Emanuel Sharp drains six triples, scores 23 points

Sharp was productive during the California Classic, and he brought that with him to Las Vegas. He led the Kings in scoring, with most of that coming at the free throw line. He’s showcased a knack for swiping steals and knocking down triples. Both of those will play well in fantasy hoops. Among second-round picks, Sharp has been one of the most enticing in this class and could end up carving out a role early on.

Karaban didn’t play in the California Classic because of an ankle injury, so this was his first summer league game. It’s safe to say that it was a disappointing start to his Kings tenure. He missed all six of his shot attempts, including all four of his three-pointers. He’s an experienced player that should be much better than he was in this game, especially since he likely wasn’t 100 percent healthy.

The 29th overall pick in last month’s draft, Karaban injured his ankle during one of the Kings’ final practices before the California Classic. He sat out all three games, including Monday’s win over the Bucks, and the rookie won’t be available when Sacramento begins play in Las Vegas at the end of the week. Given the timeline, there’s hope that Karaban will be able to play at some point this summer, but that is not guaranteed.

Of the key Kings players active at the California Classic, Sharp was the only one made available for Sunday’s game. The second-round pick shot 4-of-12 from beyond the arc and worked well with fellow guard Isaiah Stevens (18/1/4/1 with one three-pointer) to lead Sacramento to a second win in as many days. Given his experience at the college level, Sharp can play on or off the ball, which should serve him well with the Kings.

Sacramento added Sharp with the 45th pick last month, and the experienced guard was able to make a well-rounded impact in his first game as a King. This stat line is similar to his college averages, where he was an effective scorer and good source of steals, though his field goal percentage was subpar. Sharp will continue to play a large role during summer league and may be part of the rotation as a rookie, especially with Devin Carter now in Atlanta.

After coming off the bench as a redshirt freshman, Sharp started all but five of the 111 games he played in the final three seasons of his Houston career. Last season, he averaged 15.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.6 three-pointers, shooting 37.2 percent from three and 89.1 percent from the foul line. Sharp’s overall field-goal percentage was just 41.3, but his ability to knock down perimeter shots and compete defensively is where he shines. Between Sharp, Darius Acuff Jr. and Alex Karaban, the Kings have gone with players from successful college programs in this draft to help with their rebuild. What happens to Sharp’s opportunities depends in part on what happens with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. If the Kings can move off of one or both of those contracts, more opportunities will be available.

Karaban left college as one of the most accomplished players in the sport’s recent history, having won a school-record 126 games and two national titles while at UConn. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward helped lead the Huskies to their third national title game appearance in four years last season, averaging 13.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers per game. While not a jump-off-the-screen athlete, Karaban’s shooting ability and basketball IQ should serve him well in the NBA. Sacramento sent pick 34 and a future second-round pick to move up to 29 to add Karaban to the rotation. He may not provide much value for fantasy managers, but he should be a solid piece for the Kings.