Kings sign former Oklahoma City guard

The Kings have signed free agent guard/forward Deonte Burton to a contract, according to RealGM’s NBA transaction log. The move was first reported by Sactown Sports 1140’s Brenden Nunes, who reported the contract as a training camp pact, meaning it’s a safe bet that it’s non-guaranteed with Exhibit 10 language.

Burton, 29, has 73 games of NBA experience across three seasons with Oklahoma City and Sacramento, with the majority of his time in the league coming from 2018-20 with the Thunder. The former Iowa State wing began his professional career in South Korea’s Korean Basketball League, where he won the KBL Foreign MVP Award after averaging 23.8 points.

His overseas scoring antics captured the attention of the Thunder in 2018, who signed him to a two-way deal before converting him to a standard contract in 2019. Burton then spent the past couple of seasons in the G League, first with the Maine Celtics in 2021-22 and then with the Stockton Kings for most of 2022-23. He earned a brief call-up with Sacramento last season on a 10-day deal but did not close out the season with the Kings after being waived in February.

By signing Burton, the Kings have 19 players under contract, with 14 players signed to standard deals, three on two-way contracts, and Burton and Chance Comanche signed to training camp deals. The Kings aren’t in the tax and could add a 15th player to a standard deal and perhaps could use training camp as an audition for that spot. It’s unclear what Sacramento plans to do with that opening but there’s technically a route for Burton to make the regular season roster if he impresses in camp.

If Burton’s contract includes Exhibit 10 language, he would also be eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived before the season starts and spends at least 60 days in the G League, which, in this case, would be with Stockton.