Money well spent. The Sacramento Kings jumped into the free agent market Friday afternoon, inking point guard Yogi Ferrell to a two-year, $6.2 million contract NBC Sports California has confirmed.
Ferrell had a deal in place to remain with the Dallas Mavericks, but pulled out after learning the specifics of the contract. The Kings jumped at the opportunity to add the talented 25-year-old, who went undrafted out of Indiana in 2016.
Why Ferrell?
Sacramento came into the summer of 2018 with a mountain of cap space and quickly found out that the market wasn't ideal. Adding a player like Ferrell this late wasn't expected, but it's a very solid addition.
The 6-footer posted solid numbers for the Mavs last season, averaging 10.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 27.8 minutes per contest. More of a scoring guard than a pure point, Ferrell knocked down 37.3 percent from long range and 42.6 percent from the field overall.
Ferrell instantly gives Sacramento another ball handling option and a quality scorer off the bench. He loves to push the tempo and should fit in well with the current crop of young Kings players.
What does it mean for Frank Mason?
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De'Aaron Fox is the face the of the franchise, so you can expect him to play the bulk of the minutes at the point guard spot. The remaining minutes will be fought over by Ferrell and 2017 second-round pick Frank Mason.
Mason struggled to separate himself from the crowd during both Sacramento and Las Vegas summer leagues. He led Vegas in assists per game, but he never really found a way to jump start the Kings' offense.
Ferrell is more accomplished as an NBA player. Mason is the more accomplished NCAA player. Ferrell likely earns the first look as the reserve point guard behind Fox, which means Mason will pick up scraps and wait for his chance.
What is the financial impact of the deal?
After backing out of his deal in Dallas, Ferrell found a soft landing in Sacramento. He's a budget addition for the Kings and will barely dent their salary structure in year one or two. Ferrell played in 82 games for the Mavericks during the 2017-18 season, including 21 starts. The Kings found an experienced, rotational player on the cheap.
With Ferrell signed, Sacramento still has roughly $17.5 million in cap space remaining, although they've maxed their roster at 15 players. The Kings have the ability to clear roster spots by waiving players like Deyonta Davis or Ben McLemore, both of whom were acquired in a trade this week.
