OCTOBER 2: Lamb’s deal is now official as well, according to RealGM.
SEPTEMBER 30: The signing of Nowell is now official, per RealGM’s transaction log. Sacramento’s deal with Lamb hasn’t yet been formally completed.
SEPTEMBER 29: The Kings are expected to add free agent wings Jaylen Nowell and Jeremy Lamb to their roster for training camp, a source tells James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link).
Nowell, 24, spent his first four NBA seasons with the Timberwolves after being selected with the No. 43 overall pick out of Washington in 2019. He set a new career high with 10.8 points per game in 65 games (19.3 MPG) last season, though his three-point percentage dipped to 28.9% in 2022/23 after he made 34.5% of his outside attempts in his first three seasons.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Thursday that Sacramento recently brought Nowell in for a workout.
Lamb, 31, is a former lottery pick who has appeared in 573 career regular season games since 2012 for four teams, including – most recently – the Kings. However, the veteran swingman wasn’t in the league last season following a down year in 2021/22. He averaged 7.3 PPG on .383/.324/.840 shooting in 56 games (16.7 MPG) for Indiana and Sacramento in ’21/22.
The Kings currently have two open spots on their 21-man preseason roster, so they wouldn’t have to waive anyone to make room for Nowell and Lamb.
Of Sacramento’s 19 current players, 14 have fully guaranteed standard contracts. The Kings’ 15th and final regular season spot appears to be up for grabs after Nerlens Noel and Neemias Queta were waived earlier this month. Nowell and Lamb could end up competing for that spot, though the team also isn’t obligated to carry more than 14 players on standard deals to open the season.
I thought Lamb was a perfect fit for them potentially last year. I think they’ve had an extremely good offseason, and have filled their needs. Now, I’m curious who ends up making the roster with some of these late additions, as they have some redundancy now
Unless Nowell wasn’t willing to accept the minimum before, not sure how he went unsigned for so long.
Nowell is good for sure. But what about a true 3rd PG. First Monte was adding nothing but centers, now nothing but wings…Nowell, Lamb, Burton. They should focus on at least one NBA ready young guy to develop in case Off Night leaves two years from now. The roster already has Monk, Huerter, Duarte, Colby Jones and Ellis in the G-league. Where exactly would Nowell & Lamb fit in?