KINGS, WARRIORS MAKE MOVES AT DEADLINE
Kings general manager Monte McNair made yet another move before the NBA trade deadline arrived Thursday, sending a future second-round draft pick to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Terence Davis, sources told The Sacramento Bee.
Davis is a 23-year-old guard who carved out a role with the Raptors over the past two seasons after going undrafted out of Ole Miss in 2019. He appeared in 106 games for the Raptors, averaging 7.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 16.1 minutes per game. He was an NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection in 2020.
The 6-foot-4, 201-pound shooting guard joins a Kings backcourt that now includes De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Delon Wright, who was acquired in a trade with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, The Kings agreed to send Nemanja Bjelica to the Miami Heat in exchange for Maurice Harkless and Chris Silva, sources told The Sacramento Bee.
The possibility of a deal between Sacramento and Miami had been rumored for weeks with sources telling The Bee the Heat had interest in Bjelica back in mid February. Last week, as Bjelica’s stay in Sacramento dragged on, a source with knowledge of the situation said a trade was “trending toward deadline day,” but a deal was still expected.
The trade gives Miami a highly skilled veteran power forward who can help the Heat push for a top seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race while allowing the Kings to move on without taking on additional future salary. Harkless, 27, is on a one-year, $3.6 million contract. Silva, 24, is in the second year of a three-year deal with a team option for the 202122 season.
Bjelica started 137 games for the Kings over the past two seasons. He averaged career highs of 11.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting a career-best 41.9% from 3-point range last season, but he grew unhappy when his role was reduced this season as the organization prioritized the development of Marvin Bagley III.
League sources told The Bee the Kings explored trade possibilities involving Bjelica around the time of the NBA Draft in November and would continue to work through their options leading up to the trade deadline. Bjelica averaged 7.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 26 games for the Kings this season. He is shooting just 29.3% from 3-point range this season, but he is a career 38.7% shooter from beyond the arc.
Silva has appeared in 11 games for the Heat this season, averaging 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game. The 6-foot-8, 234-pound power forward went undrafted out of South Carolina in 2019. A training camp invite from the Heat led to a two-way contract and then a standard contract.