The Sacramento Kings announced Wednesday that they have exercised their team option on second-year guard Davion Mitchell, extending his contract through the 2023-24 season. From the Kings:
Selected by the Kings with the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mitchell earned 2021-22 NBA Rising Stars team honors as he averaged 11.5 points and 4.2 assists while shooting .418 percent from the field. Mitchell played in 75 games (19 starts) and averaged 27.7 minutes per game during his rookie campaign.
The Hinesville, Georgia, native finished his first season ranked in the top 10 among all rookies in points (11.5 ppg, 10th), assists (4.2 apg, 5th) and minutes per game (27.7 mpg, 10th).
This move is a easy call for the Kings considering how well Davion played in his rookie season, despite entering a difficult situation behind two other lead guards. The Kings cleared some of that logjam when they traded Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis, but Mitchell still projects to come off the bench behind De’Aaron Fox in his second season.
While there are certainly still questions about Mitchell’s consistency as a scoring option for the Kings, he’s already the team’s best defensive player and has an unquestioned and unwavering work ethic. Whatever development opportunities may exist in Davion’s game, I certainly wouldn’t bet against him, and the Kings aren’t either.
Please refrain from the use of the phrase “no brainer” when discussing the Kings front office. Those wounds are still fresh.
Oh, that’s cruel! ????
Bald dude: “2 down, 1 to go”
Can we give away Monta Ellis for cash considerations? Err DeAaron Fox.
Please start Davion. Should’ve kept Hali
Why is this so surprising? They did this last year with Tyrese. I don’t get why this is news unless we were taking about the option not being picked up.
In Dubai, they report every day that it is going to be sunny.
All I’m saying is that unsurprising news is still news.
And that’s my point. This doesn’t require an announcement on the Kings part. I don’t care if a reporter like Andersen or Ham or whomever says anything. That’s part of the job.
I’ll never understand why the Kings choose to make announcements like this.
Because I’d wager 95% of Kings fans don’t understand the workings of salary caps/extension/contracts like many of us on TKH do.
It’s news for them, not necessarily us.
So if they don’t understand the cap, why announce it? If they assume that Davion is being kept, why waste time announcing it?
I’ve never understood the logic. If anything, the release was for those who DO understand, not those who don’t. Those who don’t know or care don’t notice regardless.
It’s just a pretty gripe of mine. It goes back years to the Petrie era. It’s apropos of nothing really.
And1: It really speaks to how they market this team at this point IMO. I think that’s why it raises a red flag.
I would say this isn’t a team-specific thing. This is pretty standard practice in the NBA.
So 30 NBA teams announce they are picking up their options?
I’m going to start looking at all 30 NBA teams press releases then. I’m curious how true your statement is or isn’t.
Copy paste….from the Kings web page.
You know that.
I specifically wrote that it isn’t surprising
Kings news on a Kings specific website?
The craziness of it all.
I know that, smartass remarks on Twitter be damned. My point is a more simple one: It doesn’t require an announcement.
The combined word count on this little debate over the Mitchell announcement is now longer than that of the announcement itself. I love TKH.
Is it a petty gripe? Absolutely. The only time it’s news, really, is when the option isn’t picked up. Like in Harry Giles’ case.
But I also think it’s a good example that speaks to the disconnect between the org and the fanbase at large that they think it’s actually news, too.
Not picking up an option for a player that never played because of injury is a “not news” event for any other organization.
It doesn’t require an announcement.
The thirty other NBA organizations do not announce the release of players that never play or are injured for seventeen years.
Obvious move for the Kings.
Bad day for Davion.
I am really excited to see what improvements Davion has made to his game this offseason. His attitude and approach to the game last season really impressed me, and I would not be one to bet against him making a significant impact to the teams success this year.
i don’t have super high expectations for Davion, his ceiling is as a 6th man. Maybe could use him as a trade piece down the line
I don’t buy what you’re selling about Davion at all unless you’re using the sarchasm font. If you’re not then screw you. This season Mitchell will show out or not, but I’d be willing to bet a lot more on Mitchell showing significantly improved shooting then I would betting on the Kings making the playoffs.
Badge Legend