LA Clippers free up roster spot, trade Mfiondu Kabengele to Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings acquired LA Clippers forward Mfiondu Kabengele and cash for a heavily protected future second-round pick, the team announced Monday night.

With the deal, the Clippers created an open roster spot ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline and the eventual free-agent buyout market, dropping $2.6 million below the hard cap. Under the restrictions of the hard cap, the Clippers had to wait until March 30 to sign a player. Now, there are no restrictions on using the team's two open roster spots.

The Kings absorbed Kabengele into a trade exception that would've expired Monday.

Kabengele, a 6-foot-9 forward out of Florida State, was the 27th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. He played sparingly with the Clippers in two seasons, entering 35 games and averaging 4.5 minutes on a veteran-driven team.

The Kings now get an opportunity to take a closer inspection of Kabengele over the rest of the 2020-21 season. The Clippers declined his third-year option prior to the season.

ESPN front-office insider Bobby Marks contributed to this report.