Kings guarantee Chimezie Metu’s $1.9M contract for next season
One of the decisions the Kings had to make on the eve of free agency was what to do with Chimezie Metu’s contract for the 2022-23 season.
A league source told The Sacramento Bee the Kings chose to guarantee Metu’s $1.9 million salary for next season. Metu has one year remaining on a three-year, $4.4 million deal, but the final year of his contract was nonguaranteed if he was waived by Wednesday.
In the end, the Kings elected to keep Metu, 25, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound power forward who came out of USC as the 49th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He spent his first two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs before signing with Sacramento in 2020.
Metu appeared in only 36 games during the 202021 season, but he took on a larger role last season. He appeared in 60 games, including 20 starts, averaging 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per contest.
Metu had six doubledoubles last season, including an 18-point, 13-rebound performance in a late-season win over the Houston Rockets. One of the highlights of his career came when he made a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in a 95-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 29.
Metu was a member of the Nigerian national team that competed in the Olympics last summer in Tokyo. That team was coached by then-Golden State Warriors assistant Mike Brown, who was recently named head coach of the Kings.
Sacramento Kings linked to Los Angeles Lakers guard Malik Monk
On the eve of free agency, there were whispers of a potential reunion between former Kentucky guards Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox in Sacramento.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported Wednesday night there was “mutual interest” between Monk and the Kings with free agency set to begin at 3 p.m. Thursday.
Monk, a 24-year-old shooting guard, is an unrestricted free agent after four seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and one with the Los Angeles Lakers. Fox, a 24-year-old point guard entering his sixth season with the Kings, starred with Monk at Kentucky in 2016-17, leading the Wildcats to a 32-5 record and an appearance in the Elite Eight.
Monk is expected to command a salary in the range of $8 million to $12 million. The Kings can offer him all or part of their $10.3 million mid-level exception.
Monk is a bit undersized for his position at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. He wouldn’t help the Kings address their need for size, length and defense, but he would certainly add shooting, which is also considered an area of need in Sacramento.
Monk averaged career highs of 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks in 76 games for the Lakers last season, including 37 starts. He shot a career-best 47.3% from the field, 39.1% from 3-point range and 79.5% at the free-throw line. He shot 40.1% from beyond the arc with the Hornets in 2020-21.
The Kings could be in the market for a startingcaliber shooting guard after declining to tender a $6.6 million qualifying offer to Donte DiVincenzo, who will now become an unrestricted free agent. The Kings could still negotiate a new deal with DiVincenzo — and his Bird rights would allow them to go over the salary cap to resign him — but they have given up the right of first refusal.
Sacramento currently has only three guards under contract for next season. Fox will earn nearly $30.4 million in the second year of a five-year, $163 million deal. Davion Mitchell will earn $4.8 million in the second year of his rookie contract. Terence Davis is owed $4 million in the second year of a two-year, $8 million deal.