The Sacramento Kings attempted to include Georgios Papagiannis as part of a three-way trade at the deadline with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings.

Rival executives say the Kings wanted to save themselves the embarrassment of waiving Papagiannis, who was the 13th pick in 2016.

Koby Altman and Sacramento assistant general manager Brandon Williams vocally disagreed over the insertion of Papagiannis in the trade.

Cleveland couldn't take on his deal because the NBA's repeater tax would turn the balance of his $2.3 million contract for this season and $2.4 million next season into three times that due to the luxury tax.

The Kings waived Papagiannis after the deadline.