Report: NBPA filing grievance over Mbah a Moute's voided contract with Kings
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The National Basketball Players Association is preparing to file a grievance against the Sacramento Kings on behalf of Luc Mbah a Moute, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports.
Mbah a Moute signed what was believed to be a one-year, $1.5-million deal with the Kings on July 14, only for the team to void the contract two days later. Sacramento claims Mbah a Moute failed his physical due to a shoulder injury, but the player's camp believes his shoulder is fine.
The union's grievance will take issue with "the legitimacy of the Kings' process and the findings," according to Wojnarowski. Mbah a Moute's representatives are said to be in possession of multiple independent medical exams that cleared the health of his shoulder.
As potential further evidence, Mbah a Moute was medically cleared to play Saturday in an exhibition game, the NBA's first-ever game in Africa.
Wojnarowski reports that Mbah a Moute met with NBPA executive director Michele Roberts while in Johannesburg, and that the union will likely file the grievance early next week.
It's unclear if the union believes there was any malicious reasoning behind the Kings' decision to void the deal, or if its issue is strictly procedural, with Mbah a Moute's reputation and potential market unfairly harmed by an incorrect evaluation.
Mbah a Moute was reportedly signed for a shade above the veteran minimum, and while the Kings recovered a portion of their Room Exception - an allowance to exceed the salary cap - by voiding the deal, reports at the time suggested Sacramento was still interested in signing Mbah a Moute once his shoulder issue was figured out.
The Kings have 14 guaranteed contracts committed and could still conceivably sign the 28-year-old perimeter stopper.
In 466 career games, Mbah a Moute, who can capably help guard three positions, has averaged 6.8 points and 4.9 rebounds, shooting 44.4 percent from the floor and 29.9 percent from long range. He averaged a career-high 9.9 points in 2014-15.