The Sacramento Kings have signed Quinn Cook to a one-year deal, according to Andscape’s Marc Spears.
The Kings have agreed to sign NBA veteran Quinn Cook to a one-year contact, source told @espn @andscape. The two-time NBA champion played for the G League Stockton Kings last season and is competing for a third point guard spot. Last played in the NBA for Cavs 2020-21 season. pic.twitter.com/bWjXCN02NS
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) August 9, 2022
Cook had previously been rumored as being a player the Kings were interested in, but we assumed the Kings had decided on Matthew Dellavedova instead. The Kings seem to instead be taking the opportunity to load up their roster before training camp, and allowing the players an opportunity to win their roster spot.
I absolutely love it.
When we first discussed the options for third string point guard, I said of Cook:
Cook is a little younger than Dellavedova, and also has some history with Sacramento, having spent part of last season with the Stockton Kings organization. Cook also played under Mike Brown during his stint with the Golden State Warriors. Cook appeared in just 7 NBA games last season, playing for the Cavs. Cook would provide the Kings with more of a scoring threat, as a career 40.8% three point shooter.
The question around Cook will be what type of opportunity he’s seeking. Cook might be staring down his final chance at consistent NBA minutes, and may want a situation with a clearer path to playing time. Cook is reportedly receiving interest from multiple teams.
Over the years we’ve grown accustomed to the Kings picking up one or two free agents off the scrap heap, and sadly relying on them for heavy minutes (recall Hassan Whiteside). This year, though, the Kings are loading up their training camp roster with viable options, and seem prepared to allow the best players to emerge and earn their spot.
The Kings have Cook and Delly competing for third-string PG duties, with Kent Bazemore, KZ Okpala, and Chima Moneke competing for the backup small forward role. Although few details have been reported on any of these deals, most have been reported as one or two year contracts. It seems the Kings are signing older players to one year deals, and younger guys to deals with second year options. It’s safe to assume at this point that most of these deals are non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed, allowing the team the flexibility to keep whoever they like at the end of camp.
The other common thread among all five of these players is that they all have experience playing under Mike Brown.
I say it again, I love it.
I love the way the Kings are creating honest competition for the end of the bench, giving themselves opportunities to keep any younger players that work out, and consistently adding guys that know what Mike Brown wants, and who Mike Brown is presumably vouching for. It’s great seeing a front office and coaching staff seemingly working in lockstep and in a way the mirrors any competent NBA organization.
Training camp will likely begin sometime in early to mid-September. I can’t wait.
If I could be write about the Kings, I’d wanna be Greg when I grow up.
You realize of course that if you follow that route you’ll be required to ruin marriages right?
The idea that a player has to compete for a job is a total foreign concept to any player that has spent their career here,
I like the idea of letting the garbage expose itself as their replacement sits next to them.
Seriously, this is new for Sacramento. Gone are the days of Sim Bhullar and Duje Dukan taking up a roster spot as a friendly gesture. These guys that Monte is signing are here to compete for a spot. Can’t complain about that.
Two stellar examples of KaNGz signings.
Praise Jesus
Ugh, those signings were so cringe. I remember how much Vivek was trying to hype up Sim Bhullar just because he was the first person of Indian descent to play in the NBA.
Gotta say – I’m a bit surprised by all the signings.
There’s the Nigerian National Team guys: Metu, Moneke, Okpala (3) to go with coaches, Brown, Fernandez and Loucks.
There’s the New Edition Veterans: Dellavedova, Bazemore and Cook (3)
You got your Two Way Contracts: Queta, Ellis (2)
Add to that:
Sabonis, Fox, Barnes, Heurter, Murray, Monk, Holmes, Lyles, Davis, Len (10)
That is > 15.
Does this mean a trade is imminent? That 17 +2 are going to be fighting for a spot and then fighting for minutes/PT?
I am boggled. But even more than usual. Cage Match Kingdom Court style?
+ Mitchell so that should be 11 on your list to total 17. Trade may or may not be imminent — I think the Durant and Donovan Mitchell sagas have put a bit of a damper on trade talks, while everyone waits for that to play out. But regardless, it seems to me that the Kings will likely open the season with this roster. As Greg pointed out some of the six recent signings are likely non-guaranteed so these are essentially training camp invites. So two of the six will get need to get cut before the season if there’s no trade.
I doubt a trade is imminent. Me thinks these are “prove it” camp signings with minimal guarantees.
This is good digging from Jillian Adge
https://twitter.com/JillAdge/status/1556830735394189312
That’s good information coming from Keith Smith. Jill was just kind enough, as she so often is, to make it easily accessible.
At least she shares actual information. She could just pound away at a keyboard and produce mounds of useless crap.
I agree. You could learn quite a bit from her if you put your mind to it. I believe in you.
You are consistent at least.
Indubitably, as it were. I’m consistently more intelligent, humorous, and thoughtful than you are capable of ever being. It’s why I suggested taking a page out of Jill’s book. I’m clearly not enough to help you out of your dilapidated state, and it does take a village to raise a retard after all.
As I said….consistent.
You’re allowed to carry 20 through training camp.
That’s a fun bit of info right there Greg. Thanks!
Signing multiple mediocre to low-level talent players is NOT the sign of a great GM.
None of the 50 or so signings over the past month amount to a hill of beans.
What are you talking about, this changes everything
Agree, but….
He is not hanging the future of the team on random two way players that do not even make a G League roster anywhere else in the NBA. All the “potential” over the last decade has hopefully run its course.
Nothing impressive yet.
You mean how the Warriors signed Gary Payton Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. on vet non-guaranteed minimum deals, and made them prove it in camp to make the final roster, and then have an impact on a championship team, kind of hill of beans?
If just one of these guys: KZ, Baze, Delly, Moneke, Cook, or even Metu bring it in camp, beat out the rest of them, and earn a spot at the end of the rotation, then the Kings are better for it.
I’m not sure any are gonna move the needle, but Monte is doing proper GMing. What if Moneke turns out to be the guy that wins out and becomes the Kings version of Royce O’Neale? I’d take that in a heartbeat.
Bring on the camp competition. If anything the level of intensity is gonna help the likes of Fox, Sabonis, Keegan, and more.
Well said.
I like this response and line of thinking.
Its definitely a better response than “pound sand, Grant”
While I don’t expect a Dubs level of impact, great points here Adam.
Don’t go away mad, just go away!
Witty retort
And equal to the initial comment.
Chill bruh
Doesn’t move the needle. Kings margin of error this year to make the playoffs will rest on Sabonis’ health. My grades for the roster
Domantas Sabonis (A)
De’Aaron Fox (B)
Harrison Barnes (B-)
Richaun Holmes (B-)
Kevin Huerter (C+)
Davion Mitchel (C)
Keegan Murray (C)
Malik Monk (C)
Quinn Cook (C-)
Terence Davis (C-)
Josh Jackson (C-)
Jeremy Lamb (C-)
Alex Len (D)
Trey Lyles (D)
Chimezie Metu (D)
Neemias Queta (D)
Chima Moneke (F)
A = All Star
B = Above Average
C = Average Replacement Level
D = Below Average
F = G Leaguer
Can anyone clarify what’s up with Lamb and Jackson? I didn’t think they were still on the roster. My googling of this conundrum didn’t answer these questions clearly. Found some stuff saying Josh Jackson is still a free agent which goes with what I thought (that he’s no longer on the Kings roster). That said, it’s still not completely clear to me.
Jeremy Lamb…. Not seeing anything indicating his situation.
article on Josh Jackson being a free agent here:
https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/.amp/news/josh-jackson-still-remains-a-free-agent-fourth-overall-pick-in-the-nba-draft-by-the-phoenix-suns
Both are UFAs and are not returning to the Kings. It’s entirely possible that both are done in the NBA. Maybe Lamb can find a vet minimum deal out there, but I’m guessing Jackson won’t.
Except Keegan is A+ and will be competing for MVP. Not sure about your grading system.
Just my personal opinion relative to the rest of the league (West in particular). You could argue to put some guys higher or lower, but until the Kings prove it, it’s hard to say they have many guys above replacement level. Fox might be an All Star in the East, but reality is he’s in the tougher Western Conference with a ton of other really talented guards.
I hope to share your optimism on Keegan soon enough, but we just don’t know yet. Here’s to hoping he’s more Luka Doncic than Marvin Bagley.
Giving Murray a B- as a rookie and A- in year 2. Also think fox is a B+ With this roster construct and a real coach!
Fair enough, I agree that Fox could be on the doorstep of an All Star in the West if he can shoot FTs more efficiently. He could be an All Star if he was in the easy East
THIS GUY USED TO PLAY UNDER MIKE BROWN, TOO. SIGN HIM UP AND MAKE HIM COMPETE FOR A ROSTER SPOT.
Looks like a promising young talent.
Falconsfury has him at a solid B-
Man, I don’t even mind that so much. What was more embarassing was the use of the roster for Vivek and Vlade’s bros and vanity projects like Duje Dukan and Sim Bhullar.
It should be noted that Whiteside played fifteen minutes per game, which stretched to per 36 would have given him 19.3/14.2/3 blocks per game. HW wasn’t anything remotely like a bad signing, particularly for one year at $1.6 mil. This isn’t like most of the others.
Exactly. Hassan was a legitimate nba player making the minimum salary. Dukan was Divac’s buddy’s kid, coming off a 4.7 ppg senior season as a redshirt bench player at Wisconsin.
Let’s get cookin..
Cook is good enough to put in an actual game and possibly help the team . Like it !
Overall, I think the offseason is going pretty well… emphasis on “I think”, because I don’t really know and I probably won’t until the all star break… but if I had any area of possible concern (or maybe interest is a better word)… it might be this:
I don’t know how I feel about so many of these players having had time under Mike Brown. It might be a great thing. It might be a sign of Mike being one of those kinds of leaders who makes friends with people who he coaches and wants to be surrounded by them, or him having a biased opinion on how good they actually are.
It could also be a sign that he has a LOT of influence over what Monte is doing, and that could again be good, or it could be really bad. Especially given how hesitant (or careful, depending on your viewpoint) Monte has been in personnel moves thus far. Granted, these are one year deals, and very likely training camp looks and competition as everyone is saying, so that’s fine. I just find it a LITTLE interesting that so few if any of these moves are coming from outside of MIke Brown’s former circle. I just wonder where else they are looking… only as a means of gauging (which means guessing if you are me) on how thorough and detailed they are in their player search.
Did the scouting department just come back with a bunch of guys they like who coincidentally used to play for Brown? Or did Brown pull a Herb Brooks and say “I know who I want on my team.” I have no idea. it worked out well for Brooks, so maybe it’s all good or great… I just find it interesting that’s all. Not good. Not bad… but interesting to talk about.
I’d think that McNair is content to give his coach some leeway, but I don’t believe that he’d offer a contract to anyone that he felt wasn’t going to be useful. I don’t think that any of the former and present Mike Brown guys are making much money, and none of them are being brought in to play big minutes.
It’s a good bunch! I’d not be surprised if at least one of them ended up being a solid, valuable rotation player. Camp will sort things out.
Many of the end of the bench guys signed by the Kings do have that strong Mike Brown connection- the Nigerian contingent + the ex-players contingent (Delly, Cook, Baze). This could be good- he knows what he wants, or it could be bad – the search is not extensive enough. Or, because none of these guys will be a major contributor, it may not matter much except for culture.
I am still stinging from the absolute strike out in the second round.
The Mavs too low picks are just that- low picks and Sasha may show up (someday)
I’m pretty upset about Giannis playing for Greece, because if he was playing for Nigeria, he’d already be on our roster.
Baze and Cook are solid 3rd string options, get outta here with Delly though that’s a joke. This roster is still probably 12th best in the West though, none chance.
I love my Gaels but Cook is the better player and the Kings do not need 4 PG’s.
Badge Legend