According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Sacramento Kings are signing free agent center Orlando Robinson. Per Wojnarowski, the two sides came to terms on a one-year contract.
Free agent center Orlando Robinson has agreed on a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/tEw6RmwMPj
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 24, 2024
Initially going undrafted during the 2022 NBA Draft, Robinson joined the Miami Heat. This offseason, however, the Heat waived him. In his two seasons with the Heat, the Las Vegas native averaged 3.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Robinson also started eight games with the Heat, including seven during the 2023-24 season.
Most recently, Robinson played for the Houston Rockets during the 2024 Summer League. In five games, he averaged 14.2 points, a team-leading 9.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1 steal per game.
Sacramento Kings Sign 2-Year Free Agent Big Man
What Orlando Robinson Could Provide for the Kings
Currently, the Kings have just Domantas Sabonis and Alex Len listed as centers on their depth chart. By adding Robinson, it gives them a bit more depth. On the court, Robinson is a solid player. He is a good finisher at the rim and has a bit of an outside game, although there is still a lot of room for improvement on that front. Additionally, Robinson has the tools to be a good rebounder and shot-blocker. Garrett Jackson, a Rockets assistant and coach for the Summer League team, spoke highly of Robinson. Furthermore, Jackson believes Robinson “can be a solid center” in the league.
“I think he can be a solid center,” Rockets assistant and summer league coach Garrett Jackson said. “He does a good job finishing around the basketball. I wouldn’t say he is explosive, but he’s smart around the basket. He does a good job of sealing, fighting for position, he’s really smart. He knows how to get to his spots.”
Overall, he possesses a lot of useful tools, but it is too soon to consider him a potential rotation piece. Regardless, he is only 24 years old and has a lot of potential. Signing him to a one-year deal is a low-risk, high-reward move for Sacramento.
The 2024-25 Season Outlook for Sacramento
Last season, the Kings finished the year with a 46-36 record. Ultimately, they finished as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference and failed to make the playoffs. Considering they ended the season prior as one of the greatest offenses in NBA history and earned the No. 3 seed, last season can be considered a disappointment. However, the Kings have made a handful of moves to hopefully bring them back to the playoffs.
Their biggest move happened earlier this month when the Kings acquired former Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan in a three-team sign-and-trade. In the trade, Sacramento sent forward Harrison Barnes to the San Antonio Spurs. Though some have considered the DeRozan acquisition a bit of a panic move, it is clear the Kings are a better team on paper than they were last season. And for a team that has only made the playoffs twice since 2006, making a big splash like this is a risk worth taking.
