Nemanja Bjelica discussing deal with Sacramento Kings
After an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers fell through, free agent Nemanja Bjelica and the Sacramento Kings plan to begin discussing a potential deal, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Kings general manager Vlade Divac reached out to Bjelica on Wednesday to explain his high value in the NBA versus leaving for Europe, league sources said.
Bjelica originally agreed to a one-year, $4.4 million deal with the 76ers, but reconsidered the agreement due to family, professional and personal concerns. In Sacramento, both sides could find a longer-term deal.
Bjelica represents a potential key addition to the Kings’ wing and front court rotation. A 6-foot-10 forward, Bjelica averaged 6.8 points and 41.5 percent 3-point shooting in 67 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. The Kings have studied Bjelica’s fit as a hybrid and skilled floor-spacer, and the opportunity could allow him to showcase himself at the highest level and a long-term fit makes sense for both sides. The Kings now have considerable salary cap space ($20.5 million) to maintain flexibility.
Sacramento selected Duke’s Marvin Bagley III with the No. 2 overall pick in the June NBA draft and will pair him with another skilled big man, Harry Giles, as the franchise continues a strategic path toward playing with multi-position and versatile players.
Bjelica, 30, has spent his three NBA seasons in Minnesota after being the the No. 35 overall pick in the 2010 draft out of Serbia.
More from Yahoo Sports:
• Shams Charania: Spurs deal Kawhi Leonard to Raptors for DeMar DeRozan, sources say
• Jeff Passan: This was how Brewers’ Josh Hader apologized after racist, sexist tweets surfaced
• Antonio Brown gets ‘Madden 19’ cover
• Pat Forde: Florida’s Dan Mullen says he wants to fill The Swamp, not drain it
