The Kings have picked up 2018/19 rookie scale options on five players, the team announced today in a press release. The moves will add about $14MM in guaranteed salary to Sacramento’s books for the ’18/19 season. Here are the options exercised by the club in advance of today’s deadline:
- Willie Cauley-Stein (fourth year, $4,696,875)
- Buddy Hield (third year, $3,833,760)
- Georgios Papagiannis (third year, $2,400,480)
- Malachi Richardson (third year, $1,569,360)
- Skal Labissiere (third year, $1,544,951)
None of these decisions comes as a real surprise. With the exception of Hield – who was the centerpiece in the trade that sent DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans – all of these players were drafted by Vlade Divac and the current Kings management group.
Cauley-Stein, the only player of the bunch whose 2018/19 option is on the fourth year of his rookie contract, will be eligible for a contract extension during the ’18 offseason, and will reach restricted free agency in the summer of ’19 if he’s not extended next year. The other four players are on track to be RFAs in 2020 if their fourth-year options are picked up next offseason.
All of this year’s rookie scale team option decisions can be tracked right here.