Several teams monitoring the free agent market believe the Nets will decline their team option on Garrett Temple for the 2020/21 season, reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Begley cautions that things could change between now and the decision deadline, but says he’d be surprised if Temple’s option is exercised.
Temple, 34, played regular minutes for Brooklyn in 2019/20, averaging a career-best 10.3 PPG to go along with 3.5 RPG and 2.5 APG in 62 games (27.9 MPG). However, his shooting percentages (.378 FG%, .329 3PT%) weren’t great and he would likely see his role significantly reduced next season on a fully healthy Nets team that will have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the lineup.
Temple’s option is worth just over $5MM, which isn’t a bad price for the veteran swingman, but the Nets are already on the hook for about $133MM in guaranteed money for next year’s roster and still want to re-sign Joe Harris. Replacing Temple on the cheap might make sense, especially since minimum-salary wing Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot should be back next season.
No decision deadline has been set yet, since the NBA and NBPA have yet to agree on a start date for free agency. The Nets’ decision figures to be due a day or two before the start of the new league year, so they’ll likely have until after the draft to make that call.
If the Nets do decline Temple’s option, he’ll receive interest from multiple suitors in free agency, per Begley. Since making his NBA debut 10 years ago, Temple has played for nine teams — he could join his 10th this offseason.
Thought they would keep him to bolster their trade dollars. They can pull off trades without him, but depending on who they are targeting the 5M could come in handy for matching purposes.
The Nets need all the cap relief they can get.
They’re stuck with two huge contracts for Kyrie and KD.
Nets have resign Joe Harris. They need shooters around KD and Kyrie. Nets are trying to win lol. Not all teams are scared off by cap like Rockets. Who when title chasing give up on a young Capela. With a very reasonable contract. You really are a hater lol. The glass is always half full bro. Try that every day.
Nets like Warriors have a win now mentality. Their window is 3-4 yrs. These teams #1 priority is winning. Not whining about salary cap. Sure they are aware of it. Winning is first for them. As it should be. A real contending team. Only comes around once in awhile. Either you believe or you don’t pay like Rockets.
The only team in NBA history with two players on supermax deals has somehow become the team that doesn’t want to pay? Whatever.
The Nets ship will sink once drama queen Kyrie starts running his mouth. I don’t see his ass playing a full season. KD is a dog but he proved that he cannot carry a team by himself. Add to that a rookie coach and useless Deandre Jordan and you have a good recipe for failure! Dinwidee and LeVert better jump off that ship to get more playing time and money elsewhere