Sacramento Kings re-sign Neemias Queta on NBA contract; big training camp battle awaits
The Kings will have a rather robust position battle on their hands in training camp after reaching an agreement with restricted free agent Neemias Queta.
The Kings signed the 7-foot center from Portugal to a standard NBA contract Tuesday. Queta played on two-way contracts in his first two seasons, dominating for G League Stockton but struggling to find his footing in Sacramento.
Queta was runner-up for the G League MVP award last season after averaging 16.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 blocks while shooting 68% from the field and 80.3% at the free-throw line. He also earned All-NBA G League and All-Defensive G League honors.
Queta, who the Kings selected out of Utah State with the 39th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, hasn’t been nearly as effective in limited NBA minutes. He appeared in 20 games for Sacramento over his first two seasons, averaging 2.9 points and 2.1 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per contest.
Queta, the first Portuguese player to appear in an NBA game, told The Sacramento Bee he hoped to remain with the Kings when asked about his future in July at the Las Vegas Summer League.
“I feel like they’ve been knowing me for two years,” Queta said. “They know what I’ve been able to do. I feel like I’ve been able to showcase that to them and I feel like it’s a great place for me to keep growing.”
The Kings have now renewed their commitment to Queta’s development, but terms of the deal have not been disclosed. A one-year minimum contract for a player with two years of service would pay Queta just over $2 million. It is possible only a portion of that money will be guaranteed.
The backup spot behind All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis remains one of the team’s biggest questions, but there is no shortage of possible answers. In addition to keeping Queta, the Kings re-signed Alex Len and brought in Nerlens Noel on one-year veteran minimum contracts worth $3.2 million each. Noel’s deal is only guaranteed for $300,000.
The Kings also brought back forward Trey Lyles, who was effective as a small-ball center last season, on a new two-year, $16 million deal.
