Kings Waive Veteran Center, Retain Three Others Beyond Guarantee Date

January 7, 2025

The Sacramento Kings made some important roster decisions on Tuesday, retaining three players with non-guaranteed contracts and waiving another, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

The Kings will keep veteran forwards Doug McDermott and Jae Crowder, guaranteeing their full-season salaries. Defensive specialist Keon Ellis, who also had a non-guaranteed deal, was never in any real danger of being waived, sources said.

However, the Kings will part ways with center Orlando Robinson, who was signed as a free agent this past summer. Robinson, 24, provided depth at center behind Domantas Sabonis and Alex Len but has appeared in just nine games this season, averaging 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per contest.

Sacramento has largely relied on Len and power forward Trey Lyles to back up Sabonis, leaving Robinson with limited opportunities.

By waiving Robinson, the Kings will take a dead-money cap hit of $959,779, which matches the salary he earned while with the team.

Meanwhile, McDermott, Crowder, and Ellis will all be locked into cap charges of $2,087,519, $1,655,619, and $2,120,693, respectively. McDermott ($3,303,771) and Crowder ($2,620,232) will earn salaries higher than their cap hits due to NBA reimbursement rules for veterans on minimum-salary contracts.

The Kings’ decision leaves them with an open spot on their 15-man roster, a space they are unlikely to fill immediately. Keeping the spot open will allow Sacramento to maneuver more easily in the trade market, while also providing the team some extra flexibility below the luxury tax line.

Once the move is finalized, the Kings will be approximately $3.2 million under the tax, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

It’s clear the Kings are positioning themselves strategically, giving themselves breathing room for the trade season ahead.