McDermott, 32, has shot 47 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point range over the course of his 10-year career.
He helps Sacramento check off two areas of concern entering the new season with his size and shooting ability — not to mention the third could be his veteran presence alone on a predominantly young team. At 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, the former first-round pick should perfectly complement Mike Brown’s unique offense alongside the team’s new Big Three in De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis.
Drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 2014 and then traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft night, McDermott has played for five different teams over the last decade and most recently played with the Indiana Pacers during the 2023-24 season.
His best statical seasons came with the Pacers during his first stint with the team from 2020 to 2023, where he averaged 11.8 points on 48.9-percent shooting from the field and 40.7 percent from deep, adding 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 23 minutes.
After trading Jalen McDaniels, a career 32.2 percent 3-point shooter, on Monday, McDermott provides the Kings with a boost off the bench alongside resilient guard Malik Monk and fellow sharpshooter Kevin Huerter, who is working his way back to a return from shoulder surgery.
Sacramento, still winless in the preseason (whatever that means), is dead last in 3-point shooting (25 percent) among all NBA teams through four preseason contests. Sure, it’s the preseason. But the McDermott addition can only help in that department as the Kings hope to get back to the elite offense they were just two seasons ago.
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