The Sacramento Kings have officially signed forward KZ Okpala to a two-year contract. His deal was first signed last Wednesday. According to JD Shaw of HoopsRumors, $250,000 is guaranteed for the 2022-23 season.
If he isn’t waived before the first game, he can earn as much as $500,000. However, Okpala’s salary is non-guaranteed for the 2023-24 season.
For the 2023-24 season, $250,000 of Okpala’s minimum salary will become guaranteed if he plays at least 1,000 minutes and the Kings win 41 or more games.
The Kings signed KZ Okpala to a two-year deal. Only $250k is guaranteed for this season, but it’ll increase to $500k if he isn’t waived before the first game. His 2023-24 salary is non-guaranteed.
— JD Shaw (@JShawNBA) September 19, 2022
Of course, if he’s still on the roster beyond June 30, 2024, his salary will become fully guaranteed. Per Basketball-Reference, the California native has made $4.19 million in his professional playing career.
Through 63 career NBA games, Okpala has averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. Plus, he’s shooting 40.6% from the floor and 27.3% from 3-point range.
Okpala was selected 32nd overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2019 NBA Draft. He was then traded to the Miami Heat on July 6, 2019. A day later, he signed a multi-year contract with the team.
Sacramento Kings officially sign KZ Okpala to a two-year contract
In five games played with the Heat during his rookie 2019-20 season, the wing averaged 1.4 points and 1 rebound per contest. He missed quite few games while recovering from Achilles tendonitis.
Then, in December 2019, the Heat assigned Okpala to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the team’s NBA G League affiliate. In 20 appearances with the Skyforce, the forward averaged 11.7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game.
The wing could benefit the Kings’ frontcourt next season.
Additionally, during the 2020-21 season with the Heat, the Stanford product averaged 2.5 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in 37 appearances.
Moreover, on May 16, 2021, in the Heat’s 120-107 win over the Detroit Pistons, Okpala scored a career-high 17 points in 34 minutes of action. He finished 6-for-9 (66.7%) shooting from the floor. This was his best performance.
Last season, in 21 games off the bench with Miami, the wing averaged career highs 3.7 points and 2 rebounds per contest. Not…