The Sacramento Kings are exercising Kessler Edwards’ $1.9 million club option for the 2023-24 season, according to sources. The 6-foot-8 forward carries a cap hit of $1,927,896 next season.
This is part of the two-year, $3.6 million contract he signed with the Brooklyn Nets last July. In February, Brooklyn traded Edwards and cash to Sacramento for David Michineau. The Nets also received a trade exception.
According to a few NBA betting sites, the Sacramento Kings hold 14th-ranked odds to win next season’s championship in 2024. Sportsbooks are giving the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Clippers better odds.
The Sacramento Kings are picking up Kessler Edwards’ $1.9 million team option for the 2023-2024 season, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2023
Kessler Edwards, 22, made four starts in 36 appearances in the 2022-23 season. The Pepperdine product averaged 2.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 10.7 minutes per game with the Nets and Kings. The second-year forward also shot 38.7% from the field and 30.9% beyond the arc.
In Sacramento’s 128-119 win over the Phoenix Suns on Mar. 11, Edwards scored a season-high 12 points in 26 minutes off the bench. Along with notching seven boards, one assist, and one steal, he finished 4-of-6 (66.7%) shooting from the floor and drained two 3-pointers.
Sacramento Kings exercise Kessler Edwards’ $1.9 million team option for the 2023-24 season, work to build on Edwards’ rookie 2021-22 season
Kings coach Mike Brown was glad the organization pursued a trade for Kessler Edwards. “First thing I do know about him is he came from a great conference, the West Coast Conference, but the school is a little suspect — Pepperdine Waves,” Brown said.
“I’ve got a Wave on my staff, reluctantly, in Doug Christie. I’m a Torero, and Toreros and Waves just don’t work that well together. Somehow, someway Doug and I have kind of figured it out, and now to add a second Wave to the mix is not good.”
Kessler took a step back in his sophomore year in the NBA. However, the forward has potential to improve upon his rookie 2021-22 season. The California native made 23 starts in 48 games with Brooklyn a couple seasons ago. He averaged 5.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 20.6 minutes while shooting 41.2% from the field and 35.3% from downtown.
Mildly surprising that Kings would make a trade for cap space and then turn around and pick up Kessler Edwards’ $1.9 million option … which cost them about $800k in cap room versus declining the option and re-signing him to a minimum deal after using their cap space.
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) June 28, 2023
“Love the size,” Brown added. “He has the ability to shoot the ball. He seems like he has some toughness. He’s young and he still seems like he has potential to grow into a player in this league, but our front office knows a lot more about him than I do.
“I didn’t get a chance to watch a ton of tape on him before the deal got done, but there’s some potential there, especially with his size, and it seems like he has a good feel for the game, too.”
In other news, the Sacramento Kings are rumored to trade for either All-Star forward Pascal Siakam or All-Defensive Team forward OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors in the coming days.
NBA free agency begins Friday, June 30 at 6 p.m. ET.
