Sacramento Kings acquired LA Clippers striker Mfiondu Kabengele and money for a heavily protected future second-round pick, sources told ESPN.
With the deal, the Clippers created an open escalation wave ahead of Thursday’s NBA trading deadline and the eventual free agent buyout market, dropping $ 2.6 million below the ceiling. Under hard cap restrictions, Clippers had to wait until March 30 to sign a player. Now, there are no restrictions on the use of the two open spots on the team roster.
The Kings absorbed Kabengele in a commercial exception that would have expired on Monday.
Kabengele, a six-foot striker from the state of Florida, was the 27th overall choice in the 2019 NBA draft. He played moderately with the Clippers over two seasons, entering 35 games and averaging 4.5 minutes on a veteran-led team.
The Kings now have the opportunity to do a more detailed inspection of Kabengele for the rest of the 2020-21 season. The Clippers declined their third-year option ahead of the season.
Bobby Marks, a member of the ESPN front-office, contributed to this report.