Report: Kings sign Matthew Dellavedova

Sacramento addresses need for defense and veteran leadership.

The Sacramento Kings announced today that they have signed veteran guard, and former NBA champion, Matthew Dellavedova to a one-year, $2,641,682 partially guaranteed contract.

Dellavedova will be reunited with his former head coach Mike Brown, whom he played for briefly with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2013-14 season.

This is a very smart signing by the Kings. With one move that will cost them little to no money, they address both their need for defense and a seasoned veteran to help guide their young players.

Dellavedova made a name for himself in the 2016 NBA Finals as a role player alongside LeBron James. He was faced with the daunting task of guarding Stephen Curry, who had a historic season, in a series that went seven games. Though Curry averaged just over 20 points per game while shooting over 40% from both the field and from 3, it was his lowest points per game in the playoffs that year. So, he was able to do his job just well enough to help his team win a ring.

In Sacramento, he will be in a similar to position to the one that players such as Andre Iguodala and Udonis Haslem have on their teams. He won’t see big minutes or be on the court much in crunch time, but he is going to aid the players by fortifying their mentality and adding some grit to a previously soft defense.

One opportunity he will also have which fans and coaches would adore, would be to take Davion “Off-Night” Mitchell under his wing. Mitchell, who is small in stature like Dellavedova, is already a good defender. But with the guidance Delly can provide from his past experience, Mitchell could evolve into the elite defensive guard many believe he can be.