Kings sign big men Chimezie Metu, Damian Jones to multiyear contracts; Chris Silva waived
Kings general manager Monte McNair announced Wednesday the team has signed Chimezie Metu and Damian Jones to multiyear contracts. The Kings have also waived Chris Silva, the team said.
Terms of the deals were not disclosed, but a league source told The Sacramento Bee that Metu agreed to a three-year deal and Jones was signed through the end of the 2021-22 season.
Metu, 24, is a 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward/center. The San Antonio Spurs selected Metu out of USC with the 49th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He appeared in 47 games over two seasons with the Spurs before signing a two-way contract with the Kings.
Metu has appeared in 28 games for the Kings this season, averaging 5.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 10.1 minutes per contest. He was sidelined for nearly six weeks due to a broken wrist but has found a role in coach Luke Walton’s rotation since returning. He had a career-high 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting in a 134-120 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 20.
“Chimezie has worked hard this season and done a terrific job to earn his place on the team,” McNair said. “He provides toughness and energy to the group. We are happy to watch his career develop in a Kings uniform.”
Jones, 25, is a 6-11, 245-pound center who just completed his second 10-day contract with the Kings. Under rules of the collective bargaining agreement, the Kings had to sign Jones for the rest of the season or release him.
The Golden State Warriors selected Jones from Vanderbilt with the 30th pick in the 2016 draft. He spent three seasons with the Warriors before joining the Atlanta Hawks in 2019-20.
Jones signed 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers earlier this season before landing in Sacramento, where he has averaged 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in six games for the Kings. He had eight points and seven rebounds in Monday’s 113-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
“Damian provides a defensive presence and has fit in nicely with our group,” McNair said. “We are excited to see his continued growth in Sacramento.”
Silva, 24, came to Sacramento along with Maurice Harkless in the trade that sent Nemanja Bjelica to the Miami Heat. The 6-8, 234-pound forward appeared in four games for the Kings, averaging 0.5 points and 0.5 rebounds in 2.3 minutes per contest.
