Sacramento Kings to Discuss Contract With EuroLeague MVP

Victor Wembenyama may be getting all the attention, but the Sacramento Kings have their eyes on another dominant European prospect. According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, the Kings intend to renew talks with EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov about possibly coming to the NBA.

Vezenkov expected to renew talks with Kings after tying EuroLeague final scoring record https://t.co/ZXAHgJuNtM
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) May 22, 2023

Vezenkov averaged 17.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists with Greece's Olympiacos over 40 appearances in the 2022-23 season. He led his team all the way to the EuroLeague Final, tying a championship game scoring record with 29 points in Sunday's 79-78 loss.

A 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward with solid shooting numbers across the board (53.6% from the field, 37.8% from three, 87.9% on free throws), Vezenkov is also a two-time Greek League MVP in addition to this year's EuroLeague MVP. As a prospect, his major red flag is his age: he turns 28 years old in August.

The Kings acquired the rights to Vezenkov via trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2022, but he was initially drafted by the Brooklyn Nets way back in 2017. He has yet to make his way stateside, but the Kings evidently believe he can be swayed.

Teams can't officially open negotiations with unsigned draft picks until after the June 2022 draft, but the Kings have made their intentions clear. General Manager Monte McNair and head coach Mike Brown have both indicated they intend to engage in talks following the conclusion of the Olympiacos season.

Despite an early playoff exit against the Golden State Warriors, the Kings are riding high. They ended an agonizing 16-year playoff drought, and Brown won the NBA's Coach of the Year award. If ever there was a time they could entice a tantalizing potential star to jump on board, it's now.