Kings re-signing veteran forward Maurice Harkless
The Kings liked the veteran presence and versatility Maurice Harkless provided after coming to Sacramento at the trade deadline last season. They want to see more of the same next season.
The Kings wasted little time in re-signing Harkless as free agency began Monday, agreeing to a new two-year, $9 million deal, league sources told The Sacramento Bee, confirming a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Harkless, 28, is a nine-year NBA veteran who came into the league from St. John’s as the 15th pick in the 2012 NBA draft. He spent time with the Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Miami Heat before coming to Sacramento last season.
The Kings acquired Harkless and Chris Silva in the trade-deadline deal that sent Nemanja Bjelica to Miami. Harkless appeared in 26 games for the Kings and made 20 starts, averaging 6.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 24.9 minutes per game. He had 20 points and seven rebounds in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had 18 points in a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
At 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, Harkless provides some positional versatility behind or alongside Harrison Barnes as a veteran combo forward with size, length and toughness. Harkless has appeared in 574 games, posting career averages of 7.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals.
Lakers reach agreements to bring back Howard, Ellington and Ariza
The Lakers reached an agreement Monday with Dwight Howard to bring the veteran center to L.A. for a third time, according to a person with knowledge of the situation
not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Howard’s one-year deal for the veteran minimum can’t be signed until Friday at 12:01 p.m. PDT. Until then, teams and players can only agree to terms.
The Lakers also agreed to one-year, veteran-minimum deals with 3-and-D wings Trevor Ariza and Wayne Ellington, who have also played previously with the club.
Howard won a title with the Lakers in 2020 during his second one-year stint with the team, but he bolted to the Philadelphia 76ers last season.
Howard, 35, averaged 7.0 points and 8.4 rebounds in 17.3 minutes last season during 69 games in Philadelphia, his 17th in the NBA.