The Sacramento Kings have now made their second signing of free agency. After re-signing standout forward Precious Achiuwa to a two-year contract, they have now filled one of their valuable two-way slots. Joining Isaiah Stevens on a two-way contract in Sacramento is former Toronto Raptors forward Jonathan Mogbo.
HoopsHype‘s Michael Scotto reported on Wednesday that the Kings have signed Mogbo to a two-way deal, and simply put, this is a great pickup by Sacramento.
“The Sacramento Kings and Jonathan Mogbo have agreed to a two-way deal, league sources told HoopsHype. Mogbo was the 31st pick of the 2024 NBA Draft and spent the past two seasons with the Toronto Raptors. Agent Austin Walton of NEXT Sports and Kings officials agreed to the deal,” Scotto reported.
The Raptors drafted Mogbo with the 31st overall pick in 2024, signing him to a rookie-scale three-year deal. Now, though, he is leaving Toronto after just two seasons, as the franchise declined his team option. As a rookie, he averaged 6.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 20.4 minutes per game through 63 appearances and 18 starts, showing plenty of promise.
However, as a sophomore, he lost his spot in Toronto’s rotation. He averaged just 1.5 points and 1.7 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game last season, appearing in just 40 contests. Now, the Kings are able to sign him to a two-way contract, and it could end up being a bargain.
Is this a good move for the Kings?
The Kings are in a position where they can take a flier on a player like Mogbo, and it could pay off in the long run. The 24-year-old forward is a versatile defender, high-level passer, and overall athlete who has a great feel for the game. Regardless of what else he brings to the table, he has plenty of intangibles that cannot be taught.
As a 6-foot-9 forward with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, it would be silly not to take a chance on him, especially after what he showed as a rookie. He has proven that when given the opportunity, he can be a productive role player. In Sacramento, he might actually get the necessary minutes to make a difference.
At the bare minimum, he will shine with the Stockton Kings, but really, he could earn some chances in Sacramento.
The perfect two-way signing
Honestly, this is the perfect use of a two-way contract for the Kings. Sure, Mogbo is a bit of an older player, but he has a real path to being a contributor for the team. The Kings need more defensive versatility and rebounding, and Mogbo provides that.
With head coach Doug Christie making the lineup decisions, it would be shocking if Mogbo did not get some early-season opportunities to prove himself. Mogbo is Christie’s ideal player, and we should see plenty of him.
Recently, we have seen guys like Dylan Cardwell and Keon Ellis go from two-way to standard contracts, with Daeqwon Plowden expected to join that group as well. Mogbo could be in a very similar situation, and there is no harm in the Kings at least giving him a chance to do so.
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