Gonzaga's Drew Timme expected to join Sacramento Kings' G League team ahead of 2024-25 campaign

Former Gonzaga standout was waived by the Sacramento Kings earlier this week

Mar 19, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) slaps hands with the bench in the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Ball Arena. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Months after an impressive return to basketball in Las Vegas this past summer, Drew Timme’s next NBA opportunity could present itself in the coming weeks.

In the days leading up to the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, Timme signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Sacramento Kings. Two weeks prior to the deal, the Kings’ G League affiliate club, the Stockton Kings, traded former Saint Mary’s guard Jordan Ford, Deonte Burton and a draft pick to the Wisconsin Herd for Timme’s player rights. Timme played 27 games for the Herd before a foot injury ended his season in February.

Timme suited up for the Kings’ summer league team, though the Exhibit-10 contract was not a long-term move. As expected, Sacramento waived Timme, along with Antoine Davis and Shareef O’Neal, about 24 hours after he signed the Exhibit-10 contract. This way, Stockton can obtain his G League rights (Sacramento’s three two-way spots on its roster are already filled). 

Timme is expected to report to Stockton sometime before the start of the 2024-25 G League season, which tips off on Nov. 10, according to CBS Sports. Stockton’s first game is against the Valley Suns in Tempe, Arizona, on Nov. 11. If Timme stays with the team for 60 days, he’ll be eligible for bonuses worth up to $77,500, according to hoopsrumors.com. 

Gonzaga's all-time leading scorer was a notable standout from the NBA Summer League, as the 6-foot-10 Texan did a little bit of everything to prove he’s worthy of being on an NBA roster. Under Kings summer league coach Doug Christie, a standout at Pepperdine in the 1990s, Timme was put in the Domantas Sabonis role, which allowed the offense to run through him at the high post. 

“I thought it was great,” Timme said on The Drive Guys. “I like the system that they play in. I feel like it’s really good for a player like myself.”

Timme averaged 11.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and shot 63.2% from the field in five Vegas summer league games. He also played three games with the Kings in the California Classic.

Prior to his foot injury this past winter, Timme had several big games with the Herd, including a 30-point, 10-rebound and 6-assist performance in early December.

“I think he was going to get called up [to the Bucks main roster] this year and then he broke his foot,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said of Timme in July. “So that was just a tough, tough deal and tough timing. So he's just in that situation where he's just gonna have to keep fighting and scratching and doing what he can.”

With health on his side, time will tell if an opportunity to join Sacramento’s main roster — or another team’s main roster for that matter — presents itself to Timme if he does indeed join Stockton’s squad as expected.