Kings make sign-and-trade deal to send Isaiah Thomas to Phoenix Suns | The Sacramento Bee

The Kings have agreed to a sign-and-trade with Phoenix for guard Isaiah Thomas per a league source.

In exchange the Kings will receive a $7 million trade exception in the deal along with the draft rights to Alex Oriakh, a 6-foot-9 power forward who was a second round pick of the Suns in 2013.

Thomas was a restricted free agent. He averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 assists and became expendable when the Kings agreed to a three-year deal with Darren Collison.

Thomas was the 60th and last pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Kings and finished each of his three seasons as the team’s starting point guard.

Oriakh played in France and Isreal last season before returning to the states to play in the NBA’s D-League.

After the deal was made public, Thomas Tweeted: “And 2 the fans of Sacramento. Words can’t explain what y’all mean to me! Y’all made me who I am in the nba and I can’t thank you guys enough.”

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