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Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Summary
As a second round pick in 2017, Ojeleye got real minutes for the Celtics, playing over 1000 minutes in 71 games his rookie year. Ojeleye's strength allows him to defend some of the bigger, elite wings in the league. However, Ojeleye has yet to adopt any sort of an offensive game. Ojeleye doesn't need to be a great creator to play a role on a winning team, but at a minimum he needs to hit open shots in order to be respected on offense. Ojeleye doesn't shoot well enough or frequently enough from outside to be a threat.
Are there scenarios where Ojeleye could play a small-ball center due to his strength? It's possible, but hard to say since Brad Stevens hasn't given us the opportunity to see it in action. Because Ojeleye is already 25, teams will be skeptical of Ojeleye's likelihood to significantly improve, so he will likely only get minimum-contract level offers this summer.
Cap Considerations
The Celtics have a team option on Ojeleye's $1.8 million salary for the '20-'21 season. If his team option is declined, Ojeleye will become a restricted free agent with a $2 million cap hold and Qualifying Offer. However, if the Celtics decline his option, this likely means they are fine with Ojeleye leaving in free agency, and will not tender him the Qualifying Offer.
There are times (like Nikola Jokic in 2018), when a team declines a fourth-year option in order to have restricted rights rather than having the player hit unrestricted free agency after the fourth year, but this is not one of those time. Ojeleye will then become an unrestricted free agency. The Celtics would still have full Bird Rights on Ojeleye, and could bring him back, but if they decline his option and decide to make him an unrestricted free agent, it will mean they no longer have interest in his services.
Other teams will have multiple ways to sign Ojeleye as even teams without cap space could possibly use any of the Non-Taxpayer, Taxpayer, or the Room Mid-Level Exception to sign him. There's also a real possibility Ojeleye will only be able to fetch a minimum offer this summer.summer.
Potential Teams: Celtics, Hawks, Thunder, Suns, Warriors
Predicted Contract: Opt-In: $1.7 million
If opt out: 1-year, $1.7 million ($1.6 million cap hit) with the Hawks
Actual Contract: Opt-In: $1.7 million
Last updated: 12/31/2020
The Celtics picked up the option for Ojeleye, and could use his help to replace some of the wing depth lost by the departure of Gordon Hayward.
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