With the No. 9 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Kings selected Davion Mitchell out of Baylor. The Guard averaged 14 points last season while shooting over 51% from the field.
It took four days for Kings general manager Monte McNair to land his first free agent last November. That isn’t the case this year.
After agreeing to a two-year, $9 million contract with Moe Harkless less than an hour and a half into free agency, NBC Sports California has confirmed that McNair added depth on the front line in 7-footer Alex Len on a two-year deal.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania was first with the news.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported, citing a league source, that the deal is worth $7.65 million over two years.
Specifics of the contract are not known at this time, but this is the second tour of duty for Len in Sacramento. The former No. 5 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft came to the Kings at the 2020 trade deadline and added toughness, rebounding and shot-blocking in his 15-game stint with the team.
The Kings passed on bringing back the Ukrainian-born big last summer and he signed a deal with the Toronto Raptors in free agency. That didn’t work out as planned and he was waived mid-season. The Kings had interest in bringing him back, but he was claimed by the Washington Wizards before they had a chance to grab him.
NBA
In 57 games in Washington, including 40 starts, Len averaged 7.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 15.8 minutes per game.
RELATED: Kings hire Christie as assistant coach on Walton's staff
What this means for free-agent center Richaun Holmes is unknown at this time, but Len should be considered a backup at this point of his career. He’s only 28 years old, but he has a history of injuries and he has never averaged more than 23.3 minutes per game in his eight-year NBA career.
This is a solid rotational addition that adds a true 7-footer to the mix.
