With NBA free agency set to tipoff on Thursday, June 30 at 3:00 p.m. PT, the Sacramento Kings have made their first surprising maneuver.
According to James Ham, and confirmed by Adrian Wojnarowski, the Sacramento Kings are declining to offer Donte DiVincenzo a qualifying offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent. Woj is also reporting that there will be significant interest in DiVencenzo on the open market.
The Sacramento Kings are declining to offer Donte DiVencenzo a qualifying offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN. There will be significant interest in DiVencenzo on the open market.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022
This effectively marks the end of the short-lived Donte DiVencenzo era in Sacramento. The Big Ragu averaged 10.3 points, 1.5 steals, 3.6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds while shooting .362 from the field and .368 from three in 25 games for the Kings last season.
It’s a surprising move by McNair and the Kings on several fronts:
1. Monte McNair had spent over a year trying to acquiring DiVencenzo from the Milwaukee Bucks, and letting him walk away for nothing is a strange pivot.
2. The Kings don’t have a clear starting SG on the roster right now. One would hope Davion Mitchell is the guy, but the Kings were hesitant to play him with De’Aaron Fox last season.
3. By making DiVencenzo a restricted free agent, the Kings could have controlled his NBA destiny and gone above the salary cap to retain him. If the Kings are trying to prove that they’re doing everything they can to win now, the path that includes declining DiVencenzo’s qualifying offer and also getting better is pretty narrow.
Tim Maxwell did the cap work already, so I’ll defer to him here:
The Kings can take two approaches when free agency opens up on Thursday night. They can remain above the cap and access the non-taxpayer MLE and bi-annual exception, or they can try to duck as far under the cap as possible.
If Monte McNair chooses to renounce all of Sacramento’s free agents, he can generate $7.8 – $8.7 million worth of cap space, depending on what happens with Chimezie Metu’s non-guaranteed deal. While that seems counterintuitive to simply staying over the cap and using the MLE, which is worth over $10 million, entering the offseason with cap space would allow the Kings to take on lopsided salaries in a trade, up to their available cap space. If there’s a team out there looking to shed salary, the Kings could facilitate that deal. Such a move would also grant Sacramento access to the room exception, which offers a starting salary of around $5 million.
[Editor’s Note: Woj has just reported that the Kings are exercising Metu’s option]
It’s worth noting that DiVencenzo’s relationship with the Kings started to deteriorate at the end of last season. Donte was unhappy with his role coming off the bench down the stretch, and his team felt like the Kings were intentionally limiting his minutes and role to decrease the salary required to keep him in restricted free agency this summer.
Donte probably wanted a change of scenery, but the Kings have found zero success during this run of letting players who would rather be somewhere else mosey on out of town for nothing in return. It appears the Kings could have handled this one better dating back to last season while communicating his role on the team.
Like most controversial Kings decisions, there is a narrow path forward where the Kings max out the cap space gained by losing DiVencenzo in a move that improves the team beyond what Donte would have provided had they just kept him around.
Until then, I’ll be here scratching my head wondering how this makes the Kings better next season.
It is odd, given all that’s transpired, but as you said, it frees up a roster spot, and there may be something else in the works.
Interesting stuff, and crazy how sparse those roster spots are at the moment. Should be an exciting weekend, if this sort of thing excites you.
If there’s another move in the works or if Donte’s camp made it clear he’d be a cancer on the team going forward, then fine. If this is just more asset mismanagement, then how much more can we take?
Even if he was threatening to make the locker room toxic, they could’ve given him the QO so that they could do a sign & trade.
Or simply let him walk like Bogi. I’d rather have all the options on the table rather than washing my hands of him.
My Sacramento Kings motto: “Prepare for the worst, expect to be unpleasantly surprised anyway!”
Need a shirt for this one TKH.
Part of me wants to blow this off— I really want a Fox/Mitchell starting lineup, DDV appeared to want to leave and the Kings might be accommodating that and making sweet with agents, there are trades to be done, and good fits (GPII or Dipo) that could arrive.
The other part of me wants to scream into the loam as I prepare yet again for shit to suck.
For what it’s worth, keeping DiVincenzo wasn’t going to be the difference between sucking, and not sucking. I like the kid, but I’m wondering if the Ellis signing made it an easier choice.
Yeah, I get it. I liked his fit between Mitchell and Fox and thought of him as a good bench and glue piece. Just sucks to lose him for nothing. If it leads to something better all is well, but the relative lack of moves pre-and post-draft plus this just feels like foreshadowing on the same old story. Here’s hoping, but man it would be nice to not be let down again.
Out of curiosity, what feasible and/or realistic moves would you like to have seen before, during or after the draft?
It’s true, but who soaks up starting 2 guard minutes? I was hoping it could be Murray for Flotsam and Jetsam, but now he’s headed to Atlanta!
Ellis is a rookie and one who was not drafted – he was passed 58 times.
He is a wild guess. His signing to a 2 way had zero to do with this.
Seems like this is Bogi 2. Let DDV go for nothing.
and the Kings have no SG- Holiday??? TD??? and Davion out of position?????
Traded away a second round pick for really nothing “in order to save a roster spot” and then save a roster spot by letting DDV go.
Signed Metu, Lyles and Q.- all low money deals.
Trade Holmes for 3 guys?
Andy- you are right- he was not going to be the difference but he was an asset.
I feel like the Cool-aid is coming around again.
I feel like there are a lot of people around here who are going back for seconds on the Kool-Aid. They seem distraught and very disenchanted with life.
Sequenced. Also DiVincenzo isn’t very good but his paycheck is amazeballs.
I wouldn’t expect Ellis to be a major contributor next season.
Quite possibly true, and a fact in common with DiVincenzo.
even if you don’t want him, it’s bad asset management.
At the moment I am not a fan of this decision. Strange way to enter the FA period. Good for Donte, I guess.
Sign Metu and let Divi walk. I hope there is a plan in place, but, this is the Kings we’re talking about. As much as I disliked Bagley, we have nothing to show from the 2018 draft. SMH.
Trek Lyles.
I will say it again (not that this makes this news less perplexing and at the moment a bit infuriating)….
Trey Lyles for Bagley straight up would still be a good trade. Sorry Marvin Sr.
can everyone plz do me a favor and spell his name correctly (Donte and not Dante) ty in advance
Joy is right!
I wish Doante all the best.
He’s no longer a King so who cares
Have to hang on to the impossible fantasy that is the KAngZ.
His name is DiVincenzo, not DiVencenzo..
He sucks, who cares?
Maybe, given his open market value, he and his camp/agent insisted he wanted to test those waters.
From HoopsHype.com: on Donte Divincenzo
Maybe he just wants more and thinks he can get more. From his stand point, at worst, he leaves Sacramento.
Maybe this is the final grease in the big Russell Westbrook to Sacramento trade…
I’m kidding! I’m kidding!
I think….
The Kings should do what’s best for the Kings, not what’s best for DDV.
It’s kind of silly to believe that a corporation would be doing anything other than putting itself first. I base that on the entire history of capitalism.
But your (and others) take is that a bad decision was deliberately made by the company in order to stay friends with an employee?
You don’t need to have my level of cynicism to find that absolutely ridiculous.
The Kings may think they’re doing the right thing, but I question their competence. They have a history of making bad decisions when a player doesn’t want to be on the Kings.
If a player states that he doesn’t want to be here, the number of good decisions available dwindles down to a number approximating squat.
I’d put it at two in five that DiV is here in the fall, but wouldn’t drop a bunch of money on it.
Or Donte DiVincenzo, for that matter.
“Until then, I’ll be here scratching my head wondering how this makes the Kings better next season.”
If you’re such a great GM, then where are your trophies?! Get your Doritos and go back to the basement! Don’t be a hater!
Is that you McGenius?
How dare he express his feelings on this subject while remaining open to the decision being purposeful for a transaction we haven’t seen happen yet.
I suspect you fell into a sarchasm.
Fly away little bird, be free.
I’m picturing Monte finding a tunnel behind a poster in DD’s locker and an old spoon.
Kings suck. Case closed.
One less NBA caliber player on this team.
We have four now?
We have 7.
Fox, Davion, TD, Murray, Holmes, Sabonis, Barnes.
I very much would have kept him but don’t go all off the cliff
😂 😂 😂 I’m ded
this seems odd – worst case, somebody offers him more than you want to offer, you just don’t match. with new coach in place, seems like it could give a nice reset to the relationship and figure out if there is something to build on for the future
Agreed. If Monte doesn’t have something else in the works that justifies this, it makes no sense.
I think DDV would plays much better under Mike Brown, but I just cannot get that move.
Mitchell enjoy playing with another good defender, hope the FO can still sign a quality SG.
There has to be a trade incoming. The only rationalization I can see for this move is freeing up the cap hold from giving DD his QO in order to make a move, while maintaining the ability to retain him. But if nothing happens and DD walks, this will probably easily be the most indefensible move Monte has made.
All not offering the QO does is make DDV an UFA. The Kings, as best as I can tell, still have his cap hold.
Until he is signed by another team. Which will be before next season. The payroll going into the season is what matters.
Maybe the Kings get another player and are over the cap for three weeks?
Imagine a team paying a luxury tax? Who does that? Do they win games?
Ugh. That makes this worse.
My guess is the issue is role that DDV and the FO don’t see eye to eye on. The strange part is, they could still retain DDV or pull off a S&T. And you never know, the Kings might just do either option.
A S&T would’ve been easier if he was a RFA.
Not necessarily. What makes a S&T easier is the interest of the 3 parties involved to get a deal done.
Often times what making a player RFA does is simply leave you in a match/non-match situation.
Don’t really understand this move, yet, but I’m hoping to understand it in context of the offseason.
That’s all I got because otherwise I’m quite confused.
Agreed. I am a fan, and was really interested to see what juice this new coaching staff could squeeze from him.
That being said, I am not sure this is going to be a very consequential decision. Yet.
He and his agent never wanted to be here so they are leaving. The alternative drama if he stays is probably not worth it for the organization.
I think that this is a classic of a player who thinks that he is better than he is. DiVencenzo will accept a role on a contender, but believes he should start on a bad team like the Kings. Perhaps, the Kings could have gotten more out of the situation, but there was no future for him here.
It’s too early to form a decision without seeing what follows in the next few days. I understand the vitriol from fans. Having seen DDV up close and personal this season, I think he’s way overrated.He shot like 34 percent from the floor, made too many boneheaded turnovers, and I thought was overrated on defense. Yes, he’d get some turnovers by gambling at times but often left his teammates hanging out to dry when he gambled. Our season tickets are just off the floor and you can’t get a much better view of game action. He did have a couple of decent games but I would not invest much in him.
For. Out. Him. Of. Basketball. Good. Hell. He’s.
Unless something else is coming, this is pretty head scratching. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. There usually isn’t another move coming so I’m not holding my breath.
this is perfect! it’s all part of the plan guys.
http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=2y42abr7
👀 👀
Win a ship with the kings and he may get goat status…I see his plan lol
McDoofus.
As a fan of this cursed franchise since 1965 I can smell an owner running out of cash. It has happened to virtually all of them.
Who sells/delays second round draft picks when they want to “win now”?
Who takes a serviceable asset like DDV and gives it away because they want to avoid even the chance of salary liability.
Don’t be surprised some day…………..
makes sense
I’ll buy this as a plausible theory.
Yup… and it’s been the trend of the last few years. First Bogi, now DDV.
the ’65 Cincinnati Royals? Did they even have Oscar Robertson yet? I saw the Kansas City Kings play in Kansas City and watched them leave for some dinky town in California.
Basketball Reference might have the answer you are seeking. The answer might even surprise you.
Big O was the beat player in the NBA by then for several seasons .
Big O, Jerry Lucas (territorial draft pick!!!!), Jack Twyman, Wayne Embry, and Oddie Smith. Some very good teams that could never beat the Celtics.
Isn’t it fun to be small market?
At least the Maloof’s weren’t afraid of bankruptcy in service of a good time. Vivek you’re a coward!
Gotta be it. The billionaire and his millionaire partners are out of money (despite the richest Americans vastly increasing their net worths since 2020), and the $1.7 million they got back with the rights to the Bulgarian is how they plan to get back in the black.
Excellent question! Because it has always been second-round picks that turned struggling teams into contenders?
Enjoy your takes, I guess. It doesn’t mean any of us need to pretend that they make any sense.
Draymond Green says hello. And I guarantee most all of us would be more excited about Jaden Hardy then some second round picks in 2024 and 2028.
Thanks for saying Green’s name, so that I didn’t need to point out that there are obviously exceptions, like him, Jokic, and other second-round gems.
But if this is actually necessary, what’s your best guess as to the percentage of second-rounders who
Since I apparently need to say things as simply and literally as possible, the odds of a second-round pick ever having more than a negligible impact on an NBA team are minuscule. Even first-rounders are hardly locks to be truly impactful as NBA players.
Remember when the Kings had no shooting guards, then they had too many? Now they have Terrence Davis. I like him but I see him as a 4th guard in a rotation.
TD is going to be an all star this year
There can only be one All Star on a small market team. And that person has to be 15% better than the good player on a fun team.
Webber/Divac, Webber/Peja, Peja/Miller disagree.
I can’t recall when the Kings had no shooting guards… I can only recall multiple shooting guards. Shooting and shooting and missing and…..
It’s about money.
The Kings don’t have it.
Maloofs 2: Revenge of the Bankrupt
Great, I mean how many mediocre players can they fit on this team, gotta let some go.
That would be the vast majority of the team, including a starter or two.
He never wanted to be here. Simple as that.
Does anyone?
Not anymore. He found leverage to escape. One of the lucky few,
RIP Goon Squad II. Donte’s Inferno
My reaction to this is “meh”. Donte has the Buddy Buckets syndrome where your anointed self value is unrealistic to what your true value really is. Part of improving the culture is to let the players walk who do not want to be here and Donte is one of them.
Great plan for 30 win team into next decade .
16 years in a row, what’s another 10? My timetable for the Kings has vanished.
Hmm, looks like he is a real impact player. Great fg %, awesome 3pt %, great assist/steal numbers vs turnovers. Yep, definitely worth handing an overvalued extension. SMFH. I just can’t wrap my head around why the Champion Bucks gave up on him for next to nothing.
Struggling to understand why at least no qualifying offer only unless there’s already a deal in the works where they need the cap space for a trade. My understanding is that the QO has a cap hold while things are worked out but why not try to retain some value for DDV? My Kangz instinct tells me not to trust this although my hope is that Monte has enough in the works to forget letting DDV go for nothing.
This is why they pay Monte the big bucks?
This is the only real head scratcher move from Monte for me besides delon for Tristan. Of course that assumes we don’t make a move that required his release…
Yeah, I can’t get too worked up by letting a guy go who is maybe an average bench player, acquired for nothing and who seemed to be unhappy here. Meh. He’s a Trey Lyles level player at triple the salary.
Also saw a rumor that the Kings might be a target for Tobias Harris and though the writer wrote a lot of words, they never justified why the Kings would trade Barnes and Holmes for him, taking on a metric crap ton of salary in the process.
I’ll only say letting RFAs go for nothing is very rarely a good thing, and Monte has now done it twice.
Good teams operate above the cap by getting something for their RFAs in a sign and trade. Cheap ass teams who spend in the bottom 25% of the league for a decade let RFAs go for nothing.
Monte is not letting a meh bench player go for nothing, he’s letting a RFA asset that’s likely worth $10M go for nothing. Asset management is not something Monte has been able to hang his hat on… as of yet. Let’s hope there is something else on the back burner to help this make sense.
Examples please. The more the better.
I found the below via Ham:
Seems to me that his Bird rights don’t really matter at this point as he looks gone to me as a UFA, so why not just fully renounce his rights and remove the cap hold? Is there any reason not to?
I doubt renouncing DDV will accomplish much since there isn’t any real cap room to be gained. And making him UFA might make it easier to grease a S&T. Who knows?
I’m still in wait and see mode.
Because they’re negotiating a different kind of contract, and the Bird rights provide the best avenue to get there? And if they can’t agree, you renounce, and the cap hold evaporates.
After so long, I get the battered wife syndrome takes around here, but I’d think that the stress generated by constantly being in fight-or-flight mode has got to be unhealthy. If there was a font designed to convey shrieking, we’d have used it all up by now.
Free agency doesn’t start until tomorrow. I’d imagine that it will clarify many things that remain entirely opaque at the moment.
Technically, FA starts at 3pm Pacific or 6pm Eastern today.
FWIW. So a little less than 3 hours from now as I type this.
For the purposes of covering my stupid mistake, I have Quantum Leaped into the body of a lady who was very busy yesterday.
The thing about Tobi Harris is that, yes, he’s due like 74 million for the next 2 years but it’s only 2 years. It’s at most a 2 year mistake.
That does make it a bit easier to swallow that pill. It puts him on the same timeline as Sabonis, and if things aren’t substantially improved in twenty-four months, the whole thing can be blown up.
Plus we need another PF…in addition to Collins
With today’s modern super-players, you can absolutely run out an all-power forward lineup!
Someone talk me down because I’m freakin’ out!
Just came by to see the overreactions, this site highly overrates DDV.
Reminds me of that “Team Omri vs Team Donte” thing. Avoiding Hydra of Mediocrity or at least paying less for a Hydra of Mediocrity would be a good thing. Maybe it’s about putting an emphasis on defense at the 2 (see Mike Brown’s previous employer) and Brown’s got Davion and now Keon.
Just one more move that screams cheap bastards. Sold off our second round picks. Dont want to pay DDV 8-12 mil per. Vivek sucks! Monte Sucks! Mark my words we will do NOTHING in free agency! Here we go again.
Definitely felt the same way when someone asked Monte about trading the second round pick at the Murray press conference. I don’t think much is happening for the Kings in free agency
First Monte let’s Bogi go for nothing and now Divi? Yes, he has a had a nice run with our draft picks but when it comes to all other FO duties, I have zero confidence.
Miles Bridges arrested for felony domestic violence
I have to admit Kings paranoia. Can’t help it.
Kings paranoia:
Something frustrating, disappointing or just downright wrong and awful involves a player or staff member the Kings either have on their roster or are in the process of acquiring.
In the case of Bridges, of what I have read the accusation is downright wrong and awful, it reminds of the press releases of the Luke Walton hire, excepting it is occurring before an announcement rather than after.
I don’t know what to say. Donte was a good acquisition under good rationale. I may overrate him a bit, but he is a connecting player and a nice fit to a team whose fit has been the basis of far bigger decisions.
if something else isn’t in the works in terms of a larger acquisition this becomes even more questionable. To not exercise is just extremely foolish, full stop. And if the runway for Davion or a poor relationship with his camp down the stretch are factors, the Kings are making this decision really from their own negligence.
Final verdict is predicated on other moves but I’m struggling to see what’s brought in from FA or trade at the moment comparable? We shall see.
There’s mutual interest between Malik Monk, Kings
There’s mutual interest between Malik Monk and the Sacramento Kings, per @JakeLFischer h/t @TheSteinLine (Spotify Live) #NBATwitter
Hope Monk is acquired and like him over DDV . However, Monk’s defense is far worse .
Get assets, lose assets for nothing , attempt to improve roster by trades with fewer assets . Kangz
I am curious to see what Woj’s “significant interest “ turns into. Hollinger’s BORD$ had I’m at a little over $15m to me which seems like a massive overpay.
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