Former Lakers SF Kent Bazemore Reportedly Agrees to 1-Year Kings Contract

Veteran swingman Kent Bazemore reached an agreement Sunday with the Sacramento Kings on a one-year contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Bazemore played the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers on a one-year deal. However, he failed to earn a consistent role and was often left out of the rotation. In 39 games (14 starts), he averaged 3.4 points in 14.0 minutes per game.

After entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2012, Bazemore has developed into a dependable player who is valued for his locker room presence. This will be his second stint in Sacramento, where he made 25 appearances in 2019-20. He has also spent time with the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers.

The addition of the Old Dominion product gives the Kings a veteran presence and a capable defender on the wing who can make an impact when given playing time.

Bazemore has also improved his three-point shooting. He shot a career-high 40.8 percent from deep with the Warriors in 2020-21, though that dipped to 36.3 percent last year.

Bazemore should have an opportunity to crack Sacramento's rotation and carve out a solid role for himself. He can help to spell Harrison Barnes at small forward and will provide some depth as a small-ball 4 behind first-round pick Keegan Murray.