After missing the California Classic, rookie Alex Karaban hit the court for the Sacramento Kings in the Summer League. It might have taken a game or two to get his groove back, but Karaban showed up for his team and more than justified the efforts Scott Perry put in to secure him in the first round.
Going into the 2026 NBA Draft, the Kings had three picks to work with, one in the first round and a pair in the second. That number seven overall pick had long been earmarked for Darius Acuff Jr. as Sacramento's new starting point guard. No pressure on the 19 year old rookie or anything.
Towards the end of the first round, Perry threw everyone a bit of a curveball and turned one of those second round picks into a first round pick. This was done via a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers and allowed the Kings to select Karaban 29th overall. It was an interesting move, to say the least.
It demonstrated how much the Kings wanted to make sure they drafted him. Karaban is a champion combo forward with four college seasons of development in the celebrated UConn program. If he's a key part of the rebuild program, then making moves to ensure his selection is common sense.
Karaban delivers in the NBA Summer League
An ankle injury in practice prevented Karaban from taking the court in the California Classic. The sprain wasn't severe, but it was more than enough to sideline him for all three games. As such, the Summer League in Vegas was everyone's first chance to see him in a Kings' jersey.
Not surprisingly, Karaban got off to a slow start throughout the first three games. He was averaging almost 24 minutes a game at that point but only collecting 2.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. It wasn't an auspicious way to kick off his NBA career.
But he sorted himself out for the last two games and started to find a rhythm. Karaban totaled up 35 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and one steal. That's just a glimpse of what he's capable of when he gets to NBA speed alongside the rest of his Kings' teammates.
Based on what Karaban was able to do in his last couple of Summer League outings, Perry was right to make that pick trade and get him on the roster. As he grows over his rookie season, he'll fall into a groove with guys like Emanuel Sharp, Precious Achiuwa, Dylan Cardwell, and Maxime Raynaud.
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