Report: Kings waive center Orlando Robinson

Jan 7, 2025, 12:08 PM | Updated: 12:20 pm

Sactown Sports writer

January 7th marks the functional deadline for teams to decide on their non-guaranteed contracts. For the 2024-25 Sacramento Kings, that applied to Orlando Robinson, Doug McDermott, and Jae Crowder.

According to ESPN‘s Shams Charania, the Kings have elected to waive Robinson while fully guaranteeing the contracts of veteran wings McDermott and Crowder for the remainder of the season.

Orlando Robinson signed a one-year $2,087,519 contract with Sacramento this offseason but will only receive his $500,000 guaranteed due to the waiving.

Meanwhile, McDermott’s $2,087,519 and Crowder’s $1,655,619 will be fully paid as they remain rostered.

The Sacramento Kings are waiving center Orlando Robinson, sources tell ESPN. Veteran forwards Jae Crowder and Doug McDermott will have their contracts guaranteed for the remainder of the season. This move also opens up a roster spot for the Kings.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 7, 2025

Moving on from Orlando Robinson also provides general manager Monte McNair and lead assistant GM Wes Wilcox another open roster spot and a bit more room under the tax line.

Both could prove helpful in any potential trades, especially given that Kings’ ownership doesn’t seem keen on going into the luxury tax this season.

Sacramento is now $3.2M below the luxury tax and $7M below the first apron.

There is a $959,779 cap hit on the Orlando Robinson waiver.

14 teams now have an open roster spot.

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 7, 2025

Exactly one month away from the NBA trade deadline, it’ll be interesting to see what moves the Sacramento Kings make to continue to improve the roster under interim head coach Doug Christie.

They’ve won five straight games, but still could use more wing/forward help to deal with their opposition in a highly competitive Western Conference.

More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown Sports:

Trailing by 17 points with less than eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Sacramento Kings appeared to be on their way to a losing effort for the first time in over a week.

Rather than roll over and take the loss, Monday night’s game against the Miami Heat at Golden 1 Center turned out the be the latest example that this team has turned a corner.

Sacramento erased a late deficit and battled a physical Heat team in two overtime periods, converting several key possessions in the clutch to secure a 123-118 win–their fifth consecutive triumph following a six-game losing streak.

DeMar DeRozan struggled in regulation, going eight-for-20 from the field. Once the game entered the second overtime period, it was a different story.

DeRozan scored nine of the Kings’ 11 points in double-overtime as Sacramento (18-19) continues to dig itself out of an early-season hole by playing its best basketball yet.

DeRozan takes over in 2OT as Kings stun Heat

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?

Sacramento will leave the state of California for the first time since December 12th as they embark on a three-game road trip that begins with a matchup against the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics on Friday afternoon.

The Kings have lost six straight games against the Celtics and haven’t won a game at TD Garden since March 19, 2021.

Be sure to catch all of the Kings vs. Celtics drama right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 2:00 PM PT on Game Night before action tips off at 4:00 PM PT from downtown Boston.