The Sacramento Kings have begun clearing their frontcourt logjam. In wake of signing free agent center JaVale McGee, Sacramento has reportedly waived Nerlens Noels and Neemias Queta, affording them the opportunity to sign with another team as official preparations for 2023-24 fast approach.
“ESPN sources: After signing JaVale McGee to a free agent deal, the Sacramento Kings are waiving centers Nerlens Noel and Neemias Queta to give them a chance to play elsewhere,” Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweeted on Tuesday. “Both signed partially guaranteed one-year deals with Kings this summer.”
Sacramento agreed to terms with McGee last week on a one-year, fully guaranteed deal.. The veteran big man played 2022-23 with the Dallas Mavericks, disappointing compared to internal expectations after signing a three-year, $17.2 million contract last summer to be the team's starting center.
McGee lost that job less than two weeks into the season, though, relegated to deep-reserve status for its remainder. Dallas stretched his contract and waived the 35-year-old in late August, no surprise considering the two seasons and $11.7 million remaining on his former deal. The releases of Noel and Queta are hardly shocking, either, following recent reporting about Sacramento's plans to use both McGee and incumbent reserve Alex Len as backups to All-Star Domantas Sabonis up front in 2023-24.
A former top-10 draft pick, nagging injuries have sapped Noel of the rare quick-twitch athleticism that one made him one of basketball's most disruptive interior defenders. He spent last season with the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets, appearing in just 17 total games.
The Kings selected Queta out of Utah State with the No. 39 overall pick of the 2021 draft. He played just 20 games for the team over the past two seasons, biding most of his time with with the G League's Stockton Kings. The seven-footer from Portugal emerged as a star in the G League last season, averaging 16.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game en route to All-G League First Team and All-Defense honors.
Training camps for 2023-24 open league-wide on October 3rd.
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