The Surprise Player Who Could Change the Kings’ Future Ceiling

The Sacramento Kings enter the 2026-27 season with a lot of questions, but also a lot of excitement after drafting Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh overall pick. Not only does he already look like a franchise player, but throw in the emergence of Emanuel Sharp as a draft-day steal from the second round, and the return of sophomores Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell, and there's hope on the horizon in Sacramento for the first time in years.

But lost in the shuffle is fellow rookie Alex Karaban, whom the Kings traded back into the late first round of the draft to snag with the 29th pick. Following the draft, many were excited about Karaban joining the Kings, but after a slow Summer League, he feels like the forgotten young player heading into the season.

Sharp is getting more attention, and while he deserves it for his strong play during the exhibition season, Karaban has something that neither Sharp nor Acuff bring to the court: size.

Alex Karaban, the 29th overall pick, led the Kings in scoring tonight at @NBASummerLeague!

21 PTS (team-high)
8 REB
5 3PM (game-high) pic.twitter.com/sPLNUwxOlp
— NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2026

Standing at 6-foot-8 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Karaban is a true wing player who will hopefully turn into a switchable combo forward who can play either the small or power forward spot. His lack of athleticism is a question mark, and slots him more as a power forward, but regardless, he brings size to the court for a Kings team still trying to build out their future wing rotation.

That's what makes Karaban's development this season arguably the most important for Sacramento. Of the six players in either their first or second year (Clifford, Raynaud, Cardwell, Acuff, Sharp, Karaban), he's the only player who brings size on the perimeter. Clifford is close behind him, but he's more of a 2/3 combo wing than a 3/4 like Karaban.

Long-Term Solution

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) shoots the ball over Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) 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

If Karaban is able to develop into a starting caliber player, or even a high-level role player off the bench, the Kings could have a huge position figured out for the foreseeable future. It's one of the hardest positions to find in the modern NBA, as every team is always on the lookout for players with length who can shoot.

Karaban shot 37.4% from beyond the arc in his four-year college career, and at 5.2 attempts per game, it doesn't feel like a fluke. He's a legitimate threat from beyond the arc at power forward, which the Kings haven't had since Trey Lyles left. You could technically throw Keegan Murray into that mix as well, but there's still questions around whether he's a three or a four, and to be honest, he needs to prove that he can knock down the three at a high rate to get back in that conversation.

Karaban exceeding expectations would drastically change the Kings' trajectory for next offseason and beyond. Him proving that he can be a rotational mainstay is the difference between the Kings throwing the bag at Jonathan Kuminga or going for another big name on the wing market.

There's no shortage of X-Factors heading into the season for the Kings, but make sure to add Karaban's development to the list of things to watch that will have major effects on the Kings' future thanks to his size and position.

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