Kings sign Matthew Dellavedova to one-year contract

The Kings have signed Matthew Dellavedova to a one-year contract. According to Michael Scotto of Hoopshype, this is a partially guaranteed one-year contract at the veteran minimum. The 6’3″ guard has not played in the NBA since the 2020-21 season. His projected salary for the 2022-23 season is $2.6 million.

During the NBA 2K23 Summer League, the eight-year veteran was spotted working out with the Kings in Las Vegas. In the 2020-21 season, he appeared in only 13 games with the Cavaliers. The Australian missed several games because of several injuries, including a concussion, whiplash, an appendectomy and a neck strain.

Welcome to Sactown, @matthewdelly! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JnZ6g4Z0Dl

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) July 29, 2022

Dellavedova went undrafted in 2013 by the Cavaliers under head coach Mike Brown. He earned his first career start during his rookie 2013-14 season. In May, the Kings announced Brown as the team’s next coach.

Matthew Dellavedova has to stay healthy with the Kings

The Kings have a stronger backcourt with Dellavedova. Though, it’s imperative for the guard to stay healthy. In his past four NBA seasons, he averaged fewer than 20 minutes per game. Having said that, the Australian averaged a career-high 41.3% shooting from the field in the 2018-19 season.

On Jul. 9, 2021, the guard signed a three-year deal with Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL). Last season, in a total of 27 games played in the Australian league, the guard averaged 10.6 points, 3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

He ranked fifth in the NBL for total assists (133) and sixth for assists per game (4.9). The guard was selected All-NBL Second Team in 2022. On Jan. 16, in Melbourne’s 88-84 win over Illawarra, Dellavedova sank seven 3-pointers and scored a career-high 33 points. With the right coaching, the guard will excel at pick-and-roll basketball on the Kings.

Dellavedova can help Sacramento make the playoffs in 2023

While with the Cavaliers in the 2020-21 season, he averaged 2.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game prior to his ailments. He struggled to overcome all of his injuries that season. Nonetheless, Dellavedova can still contribute down the stretch.

In the Cavaliers’ 104-102 win over the Nuggets on Mar. 7, 2020, the guard ended his outing with a career-high 14 assists. And in the Cavs’ 116-109 loss to the Pelicans on April 11, 2021, the guard closed out his performance with 7 points and 10 assists in 34 minutes of action.

Of course, in Game 3 of the 2015 NBA Finals, Dellavedova scored a playoff career-high 20 points in the Cavs’ 96-91 win over the Warriors. The Maryborough turns 32 on Sept. 8. He is expected to come off the bench for De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell next season.

On Nov. 22, 2021, the Kings fired head coach Luke Walton. And Alvin Gentry became the interim head coach. Sacramento went on to finish 30-52 (.366) last season. The team ranked 12th overall in the Western Conference.

For other free-agency signings and offseason moves, the Kings signed Malik Monk to a two-year, $19 million contract. Last season, the former Hornets guard averaged 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game with the Lakers.

Not to mention, the Kings traded Justin Holiday, Moe Harkless and a future first-round draft pick to the Hawks for Kevin Huerter. In the 2021-22 season, the fourth-year guard/forward averaged 12.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game with Atlanta. More news stories about Matthew Dellavedova or the Kings are on the main page.