Kings guarantee contracts for Chimezie Metu and Damian Jones as crowd forms in frontcourt
Chimezie Metu still didn’t know what the Kings planned to do with his contract Monday when he was asked about his future with the team following an impressive performance in the first game of the Las Vegas Summer League.
Metu got the word Tuesday as the deadline for a decision arrived when Kings general manager Monte McNair picked up a partial guarantee on his contract. League sources told The Sacramento Bee the Kings elected to pick up the partial guarantee on Metu’s deal and a full guarantee on center Damian Jones, giving them a crowded stable of big men as the 2021-22 season approaches.
The Kings like what they’ve seen from Metu and Jones, but there were questions about their futures after the team re-signed Richaun Holmes, traded for Tristan Thompson, reached an agreement to reacquire free agent Alex Len and drafted Neemias Queta — all while holding off on a potential trade involving Marvin Bagley III. McNair could still make a move to clear up the frontcourt rotation, but for now Metu and Jones appear to be part of Sacramento’s plans for the coming season.
Metu came to the Kings on a two-way contract after two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, who drafted him out of USC with the 49th pick in the 2018 NBA draft. The Kings signed Metu to a three-year, $4.4 million deal in April, but only $2.5 million is guaranteed with a number of guarantee dates along the way. This partial guarantee will pay $881,398, but his $1.76 million salary for 2021-22 won’t be fully guaranteed until December.
Jones, a 26-year-old center, came into the league with the Golden State Warriors after being selected from Vanderbilt with the 30th pick in the 2016 draft. He signed two 10-day contracts with the Kings last season before the team gave him a two-year, $2.2 million deal with almost $2 million of that money due in 2021-22. Jones’ contract became fully guaranteed Tuesday.
Metu missed the California Classic in Sacramento after representing Nigeria in the Olympics, but he has looked good since joining the team in Las Vegas. The 24-year-old power forward had 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals Monday in an 80-70 victory over the Charlotte Hornets at Thomas & Mack Center. He had 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one blocked shot Tuesday in an 89-75 win over the Washington Wizards at Cox Pavilion.
Summer league coach Bobby Jackson said Metu’s size, length and experience have been big for the Kings, who are 2-0 in Las Vegas after going 0-2 in the California Classic. The Kings haven’t won the Las Vegas Summer League since 2014. They can move a step closer to that goal with another win over the Memphis Grizzlies at 6 p.m. Friday.
Metu feels his game and his confidence growing following his first appearance in the Olympics.
“It was a great experience,” Metu said. “It’s not just any time you get a chance to go out and compete at a really high level like that against players from around the world. It really does something for you and I feel fortunate to have moments like that.”
This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
