Sacramento

Kings

Between the California Classic and Las Vegas, Sharp has delivered some quality performances for the Kings. Despite the 32-point defeat, the second-round pick’s performance was a bright spot, as he shot 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. While Alex Karaban (four points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal) has largely struggled since returning from a sprained ankle, Sharp has looked comfortable on both ends of the floor. Given his experience and shooting ability, it would be unsurprising if Sharp cracked the Kings’ rotation as a rookie.

Acuff had a good afternoon in Las Vegas, but he did not have much help in a game the Kings lost by 32 points. The seventh overall pick in last month’s draft, Acuff shot the ball well against the Nets but finished with as many turnovers as assists (five). Given who he has shared the court with in Las Vegas, Acuff is likely to benefit from the Kings’ veterans being on the floor when the regular season kicks off. Efficiency can be an issue for rookie point guards, but the opportunity makes Acuff one of the top fantasy rookies in this class.

Westbrook, 37, is an obvious fit for the Heat in the wake of the trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. He still has something left in the tank and would come cheap, which is a necessity for Miami at this point. Of course, Westbrook is out of the picture if LeBron decides to join Giannis in Miami. James is yet to make a decision in free agency and is reportedly also considering Cleveland, Golden State and Philadelphia.

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.

Acuff once again carried the offensive load for Sacramento, though he was once again inefficient as a scorer. He did more as a playmaker, matching his assist total from his two previous games in this one alone. He also contributed some defensive stats and had some solid moments on that end of the floor. However, Acuff has shot below 40 percent from the floor in all three of his summer league appearances. He’s an immensely talented offensive player, but his fantasy impact will be limited by his field goal percentage, especially early in his career.

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.

Clifford didn’t have the best night shooting the basketball, which was also the case in Saturday’s opener against the Nets. However, others picked up the slack against Milwaukee, including Marquel Sutton, who scored a game-high 24 points. For the Kings, the hope in Las Vegas will be that Clifford plays well enough early to prompt the team to shut him down. With DeMar DeRozan no longer in the picture, logging heavy minutes consistently is certainly possible for Clifford once the regular season begins.

Cardwell’s final stat line is one that category league managers dream of getting when the games actually count. Not selected in the 2025 draft, his defensive activity made the 6-foot-11 center a fan favorite as a rookie. And that should remain the case, especially if Cardwell can provide value similar to what he did on Monday. Of course, fantasy managers won’t expect to see him put up eight “stocks” and 12 rebounds consistently, but rotation minutes should be available. And if the Kings find a new home for Domantas Sabonis, Cardwell could become a player worth rostering in some standard leagues.

After getting up 29 shots in his summer debut, Acuff toned it down a bit on Monday. The rookie guard shot 4-of-9 from beyond the arc but was just 3-of-10 from two, and he also committed more turnovers (four) than assists. Given where the Kings are, next season will be a rebuilding one for the franchise. While that bodes well for Acuff’s playing time, fantasy managers should be prepared to take a hit in the efficiency stats.