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Sacramento Kings
Sep 10, 2025 1:35 PM EDT
The start of the 2025-26 NBA season is a little over a month away and teams are trying to finalize their roster ahead of the beginning of training camps.
Of course, there are still quite a few big-name free agents left on the market such as Jonathan Kuminga, Russell Westbrook, Ben Simmons and Al Horford.
Trey Lyles
Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles (41) dribbles against Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) — Source: © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Another player who has yet to sign in free agency is former Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz forward Trey Lyles.
For Lyles, he was one of the best players still available on the free agent market with the start of the regular season right around the corner but that changed on Wednesday.
Trey Lyles Signs With Real Madrid
According to an official statement by EuroLeauge team Real Madrid, Lyles has decided to sign a one-year contract with the franchise to play overseas.
“Real Madrid CF has reached an agreement with power forward Trey Lyles under which the player remains with the club for the next season, until June 30, 2026,” Real Madrid released in an official statement on Wednesday.
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This is a shocking move for the 29-year-old forward as he has decided to play overseas this season instead of signing with an NBA team.
For Lyles, he spent 10 seasons in the NBA after being selected 12th overall by the Jazz in the 2015 draft.
He spent his first two seasons in Utah before being traded to the Denver Nuggets for Donovan Mitchel, whom Denver had selected 13th overall in the 2017 draft.
Lyles played two seasons for the Nuggets before signing with the San Antonio Spurs in free agency in 2019, where he spent two seasons before joining the Detroit Pistons in free agency in 2021.
Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles (41) — Source: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Detroit then traded the veteran forward to the Kings at the trade deadline during the 2021-22 season and he spent the remainder of his four seasons in the NBA in Sacramento before entering free agency this summer.
Over his 10 seasons in the NBA, the 29-year-old forward averaged 7.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 44.1% from the field and 34.7% from three.
Of course, Lyles was expected to draw interest from some contending teams in free agency this summer but he has instead elected to join Real Madrid for their upcoming season.
While the veteran forward heads to the EuroLeague this season, he could look to make a return to the NBA at some point in the future.
About the author
Trending News Writer, Athlon Sports
Nathaniel Holloway is a sports writer specializing in the NBA, NFL and MLB at Athlon Sports. He specializes in trending news stories, breaking news, trade rumors and more.