The Kings are one step closer to finalizing their roster for the regular season.

Per Shams Charania, the team is waiving Frank Kaminsky, bringing the total number of players under contract to 16. This doesn’t count Kyle Guy, who is on two-way deal.

Sacramento signed Kaminsky prior to training camp for a deal that was lightly guaranteed. General manager Monte McNair made it seem like they brought Kaminsky in just for some depth during the preseason, and the implication was that it wasn’t exceedingly likely Kaminsky could compete for a roster spot.

The Sacramento Kings are releasing F/C Frank Kaminsky, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 19, 2020

The sixth-year center out of Wisconsin had a chance to prove his worth during the first two preseason games, but he basically fell out of the rotation once Hassan Whiteside was healthy to play. Through four preseason games, Kaminsky averaged 5.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per contest. He only made 2-of-8 3-pointers, and some of those misses were disastrous, which didn’t exactly indicate that Kaminsky could be a respected stretch 5.

Without Kaminsky, the Kings still have to cut one more player to bring their roster to the 15-man limit. The most obvious candidate to get waived is Chimezie Metu, who played 29 minutes in the preseason. The only players to see the court less were the second-round rookies, and the three Kings who missed the final three games with sore backs (Cory Joseph, Jabari Parker, and DaQuan Jeffries).

Metu has shown flashes of intrigue thus far in the preseason, so it’s possible that Sacramento tries to bring him in on a two-way contract. Kaminsky has too many years of experience to be eligible for a two-way, but Metu can sign one since he is only in his third NBA season. The Kings could still keep him around and have him suit up for up to 50 games; the downside for Metu would be a decrease in salary, but it’s unclear what interest he has from other teams outside of Sacramento.

The Kings have a few more days until the start of the season to make that decision. Until then, best of luck to Kaminsky as he tries to find a new NBA home.