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Summary

When Patterson signed a three-year, $16.4 million contract with Oklahoma City in 2017, it seemed like the Thunder got him at a discount. However, it turned out that one reason why Patterson's market was not very robust was due to injuries, as Patterson struggled with knee injuries and never looked like he did in Toronto. Patterson's ability to stretch the floor made him a valuable rotational piece in his prime, but those days appear to be gone.

 

Patterson got some rotational minutes for the Clippers this past season, even starting some games, but certainly did not wow in his appearances. I do not expect Patterson, who recently turned 31 years old, to get more than the minimum as a free agent.

 

Cap Considerations

Patterson will be an unrestricted free agent with a $1.6 million cap hold and Non-Bird Rights. This means that the highest starting salary the Clippers could offer him using the Non-Bird Exception is $3.1 million. This would likely be enough to retain Patterson, since he settled for the minimum of $2.6 million to come to Los Angeles. Alternatively, the Clippers could use their Mid-Level Exception or Bi-Annual Exception to re-sign Patterson if he demands more than $3.1 million.

 

Other teams will have multiple ways to sign Patterson as even teams without cap space could possibly use any of the Non-Taxpayer, Taxpayer, or Room Mid-Level Exceptions to sign him. Since he signed a minimum contract this summer, teams will hope to get him at the minimum next summer too.

Potential Teams: Nets, Clippers, Nuggets, 76ers, Pistons

Predicted Contract: 1-year, $2.6 million ($1.6 million cap hit) with the Nets

Actual Contract: 1-year, $3.1 million with the Clippers

Last updated: 12/31/2020

Patterson got the max amount allowed using Non-Bird rights, and I'm not sure who the Clippers were bidding against in order to give him more than the minimum.

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