Hornets forward Miles Bridges met the “starter criteria” on Friday when he appeared in Charlotte’s starting lineup for the 41st time this season. The starter criteria applies to players who are eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end, and dictates the amount of their qualifying offer. By meeting the criteria, Bridges ensured his qualifying offer will increase to $7,921,300.
The amount of Bridges’ qualifying offer probably won’t have much of an impact on his free agency. He’s having a breakout season and is a good bet to be paid in excess of $20MM per year on his next contract, so accepting his one-year QO likely won’t be an option he seriously considers, even now that it’s worth a little more.
Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate also met the starter criteria on Friday by making his 41st start of the season, but Houston holds a minimum-salary team option on Tate for the 2022/23 season, so he won’t reach restricted free agency until ’23, assuming he’s not extended before then.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- The Wizards announced today that Pat Delany, who was serving as the team’s acting head coach while Wes Unseld Jr. is in the COVID-19 protocols, has entered the protocols himself. Assistant Joseph Blair, Washington’s new acting head coach, told reporters that star guard Bradley Beal has exited the protocols and will be a game-time decision on Monday (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Athletic).
- In an article for The Athletic, Robbins and David Aldridge discussed the Wizards‘ needs and identified some possible trade targets for the team, including Jerami Grant, Harrison Barnes, and Thaddeus Young.
- Heat guard Kyle Lowry won’t face his old team for the first time on Monday after all, having been ruled out of Miami’s game vs. Toronto for personal reasons, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets.
- Veteran guard Mario Chalmers admitted he was disappointed not to play at all during his recent 10-day stint with the Heat, but said he didn’t want to be a “disruption” for the team and is looking forward to proving with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, that he deserves another shot at the NBA level. “Hopefully another 10-day comes out of it and I get signed for the rest of the year,” Chalmers said, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
They have the same contract and same salary
Ill take Harrison Barnes over Eric Gordon
Barnes is 4 years younger.
Is Bridges really going to get 20M shooting 31% from 3? I mean you can sense the regret for Randles contract already. Bridges has improved his overall game, but who is stepping up to 20M? I could see a contract that increases to 20 or 21 over 4 years but not starting there or as 20M per year.
I’m glad our team isn’t going to be paying him but I think 20mil will be the absolute minimum he gets. I think it’s more likely he gets 30mil
No wonder dudes are piling in for 10 day contracts… NBA players get stupid money these days. Ever since the Mozgov year.
If he gets 30M man lol crazy.
He’s murdering Randle tonite
Barnes would be a good fit for the Wizards. I think his versatility between SF and PF would work well with Kuzma.
Barnes offers the defence and Kuzma the playmaking and scoring, yet on a rough shooting night Barnes can put up more points if needed.
However I think their biggest weakness is the centre position. They have bit part players that cover the minutes there but not a stand out starter. Still think Jusif Nurkic would be a really good addition for really cheap too.
Nice article on the Wizards. Few blame Dinwiddie for the WAS decline, but all wonder why the lack of sync with Beal. (Maybe HC Unseld lost trust?)
Wiz should be proactive with Beal before he leaves on his own. Good for a trade: Spurs, with Dejounte Murray, Jakob Poeltl, Devin Vassell and a HC who has to be tired of struggling and so willing to give up assets. For some reason I think Beal’s value is already slipping. For those who say of Murray, bad-team scorer, well, so is Beal.
WAS’s three forward prospects are still too young to move, could be something. Rui, Advija, Kispert… Kuzma a thing now.