Sacramento Kings waive forward Chima Moneke, trim roster to 14
Jan 6, 2023, 4:36 PM | Updated: 5:41 pm
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
You The Sacramento Kings have waived rookie forward Chima Moneke in a move to open up a roster spot, per James Ham of The Kings Beat.
Moneke, 27, was one of three players that the Kings had to decide on fully guaranteeing before all partially guaranteed contracts become fully guaranteed on January 10th. By waiving Moneke, Sacramento’s roster stands at 14, meaning the Kings have an open spot that can be filled via free agency or trade.
Guard Matthew Dellavedova and forward KZ Okpala were also signed to partially guaranteed deals during the offseason.
Per Ham, Dellavedova and Okpala’s contracts will be guaranteed for the rest of this season.
According to a league source, the Sacramento Kings have waived Chima Moneke.
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) January 7, 2023
Moneke, who has been spending the majority of this season with Sacramento’s G-League club in Stockton, logged just eight minutes of playing time and scored two points with the Kings.
In the G-League, the UC Davis product averaged 17.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 55 percent from the field over 16 appearances.
Sacramento may attempt to retain Moneke in Stockton while filling the NBA roster spot with a player that can help the current rotation, but the forward will be free to sign with other teams before deciding if he wants to keep working with the Kings’ G-League affiliate.
As for the Kings, they now have the flexibility to fill an open roster spot, whether that be by signing a lengthy forward or center to help with the team’s defensive woes or by adding another scoring threat that can help push along the team’s recent sluggish bench play.
NBA teams can start bringing players in on 10-day contracts as of January 5th, meaning that Sacramento can start bringing players in immediately for 10-day trials.
