NBA Notes: Kings, Precious Achiuwa, Grizzlies, Jaren Jackson Jr, Clippers

Kings

The Kings are adding frontcourt help. Per Shams Charania of ESPN, Sacramento is signing forward/center Precious Achiuwa to a one-year minimum deal. To make room, Isaac Jones is expected to be waived.

NBA insider Jake Fischer first reported that Achiuwa was on the Kings’ radar. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints indicated Jones would likely be the odd man out if this happened — and here we are.

Keegan Murray is still out with a thumb injury, so the Kings have been forced to play small and lean heavily on rookies Nique Clifford and Dylan Cardwell. Achiuwa should offer some needed size and juice.

Achiuwa is 26. High motor. Switchable. Not really a shooter, but he flies around, rebounds, defends, and plays with force. He averaged 6.6 points and 5.6 boards in Toronto and New York last year.

As for Jones, he exceeded expectations as an undrafted guy in 2024, but has barely been part of the mix this season. ESPN’s Bobby Marks confirms his salary for this season was non-guaranteed, so Sacramento’s cap hit will be minimal.

Grizzlies

Memphis needs to find its flow, and perhaps its stars on the floor together.

Marc J. Spears of ESPN reported Ja Morant isn’t the only one who has been frustrated with Iisalo’s rotations. Jaren Jackson Jr. has felt it too. So far, Morant and Jackson are sharing only 14.6 minutes per game on average, down from 21.4 last season.

Memphis is 3-5. Jackson says the group has plenty of talent, but urgency has to rise.

Clippers

In case you missed it, 11 former Aspiration investors have filed suit against Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, as we relayed here.

Investigative journalist Pablo Torre first reported on the allegation — that Ballmer used Aspiration to route money to Kawhi Leonard in a way that violated the salary cap.

Front Office Sports adds that the NBA has already hired a powerhouse law firm to look into it.

For now, this is legal chess. No smoking gun in the suit yet — mostly allegations based on the recent reporting — but depositions and document pulls could change that.

And the NBA probe is active. We should all probably brace for more.