Kings Fill Final Two-Way Spot With Leaky Black: Making Sense of the Signing

Since waiving guard Isaiah Stevens in late July, the Sacramento Kings have had an open two-way slot that they have been saving for the right opportunity. After Wednesday's preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers, they have apparently seen enough from 27-year-old forward Leaky Black to sign him to their final two-way contract.

"The Sacramento Kings announced today that the team has converted forward Leaky Black to a two-way contract," the organization announced on Thursday.

Black, a 6'6" forward who went undrafted out of North Carolina in 2023, is an interesting pickup for the Kings. Let's dive into why this is a positive move by Sacramento and an obvious win for Black, and why this is still a bit of a head-scratcher.

A defensive-minded signing

Since his five-year tenure with the Tar Heels, Black has been viewed as an impressive defender. He has the frame and athleticism to keep up with NBA talent, and his overall defensive instincts have kept him alive at the next level.

For a Kings team that obviously lacks on the defensive end, Black is a solid player to have at the bottom of the roster. The Kings initially had Black signed to an Exhibit 10 deal, but he likely exceeded their expectations.

Over the last two preseason games, Black has totaled 19 points, nine rebounds, and three steals in 49 minutes, while shooting 5-8 from beyond the arc. Black is not a perfect player by any means, but after showing the Kings that he can hit from deep, rebound, and play above-average defense, it makes total sense that they converted him to a two-way deal.

Plus, this is an obvious win for Black. Last season, the Washington Wizards signed Black to a two-way contract in February before waiving him in July, and he needed another opportunity to prove himself. In 15 appearances with the Wizards last season, Black was actually impressive, averaging 7.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, but there was some doubt that he would land another NBA contract.

This is not a bad move by the Kings, as they had a two-way contract to use and were obviously impressed by Black. However, it continues an unfortunate trend for the Kings.

A bit old for a two-way?

The Kings have had a recent trend of signing older players to two-way deals, when fans obviously want them to use these contracts to take chances on younger prospects. Of course, there is no actual age limit on two-way contracts, as long as the player has three or fewer years of NBA service, but the Kings are not really using these roster spots to find young talent.

The Kings now have Leaky Black (27), Adam Flagler (26), and Jonathan Mogbo (24) signed to two-way contracts. Granted, there is reason to be very excited about Mogbo, and now we can look forward to what Black might bring to the table. Still, for a team that already only has one player under 22, it would be nice to add some more youth, especially considering they are rebuilding.

Regardless, this is a risk-free move by the Kings, and after what Black showed in preseason action, there is no reason to actually be upset about this signing. The only thing that fans might say is that they wish this final spot went to Tristen Newton, but Black did enough to earn the contract.

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