Sacramento’s three-point problem is staring the Kings right in the face, and De'Andre Hunter and Alex Karaban may be two of the cleanest ways to chip away at it.
The Kings finished last in the league at 34% from deep, a number that reflects just how thin the shooting really was around the roster. Sacramento had only three true perimeter threats: Zach LaVine at 39%, Malik Monk at 39.5% and Doug McDermott at 39%.
After that, the floor spacing fell off fast, with most of the roster below 35%. Keegan Murray is part of that group, and his efficiency has gone down every year.
Hunter brings a career mark of 36.4% on 4.9 attempts, while Karaban shot 37.4% on 5.2 attempts over four seasons at UConn. Karaban enters the picture as a rookie in a crowded forward rotation, with Hunter, Murray and Precious Achiuwa all sitting ahead of him.
On Tuesday’s episode of “The Matt George Podcast,” host Matt George laid out how Karaban could still carve out a role. He pointed to the way both players can work as floating shooters, hovering around the arc and keeping the defense honest.
“He was floating a lot from that corner three up to the curve of the arc at that wing three,” George said. “That was his domain.”
That kind of movement mattered because it gave Darius Acuff Jr. room to operate. With a shooter stretching the floor, defenders couldn’t load up on Acuff without giving away an open look. That’s the kind of small advantage that can bend a defense and open everything else up.
The same setup should matter once the regular season starts and the sixth overall pick is asked to handle the ball against strong perimeter defenders.
For Sacramento, the need is simple: more shooting, and the right shooting at the right time. Those late-clock threes that swing momentum, trim a lead or stretch one out in the final minutes are the shots that can change games.
George sees the floating role as a natural fit for both Karaban and Hunter because it keeps things straightforward. They can read the defense, stay ready as shooters and cut when the opening is there.
Hunter also remains a wildcard for next season, with the Kings needing to figure out where he fits once healthy in a contract year.
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Still, the latest outside view was a harsh one. Bleacher Report projects Sacramento to sit last in its power rankings over the next three seasons, a reminder that progress in this market is still being measured against a long climb. The organization continues to treat this as a long-term build, and Perrys recent draft and roster work has drawn some optimism, but the broader picture remains clear: the Kings are still trying to prove they can turn incremental movement into real staying power. [Read more 🡒]
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The question is what comes next, because retaining Monk does not necessarily mean the front office is done weighing its options. Sacramento may be looking at this season as a chance to let him boost his trade value before the 2027 deadline, especially if the market shifts again. No official plan has been announced, but the longer he remains in place, the more he looks like part of a rebuild calculation rather than just a stable rotation choice. [Read more 🡒]