Takeaways as Kings Summer League Slide Continues, Fall to Celtics

The Sacramento Kings lose their third straight Summer League game, falling 82-76 to the Boston Celtics.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) drives to the basket against the Duke Blue Devils during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In what was one of the Summer League games of all time, the Sacramento Kings lost to the Boston Celtics 82-76. Sacramento falls to 1-3 in the Las Vegas Summer League after losing their third straight contest.

This game was more of a story of who did not play for the Kings tonight. Top pick Darius Acuff Jr. and key second-year players Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud all rested and did not play in tonight’s game. 

Likely roster players that did suit up for the Kings tonight include Dylan Cardwell, 29th overall pick Alex Karaban, and 45th pick Emanuel Sharp. The starting lineup was rounded out with current two-way prospect Jonathan Mogbo and former two-way player Isaiah Stevens. 

On the other side, the Celtics were headlined by last year’s 28th pick, Hugo Gonzalez, and the 27th pick this season, Chris Cenac Jr. Gonzalez looked great, finishing with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. 

Rough Start, Strong Finish Not Enough

Apr 7, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Dylan Cardwell (32) smiles after getting called for a foul against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is no other way to say it: the first quarter was ugly. Sacramento scored four (4) points in the first quarter, and shot just 2/21 from the field. This set a record for fewest points in a quarter in Summer League history. Simply put, the Kings looked exactly like a team that was missing their three top offensive options. 

Sacramento ended up shooting 32% from the field and 31% from three. The Kings, other than Alex Karaban (discussed below), shot 18/63 from the field and 4/22 from beyond the arc. Not great! 

The shooting performance is epitomized by the frontcourt of Dylan Cardwell and Johnathan Mogbo, who combined to shoot 3/14 from the field. Both took and missed one three, but nearly all of their other shots came right around the rim, and they went 3/12 on those. Amari Williams and Chris Cenac had strong nights protecting the rim, but 25% on these shots will never be something you can live with. 

For what it’s worth, Boston shot just 38% from the field and 29% from three. Outside of Karaban for Sacramento and Gonzalez and John Tonje for Boston, there were very Summer League performances all around tonight. 

Despite the brutal start (and generally poor shooting throughout), Sacramento battled back and ended up losing by just six points against a good Celtics summer league team. Boston is now 3-1 and in contention to advance to the semifinals pending some other outcomes. 

Husky Great Finding His Rhythm 

UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) runs back to play defense after making a three point basket Monday, April 6, 2026, against the Michigan Wolverines during the NCAA men's basketball tournament national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It was particularly encouraging to see Alex Karaban get more looks today, as he ended with 21 points and 8 rebounds. The former UCONN forward has taken time to settle in at the pro level, having scored just 7 points across his first three summer games. 

Importantly, Karaban went 5/7 from three tonight. Sacramento needs shooting from wherever they can get it. Spacing will help the team in both the short and long term. With Keegan Murray trending the wrong direction and De’Andre Hunter coming off a career-worst shooting season, someone needs to be able to hit shots from the forward positions. This is even more important considering that Sacramento’s bigs do not stretch the floor. 

Karaban shooting at or around the 37% he shot in his career at UCONN would be both a welcome sight for the team now, and for the long-term fit with Darius Acuff. Spacing is very important when developing a young point guard, so ideally Karaban bottles this shooting performance and can carry it into the regular season. 

Sacramento finishes their summer league up against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, July 17. 

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