A little familiarity goes a long way for Quincy Acy. Coming off his most productive season and entering free agency for the first time, the destination was clear.
The 6-foot-7, 230-pound big man was reportedly wooed by the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs, but his former club, the Sacramento Kings made the third-year pro feel most comfortable.
“I first missed the fans, the city of Sacramento,” Acy told Cowbell Kingdom on Wednesday. “It’s just great they took me in. It feels like home. I missed everything about it, really.”
Acy’s first stay with the Kings began on December 9, 2013, when he was packaged along with Rudy Gay in a seven-player deal with Toronto. The power forward appeared in 56 more games that season, averaging a pedestrian 2.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14 minutes, but his share of exciting plays above the rim stood out in what was another losing Sacramento campaign.
In a salary dump, the Kings shipped Acy to the similarly struggling New York Knicks in August 2014, where he was afforded the largest role of his NBA life. Making 22 starts in 68 games, the 24-year-old proved to be a reliable, efficient two-way option in Derek Fisher’s rotation.
Fast forward to summer, and Acy had earned himself several job opportunities. With a chance to work for perennial playoff contenders, the Texas native was sold on returning to a franchise renowned for its instability.
As for recent headlines drama, Acy brushed off concerns of a strained relationship between the Kings star player and head coach.
“Naw, not at all,” Acy said of second-guessing his decision signing. “I know DeMarcus (Cousins) personally, and I talked to coach Karl, so I wasn’t worried about anything.”
“I called DeMarcus and Rudy and gave them a hard time already, so I’m looking forward to it,” Acy said of his return.
Cousins, in particular, was another reason Acy cited for coming back. The chance to run alongside a potential Hall of Famer was too much for the 37th pick in the 2012 draft to pass up.
“Just his versatility,” Acy spoke of Cousins’ game, “Just to get to see he’s a young star on the horizon. Just to get to see his game develop every year and see him come into his own and just continue to dominate, I mean that’s great to be a part of.”
Acy’s focus now is reestablishing his presence on a roster that’s been flipped upside down. Ironically, learning his third new offense in less than two years makes him no different than the few former teammates remaining.
“I can adjust to pretty much anything,” the athletic forward added. “Whatever they need me to do, I’m going to do. I’m going to be very unselfish in my playing, and I’m going to do whatever it takes for us to win.”
Whether he’s crashing the paint, spotting for jumpers or cheering from the bench, Acy is fine with his fit in Sacramento. He is a team player and an excellent locker room addition. This was another solid addition by Vlade Divac as he continues to build a deep and talented team in Sacramento.
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