Kings Forward Chimezie Metu Suspended For Summer League Championship
Aug 16, 2021, 2:29 PM | Updated: 2:30 pm
(Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
Metu was ejected from Sunday’s game against Dallas after striking Mavericks forward Eugene Omoruyi in the head
Sacramento Kings forward Chimezie Metu has been suspended for one Summer League game, the NBA announced on Monday afternoon.
It just so happens that the one game Metu will have to miss is the Las Vegas Summer League championship game against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.
After being on the receiving end of a hard foul by Mavericks forward Eugene Omoruyi on Sunday afternoon, Metu retaliated with a punch that landed on Omoruyi’s head, resulting in an instant ejection from the game.
Omoruyi was also ejected after being assessed a flagrant-2 foul for his excessive contact on Metu.
Metu was injured during a similar incident back on February 14th after then-Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas took exception to the Kings forward hanging on the rim after a dunk, eventually throwing Metu to the floor in what was a scary moment.
The 24-year-old fractured his wrist as a result of the play and missed over a month of action.
“Do we like what Metu did? No. But at the end of the day, we have to have his back and we’ve got to support him,” Kings Summer League head coach Bobby Jackson said following the incident on Sunday.
Over four appearances in Las Vegas Summer League action, Metu averaged 10.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game over 25.1 minutes per contest.
Just last week, the Kings partially guaranteed Metu’s contract for 2021-22, meaning that the former USC Trojan will enter training camp looking to claim a roster spot. Metu’s $1.7 million deal for the upcoming season becomes fully guaranteed if the Kings do not waive him by December 1, 2021.
