It was a little surprising that no team grabbed Omri Casspi off waivers — he’s an experienced NBA forward who can shoot the three ball and was on an NBA minimum contract.
The Kings wanted him but had their reasons to wait. Under the convoluted rules of the CBA if the Kings grabbed him off waivers they would have had his full contract of just over $1 million count against their cap and they are pushing the luxury tax. However, signing him as a free agent to the same deal only counts for about $915,000 against the cap, which lets the Kings also sign Quincy Acy.
That’s what they sides did.
ESPN sources say Omri Casspi is finalizing a one-year contract at league min. with Sacramento tonight after clearing waivers earlier Friday
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 25, 2014
Kings drafted Casspi in first round in 2009 and will bring him back now on one-year deal that should also allow them to hang onto Quincy Acy
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 25, 2014
Casspi will be a deep bench guy for the Kings. Last time he was there he played mostly at the three, but Rudy Gay and Travis Outlaw will get the bulk of minutes there. The Kings could use him more as a stretch four (as the Rockets did) off the bench behind Reggie Evans and Carl Landry. Either way he’s going to have to earn his minutes.
That said Casspi keeps his NBA dream going for another season.