10 Free Agent guard options for Sacramento Kings

Monte McNair has work to do. Sacramento’s general manager added a rotational piece in the draft with the selection of Keegan Murray with the No. 4 overall pick, but now he needs to fill holes all over the rotation.

After back-to-back years of an abbreviated build up to free agency, McNair is finally getting a shot to hit the ground running. He has a huge decision on whether or not to bring back restricted free agent Donte DiVincenzo and even then, he needs more help in the backcourt.

Here are ten guards that the Kings could potentially chase, be it through retaining their own free agent, their limited cap space, $4 million bi-annual exception or the full $10.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exemption.

Welcome to The Kings Beat, a subscriber based independent news source with more than a decade of experience covering the Sacramento Kings as credentialed media. Please consider supporting independent content, such as this, with a premium subscription.

Donte DiVincenzo - Kings - Combo Guard

2021-22 Stats: 10.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 36.2% FG, 36.8% 3-pt

Age: 25 Contract Status: Restricted Free Agent

McNair liked DiVincenzo so much, he traded for him twice. But when the former Buck finally made his way to Sacramento, the franchise chose to play him off the bench over the last 25 games of the season instead of testing him out with the starting five. This didn’t sit well with DiVincenzo or his camp, but there is still time to mend fences.

The 25-year-old fits the age arc of the team and he’s a jack-of-all-trades defender with a high motor. His shot selection wasn’t great, but DiVincenzo looked slightly out of rhythm after a long layoff due to injury. The Kings can extend a $6.4 million qualifying offer that gives them the opportunity to match any offer. He’s likely to land an offer around the mid-level exemption mark, with the possibility for slightly more.

Gary Harris - Magic - Shooting Guard

2021-22 Stats: 11.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 43.4% FG, 38.4% 3-pt

Age: 27 Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

There was a time when Harris was a quality scorer on a solid Denver Nuggets team. He’s taken a backseat over the last year and a half in Orlando, but there is still potential for a bounce back. He can shoot from the perimeter and he’s played with a passing big man like Domantas Sabonis. Harris was also once a solid defender. He won’t get the big money contract he landed last time around and there is a possibility he has to play for a short-term make-good deal to reestablish his value. This would be a solid under the radar signing that could pay dividends either as a starter or a super sub.

Victor Oladipo - Heat - Shooting Guard

2021-22 Stats: 12.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, .6 steals, 47.9% FG, 41.7% 3-pt

Age: 30 Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

How the mighty have fallen. Oladipo is a two-time All-Star who has fallen on tough times. Injuries have limited him to just 61 games over the last three seasons and there are serious concerns that he won’t be able to regain the athleticism that made him a high-end two-way player. There are rumors floating about that Oladipo is looking for a short-term contract to build his value and the Kings have been mentioned as a potential landing spot. He’s played with Sabonis in both OKC and Indiana, so there is some familiarity, but the injury risk is substantial.

Gary Payton II - Warriors - Guard/Forward

2021-22 Stats: 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, .9 assists, 1.4 steals, 61.6% FG, 35.8% 3-pt

Age: 29 Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent

From NBA vagabond to one of the most important players on a Championship team, GPII has an opportunity to get paid in a serious way. Golden State is willing to pay luxury tax dollars, but the right contract could pry him away. Payton has made less than $4 million in his entire career, so inking him to a 3-4 year contract would give him long term stability. His familiarity with Mike Brown could be the connection necessary to reel him in and there is an outside shot that he could win a starting job next to Fox in the backcourt as a lockdown defender. In the right situation, this could be Tony Allen 2.0.

Delon Wright - Hawks - Point Guard

2021-22 Stats: 4.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 45.4% FG, 37.9% 3-pt

Age: 30 Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

Remember him? Wright spent the end of the 2020-21 season in Sacramento and played well. McNair traded him for Tristan Thompson to rebalance the roster before the 2021 NBA Draft and that proved to be a bit of a mistake. The veteran does a little of everything, including playing defense and shooting the triple. He’s played for six teams in the last four seasons, which is odd for his ability, but the Kings could use a fifth guard with some ability to run the point and play multiple positions.

Tyus Jones - Grizzlies - Point Guard

2021-22 Stats: 8.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, .7 steals, 42.1% FG, 35.6% 3-pt

Age: 27 Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

Jones doesn’t make mistakes. One of the best assist-to-turnover rate players in the league, the Grizzlies guard is a player who could use more minutes. There is a reason why Memphis went 20-5 when Ja Morant missed games. Jones should be a highly sought after commodity on the open market. He plays bigger than his 6-foot frame and his ability to game manage is top notch. He’s coming off a 3-year, $26.4 million deal with the Grizz and it will likely take something similar or better to land him.

Bruce Brown - Nets - Shooting Guard

2021-22 Stats: 9.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, 50.6% FG, 40.4% 3-pt

Age: 25 Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

Brown is interesting. A rotational player on what should have been a title contender, the 25-year-old can do just about everything at a decent clip. He has nice size, length and athleticism for the two and he’s played time at the one both in college and at the NBA level. Is he ready to take the next step? This could be a nice “Moneyball” type signing that could pay off.

Malik Monk - Lakers - Shooting Guard

2021-22 Stats: 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, .8 steals, 47.3% FG, 39.1% 3-pt

Age: 24 Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent

Monk went from the No. 11 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft to a minimum scale contract last season with the Lakers. He took full advantage of the opportunity and put himself right back on the map with his long range shooting touch. Monk isn’t a great defender, so running him out there in the starting backcourt with his former college teammate De’Aaron Fox would be risky. But he could be a heater off the bench and provide some much needed spacing.

Bryn Forbes - Spurs - Shooting Guard

2021-22 Stats: 8.8 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, .3 steals, 42.9% FG, 41.4% 3-pt

Age: 28 Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent

Have gun will travel. Forbes isn’t a starter, but he can heat up with the best of them. An elite shooter throughout his career, this is a player who absolutely understands his role. He’s not going to do much more than hoist the triple, but the Kings need as many shooters as they can find and Forbes should be available for the budget buyer.

Damion Lee - Warriors - Shooting Guard

2021-22 Stats: 7.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, .6 steals, 44.1% FG, 33.7% 3-pt

Age: 29 Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent

Golden State can’t afford to keep everyone, and Lee and Brown have a connection from their four seasons together. This wouldn’t be a big money signing, but Lee is long, athletic and knows the system. He could be a low budget coach on the floor with potential to fill a void in the rotation. This is a short-term solution, not a long-term answer, but it may make sense on the cheap.

We've added the Off the Record with the Kings Beat Happy Hour shirt to the mix at the merch shop! Here is a 15% off promo code for the merch shop: KBPOD