With the Sacramento Kings picking up two players from free agency, what grade does Vlade Divac and company deserve for their efforts?
It took a while, but the fans of the Sacramento Kings finally got to see their team spend the cash and pick up some players from free agency. For the Kings, they were able to pick up two players. These players are Yogi Ferrell from the Dallas Mavericks and Nemanja Bjelica from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For Ferrell, the Kings signed him in the hopes that he can become a scoring spark at the point-guard spot. Vlade and Vivek hope that paying him $6.2 million over the next two years will help motivate the former Indiana Hoosier to fulfill that role.
Just hours after signing Ferrell to the team, the Kings and Bjelica agreed upon a three-year contract worth around $20.5 million. The Kings are hoping that making this deal will add more consistent production to the team’s main rotation of players as the Serbian star was a solid role player during his time with Minnesota.
Now that the purple and white have added two more players, their summer seems to be over due to the fact that Sacramento now has 15 players currently under contract.
With that being said, let us examine each free agent the Kings signed and see what kind of impact they can make with their new squad. Enjoy this slideshow as it will provide my opinions on both Ferrell and Bjelica, as well as a grade the Kings deserve for each move.
Yogi Ferrell
With the addition of Ferrell, it gives the Kings more depth at the point-guard spot. Although the duo of De’Aaron Fox and Frank Mason III has promise, they both are still raw and learning how to adapt to the NBA.
Right now, Ferrell is a guy who can give the Kings efficient scoring and three-point shooting as last season he averaged 10.2 points a contest while shooting 42.6% from the floor and 37.3% from the perimeter. Because Ferrell has proven to be a scoring spark, I foresee him coming off the bench for Sacramento and being their backup facilitator.
Now let us dig into the contract that both Ferrell and the Kings agreed upon. According to the Shams Charania, the deal’s total value is $6.2 million over the next two years. If Ferrell is able to produce for Sacramento the same way he did with Dallas, then this is a great deal for the Kings.
The Kings needed lots of help on offense last season as they averaged the least amount of points per game, so adding a scoring spark like Ferrell for just a tick over $3 million a season is a steal.
Grade: B
Nemanja Bjelica
The Kings are hoping that Nemanja Bjelica can be a solid player off their bench. Just last season, Bjelica averaged 6.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game as he was a versatile player and a good shooter for Minnesota.
In my opinion, Bjelica’s pure position is a stretch-four type of player, but he can also play the small forward position as he proved last year when Jimmy Butler went down with a knee injury. With Bjelica’s ability to play both small forward and the stretch four, he fulfills two roster holes that the Kings had prior to his signing which will now give Dave Joerger more flexibility with his lineups.
Not only is Bjelica versatile, but he can also shoot the three-point shot. In his NBA career, Bjelica has made 37.1% of his three-pointers and made 41.5% of his shots this past season. If he is able to give Sacramento solid perimeter shooting for the next three years, then he will be an asset for the purple and white, in my opinion.
In terms of the value the Kings are getting back, it depends on how well Bjelica performs. If he is able to be the player he was with the Timberwolves last year, then I think he will live up to his contract.
The Kings need more versatility and efficiency shooting from beyond the arc, and Bjelica has the capability to provide both those things. But if he does underperform and live short of expectations, then his contract could give Vlade and Vivek fits in the future when they are trying to make potential roster moves.
Grade: B-
Final Thoughts
Despite having a lot of cap space, the Sacramento Kings did not make any big splashes during their free agency period. Instead, they added on two guys that both have the potential to be valuable pieces off their bench.
For Ferrell, he played a big part in the Mavericks’ offense the last couple of years due to his grit and ability to create points on his own. At this moment, he may be the best scoring point guard the Kings have on their roster.
In terms of Bjelica, he proved while on the Timberwolves that he is a reliable guy that can help his team in a variety of ways. If he is able to be the stretch four that the Kings have been clamoring for, as well as give the team solid minutes at small forward from time to time, then I think he will be one of the more valuable players coming off Sacramento’s bench next season.
Well, Kings fans. What are your thoughts on your team’s recent free agent additions? What grade do you think Vlade Divac deserves this summer? To give us your opinions on the topic, feel free to comment on our website, Facebook page, or Twitter account.