Source: Kings add Jeremy Lamb, Jaylen Nowell to fill out camp roster

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The training camp roster is set.

According to a league source, the Sacramento Kings are adding a pair of veterans in Jeremy Lamb and Jaylen Nowell, bringing their camp roster to 21 players.

Lamb is getting a second tour of duty with the Kings after coming over with Domantas Sabonis and Justin Holiday in the deal that sent Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers.

The 31-year-old wing didn’t make an appearance in the league last season, but he’s a solid NBA veteran with 10 years of experience in the league and 573 games under his belt. For his career, Lamb has posted 10.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game during stops with the Thunder, Hornets, Pacers and Kings.

Whether he can make an impact in camp and earn a longer look is unknown at this time, but with the Kings having 14 guaranteed contracts to work with, there is still a lone roster spot up for grabs.

Lamb has some knowledge of the Kings’ roster from his short stint during the 2021-22 season, and he played with both Sabonis and newcomer Chris Duarte during his time in Indiana.

Nowell doesn’t have the same type of familiarity with the roster, but at 24 years old fits the age arc of the squad and brings plenty of positives to the game. The former second round pick spent his first four seasons in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves and was a vital member of their rotation in each of the last three.

In 65 games off the bench last season, Nowell averaged 10.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and two assists in 19.3 minutes a night. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, he has good size for a shooting guard and he plays with a physical style that the Kings could use. He is excellent in transition, finishes through contact and has the ability to put a defender on a poster.

On the downside, Nowell, a 39.4 percent shooter from 3-point range during the 2021-22 season, hit just 28.9 percent from deep last season. Adding to his struggles, Nowell’s defensive metrics were rough. He allowed a +7.7 percent to his opponents overall, although outside of 15 feet, that number was just a +2 percent.

He has the frame and athleticism to be a solid 3-and-D player, but so far in his career, he hasn’t been able to live up to that billing.

With these two additions, plus the reported signings of Chance Comanche (via Frankie Cartoscelli) and Deonte Burton (via Brenden Nunes), the Kings’ roster is now up to the league limit of 21. Both Comanche and Burton are expected to play in Stockton for the team’s G League affiliate this season.

There is a possibility that the Kings choose to enter the 2023-24 season with just 14 players on the main roster to keep flexibility moving forward. There is also a shot that Lamb, Nowell, Comanche or Burton show up at camp, impress the coaching staff and fight their way into the mix.

Media Day is set for Monday, October 2, with training camp starting on Tuesday, October 3. The Kings have until October 23 at 2 PM PST to pare their roster down to a maximum of 15 standard roster players, to go with their three two-way contract players (Jordan Ford, Keon Ellis and Jalen Slawson).

We will have you covered here at The Kings Beat for all of the latest news and you can now catch me on ESPN 1320 Monday-Friday from 10am-Noon on The Insiders with Kyle Madson.