Brendan O’Sullivan gives his prediction and best bets for Sunday’s Charlotte Hornets vs. Sacramento Kings Summer League matchup.
The championship is set as the Hornets and Kings square off in the NBA 2K26 Summer League finals. Both squads are undefeated at 5-0 apiece heading into this matchup.
Charlotte defeated Oklahoma City 109-80 in the semifinals, while Sacramento downed Toronto 98-88.
The Kings are favored by 2.5 points in this matchup, and the game total is set at 188 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Sacramento is -148 on the moneyline, while Charlotte is +124.
Hornets vs. Kings prediction
The Kings didn’t have a lottery pick this year, but it hasn’t stopped them from dominating other Summer League squads. Isaac Jones has been solid in his second stint in Las Vegas and is coming off a 36-point performance against the Raptors in the semifinals.
Nique Clifford, Sacramento’s only 2025 first round pick, has been great, too. He’s posted scoring totals of 17, 19, 19, 19 and seven. Devin Carter is another player who is having a good summer league after being a lottery pick last year.
Sacramento has a strong group of players that provide a balanced approach. While Jones and Carter have both scored at least 30 points, it’s not always necessary to get a victory.
The Hornets have a good squad, too, but they feature many more prospects from this year’s draft. Charlotte drafted. Kon Knueppel fourth overall and later picked Liam McNeeley with the 29th selection. McNeeley has shown some bright spots, but he only played the first two games.
Knueppel struggled in his debut and sat out the second game, but he’s been much better in the past three games. He looks every bit like the scorer that Charlotte drafted. The team is far more than just him, however.
K.J. Simpson, Jaylen Sims, M.J. Walker Jr., Damion Baugh and Ryan Kalkbrenner have all played a solid role in keeping the Hornets undefeated. The team’s final test will come against the Kings in the championship match tonight.
Hornets vs. Kings pick, best bet
It’s hard to ignore the firepower that Sacramento has, especially following Jones’ 36-point explosion. Him and Carter can score 30, while Clifford has immediately proven to be a consistent bucket getter.
It makes sense why the Kings would be favored, but it’s not how I expect the game to play out. The Hornets will win this game and etch their names into Summer League history.
Betting +2.5 gives some extra room for error, but that shouldn’t be needed. Take the Hornets’ moneyline at +124.
Best Bet: Hornets moneyline (+124)