Clippers and Kings complete first trade of NBA trade deadline week

The Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings complete the first of NBA Trade deadline week; And it definitely isn’t underwhelming at all.

The NBA trade deadline is set for Thursday afternoon, and there are plenty of questions that will hopefully be answered. Will the Cleveland Cavaliers be able to send center Andre Drummond to a team so they don’t have to buy him out of his contract? Will the Toronto Raptors actually trade guard Kyle Lowry or send him elsewhere?

The first trade of deadline week took place on Monday, and it involved the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings. And before you ask, no, it did not involve Marvin Bagley III.

According to ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Clippers are sending forward Mfiondu Kabengele, a future second-round draft pick and cash to the Kings in exchange for a protected future second-round pick.

Wojnarowski notes that this deal frees up $2.6 million for the Clippers to get under the hard cap and earns them a vacant roster spot. As for the Kings, they used their trade exception that was set to expire.

Kings acquire Mfiondu Kabengele from Clippers

Were you expecting a huge trade? Many fans are hoping that this is a precursor of what is to come later this week.

Kabengele was selected by the Brooklyn Nets with the 27th-overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Florida State. After being traded to the Clippers, has primarily filled in as an option off the bench. In his rookie campaign, Kabengele averaged 3.5 points and 0.9 rebounds while shooting 43.8-percent from the field through 12 games. This season, the 6-foot-9 forward is tallying 1.2 points and 0.6 boards per game through 23 contests.

Now with the Kings, Kabengele gets to show what he can bring to the organization for the remainder of the season before he hits free agency this summer. As for the Clippers, one has to wonder what they have in mind with their lone open roster spot. We should find out in the coming days.