come from Sharp. That's 29% of the Kings' total looks from a single player. For reference, the top three three-point volume shooters, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, and LaMelo Ball, shot 26%, 33%, and 24% of their teams' threes per game, respectively.

Sharp's defensive tenacity alone is enough for him to earn rotational minutes for the Kings this season, but it's his combination of both defense and three-point volume that makes him the perfect fit for the Kings' needs. Obviously, the shot-making from deep will have to follow, but for a team like the Kings that just need to get shots up, regardless, Sharp is a clear answer.

Rotational Fit

The addition of Ben Simmons helps Sharp's case for rotational minutes even more, as Simmons could run the offense from the forward spot while Sharp focuses on defense and shooting. It's the same way he fits perfectly with Darius Acuff Jr. The benefit of the two guards together is that they both shoot high-volume threes, which you won't get with Simmons, but at least there's still a clear path with the combination of bench players.

Four-point play for rookie Emaneul Sharp!

(he missed the FT but still)

He's 2/3 from 3. The rest of the Kings are 0/3 from deep. pic.twitter.com/eqpXU6CN5V
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) October 9, 2026

Things will change once everyone gets back on the court. Keegan Murray and Malik Monk will be reinforcements from three, and LaVine has played limited minutes so far in two games. But even with all of the veterans and main three-point shooters back, the goal for the Kings shouldn't just be to get back to average for three-point shooting, but to rise to the top of the rankings.

It's been a year and a half, but thinking back to Doug Chrsite's time as interim head coach for the Kings, he talked about the team taking 50 threes per contest. If they are going to do that, they can't keep Sharp off the court. He has the confidence of a seasoned vet and plays defense exactly how the coaching staff wants. It's a perfect stylistic match and one of the true standouts from Kings preseason so far.

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