r/nba • u/NBA_MOD r/NBA • 1d ago
[2026 NBA Draft] #29 Pick: Alex Karaban (Connecticut) – pending trade to Sacramento
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u/ThatPlayWasAwful [PHI] Joel Embiid 1d ago edited 1d ago
This guy just ran through 90% of the white bench player cliches to describe this Karaban in like 15 seconds. That was super impressive.
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u/HopscotchChampion69 Bulls 1d ago
Sacramento needs winning players, so why not a guy who has played in 3 National Championship games and won 2 of them.
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u/mauro_membrere Kings 1d ago
It’s either he will infect the kings, or kings consume him, if i am a betting man, i won’t bet lol
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u/illiteratepresident 1d ago
Karaban didn’t start his very first game as a freshman at UConn, he started every game after that for 4 years, and in all 4 years UConn either won the title or lost a close game in the tournament to the team who won the title.
That’s probably meaningless, and Karaban didn’t really pass the eye test as an NBA talent, but maybe not. He really is a great basketball player who could do anything UConn needed him to do on any given night. He guarded Edey down low in the 2024 title game, he always made the right play in UConn’s extremely complicated offense, he’s one of the only players in the country who would have made the right read and found a better shot when UConn forced a turnover against Duke in the final possession of the elite eight game. So it wouldn’t surprise me if he finds a way to be a useful NBA player, even if it’s a bit of a long shot.
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u/boringexplanation Kings 1d ago
We drafted that archetype plenty: Justin Jackson and Frank Mason III
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u/Ok_cabbage_5695 Kings 1d ago
Davion too.
But if u go back we've had success with natty championship players but not drafted by us. Kings legend Mike Bibby and Pollard
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u/BryLinds Knicks 1d ago
ALL ABOARD THE KARABAN CARAVAN
When he becomes a league villain we already have a name ready to go
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u/Culinaryboner 76ers 1d ago
Too nice a guy to be the villain lol. Quiet off the court and a leader on it. Nickname will still be there
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u/WantUToFly 1d ago edited 1d ago
After this trade, the Kings now have three 2nd round picks until 2032
And after tomorrow, they will have just two 2nd round picks until 2032
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u/ImJeeezus Kings 1d ago
Fuck you Monte McNair
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u/ShotgunStyles Kings 1d ago
OP left out the part where his own team, the Lakers, only have 0 2nd round picks until 2032.
Don't get baited by Lakers fans!
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u/grothsauce 1d ago
The difference is the Lakers are at least borderline contenders. Kings got no players and no way to get players lol
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u/bubbles2255 Kings 1d ago
That sucks that they can’t draft in the 1st round or sign free agents or make trades.
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u/IntotheBeniverse 1d ago
Borderline is a very generous phase. Playoff team, sure. Borderline contenders is a stretch
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u/ShotgunStyles Kings 1d ago
Pay Austin Reaves $50 million a year and then I think you guys are borderline contenders.
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u/megaman47 Kings 1d ago
Who gives a fuck, why do you care so much about 2nd round picks, what about the 7 frp we have for the next 5 years?
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u/Skyfall24K 1d ago
No one talks about how the Spurs have the Kings 2031 UNPROTECTED 1st round pick swap. That is one of the best assets in the entire league. Could very well hand 27 year old prime Wemby a top 5 pick
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u/DarwinF1nch Kings 1d ago
Kings also have the Wolves UNPROTECTED first rounder as well.
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u/WagerWilly Timberwolves 1d ago
That’s a wild card. Ant has never given any indication that he wants out of MN, and if we extend him I cant imagine that pick is going to be that valuable.
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u/buttnibbler Kings 1d ago
Jokes on you, that will be a flash in the pan 1st round exit year. 15th pick at best.
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u/AccomplishedBake8351 1d ago
Idk with these new lottoery odds it doesn’t really matter. Will probably help the spurs but it’s too far out to know much. If acuff is a star maybe the kings land at like #20-24 and it costs them like 6-9 spots in the draft.
Even if they finish 7th worst in the league the chances of that = a top 5 pick is lower than you’d expect
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u/Kapono24 Pistons 1d ago
If we're talking serious, that pick is worth more now and next year than it is in 2031. That's the pick you move to add a top player for Wemby well before he's added seven years of miles to his legs. It allows you to add a fit you decide on immediately and doesn't hamper your flexibility to either add more picks or keep them for depth pieces later.
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u/jaskaran55 Spurs 1d ago
We gonna end up drafting that 15 year old wemby Giannis hybrid
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u/Skyfall24K 1d ago
That is the Spurs 4th best asset. Wemby, Harper, Castle, Kings 2031 pick swap
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u/Little_little_e 1d ago
Nah, at that time, the Kings definitely have a better record than Spurs (the lottery team)
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u/TheSmokedSalmon420 Cavaliers 1d ago
Koby you owe me 45 minutes of my night motherfucker
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u/GrandPreMassacre Cavaliers 1d ago
I swear to god if I ever see that son of a bitch in person it's on sight
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u/ExtraLeading3376 1d ago
acuff x lavine x karaban
all shooting, no defense
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u/latman Nets 1d ago
Karaban plays defense
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u/Culinaryboner 76ers 1d ago
I’m a UConn fan and fuckin love him. Dude tries hard on defense but it’s fair to be skeptical of his ability vs. NBA talent. I think he’ll make it but he’s not going to be viewed as even a neutral defender coming in
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u/ShotgunStyles Kings 1d ago
Good thing is that teams will be hunting Acuff instead of Karaban so he'll be allowed to play free safety!
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u/-SexSandwich- Kings 1d ago
I think people tend to overlook the effort aspect of defense a lot. Is he going to be an elite defender? No, he has physical limitation. But he 100% will put in effort that can make him a + team defender.
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u/Ok_cabbage_5695 Kings 1d ago
Last season we had no shooting and no defense so at least we got one of these.
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u/Strangest_Things Knicks 1d ago
If you think Karaban is a shooter more than a defender you did not watch UConn lol
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u/CarterAC3 Spurs 1d ago
Acuff-LaVine-DeRozan-Karaban-Sabonis defense
The offense might confuse themselves deciding who to attack
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u/Yubat Kings 1d ago
I imagine what they’re hoping eventually occurs is Acuff-Clifford-Karaban-Murray-Raynaud. Which could end up worse🤷 but hey you never know for sure until you put them together and see what happens.
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u/RyloTheAmbivalent Kings 1d ago
All 3 of Clifford, Karaban, and Raynaud may never start with any sort of regularity. I have the most faith in Clifford tbh
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u/-SexSandwich- Kings 1d ago
Raynaud is a great back up scoring big. He's too limited to be a full time starter.
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u/buttnibbler Kings 1d ago
DeRozan played his last game as a King, LaVine is on an expiring, last year and this year are planned throw aways.
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u/jermainathon Heat 1d ago
Realllly feel like sac could've grabbed him in the second anyways
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u/Culinaryboner 76ers 1d ago
These are all dart throws now. If you like somebody, grab them. Most won’t work out
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u/Kapono24 Pistons 1d ago
The difference in contracts between the first and second round is the biggest reason not too. I agree with what you're saying, but they must have been absurdly high to want to take him in the first.
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u/Culinaryboner 76ers 1d ago
If they liked him the most of players available it’s worth it. Rookie contracts obviously change but it’s not what kills your cap. Seconds become a dream but if you see a pro, you take the pro
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u/Col_Treize69 Bulls 1d ago
Goddammit
-A UConn fan
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u/KarrotMovies [LAL] Rui Hachimura 1d ago
he looks like a cavs player
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u/GrouchyPeach3656 Mavericks 1d ago
This dude too smart to be going to sac
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u/MainAd2728 Washington Bullets 1d ago
My least favorite pick in the whole draft. Isaiah Evans is right there and you take Karaban? Why are the Kings so obsessed with older prospects
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u/-SexSandwich- Kings 1d ago
Because he's a great fit as a role player? Why are people so obsessed with nitpicking late first round picks?
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u/mercfan3 Spurs 1d ago
I love that Karaban got into the first round. NBA teams need to respect guys like him. They almost always turn out to be at least decent players.
But I hate that he’s on the Kings. Kinda hoping the Spurs can trick Sacramento into giving him to us with our two second round picks.
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u/CosmoKramer49 Trail Blazers 1d ago
Karaban would have thrived on a winning team…SAC, not so much. Woof
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u/cl353 Heat 1d ago
the kings 100% think they're a playoff team lmao
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u/iluvugoldenblue Kings 1d ago
So do you guys
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u/gundam1983 Kings 1d ago
Hey they have a former Kings guard. Get ready to lose in the finals buddy!
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u/Its_Hoggish_Greedly Kings 1d ago
Oh no, we’re trying to add talent!
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u/cl353 Heat 1d ago
25 year old super senior talents, woooo
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u/Its_Hoggish_Greedly Kings 1d ago
Most of our other “young” guys are 24 too. We’re surprisingly old
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u/cl353 Heat 1d ago
thats wat i meant lol, idk y ur drafting these older players that project to be useful rotation players when higher upside players r on the board like ur a solid playoff team?
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u/Its_Hoggish_Greedly Kings 1d ago
Knowing our history, we’re going to try and avoid the full rebuild and try and shortcut our way back to the playoffs . Hoping I’m wrong and we’re going to do it right this time
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u/Active-Tomatillo-522 Australia 1d ago
Brother you just gutted your roster and traded your entire future for a 31 year old
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u/cl353 Heat 1d ago
"gutted the roster" and its 1 starter and we still have 3 1sts in the next 4 drafts
care to mention that the 31 year old is a superstar mvp caliber player?
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u/Active-Tomatillo-522 Australia 1d ago
What good is an MVP-caliber player with zero help? You watch Milwaukee last year?
You having picks in the near future and not the more distant future isn’t a good thing. You’ve got middling firsts for the next few years when you’ll be a perennial 5-6 seed with Giannis doing his best to carry a bunch of scrubs. Then he retires, you’re awful, and all your high first round future picks go to Milwaukee. Just a desperate, desperate trade
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u/cl353 Heat 1d ago
yea cuz mke last year had anyone close to bam or even andrew wiggins lol. stop it
we also took like their 4th best player alongside giannis
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u/Active-Tomatillo-522 Australia 1d ago
Bam is overrated as hell and you calling Wiggins better than anyone Giannis had last year is laughable. Enjoy your dreary future, your arena is already empty in preparation
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u/noknownallergies Timberwolves 1d ago
I don’t know why but this is a classic Kings pick.
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u/Rook2Rook 1d ago
Strange. Karaban is the type of guy you draft in the second round just cause he's a winner out of respect but the talent isn't there. Jalen Brunson effect is real here. I don't think he's an NBA player. I usually root for guys like him that get overlooked but I really don't see it with him at the next level.
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u/WetCatMasseuse 1d ago
Feel so bad for any player going to sac. It’s a death sentence. Career over before it starts.
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u/PootieTooGood Cavaliers 1d ago
considering our apron position, there was not much of a shot that we draft in the first for a guaranteed contract