Tristen Newton's G League rights acquired by Kings, reunites with UConn teammate Alex Karaban

Two years after combining for 25 points and 11 rebounds in a national championship win over Purdue, UConn men's basketball greats Alex Karaban and Tristen Newton have been reunited as NBA teammates.

The Sacramento Kings ' G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings, acquired Newton's returning player rights in a three-team deal Thursday afternoon. Karaban, meanwhile, joined the Sacramento Kings this summer after being selected with the 29th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Kings traded up to select him.

Newton spent the 2025-26 season on two-way contracts with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets , appearing in one NBA regular-season game for each team. The 6-foot-5 point guard was released by the Rockets last week despite earning All-G League honors, allowing the team to sign former Providence and George Washington center Rafael Castro.

Leading UConn's offense against Purdue, Newton scored a team-high 20 points to go with seven assists and five rebounds while helping shut down the Boilermakers' backcourt. It was an all-around effort that typified his excellent senior season in Storrs. Newton arrived as a transfer from East Carolina ahead of the 2022-23 season, and his production exploded during the 2023-24 season under Dan Hurley. He averaged 15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists while becoming the first player in program history to record four triple-doubles.

Newton was among four UConn players selected in the 2024 NBA Draft, heading to Indiana as the No. 49 overall pick. He was waived by the Pacers in January 2025 and later joined the Timberwolves. He has played in nine total NBA games across the past two seasons.

The Texas native earned $321,714 during his half-season with Houston on a two-way contract last season. That was roughly half of the full-season salary for a two-way player. Players signed directly to the G League earn around $40,000 per season, but Newton could sign a more lucrative two-way or Exhibit 10 contract.

Karaban will hope to carve out a role within a rebuilding Kings squad that could sorely use a power forward with his proven perimeter-shooting skill set. Still, recent history suggests that Karaban and Newton will likely spend some time together in Stockton, as each of the last 10 players selected No. 29 overall has made multiple G League appearances.