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Summary

Despite being the only true center with significant NBA experience on the Rockets, Chandler has mostly fallen out of the rotation in Houston as the Rocket have fully embraced small-ball. Chandler is no longer the rim protector and vertical lob threat that he was in his prime, but he can still provide a poor man's version of that role.

 

Chandler has enough intelligence to be in the right spots defensively, and knows when to block shots and when to stay at home. I do not expect Chandler to have much of a market as free agent this summer at age 38, but he could get another minimum contract from a team in need of a backup center. Don't be surprised if Chandler retires.

Cap Considerations

Chandler 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 Rockets could offer him using the Non-Bird Exception is $3.1 million. This could be enough to retain Chandler, since he settled for the minimum of $2.6 million to come to Houston. Alternatively, the Rockets could use their Mid-Level Exception or Bi-Annual Exception to re-sign Chandler if he demands more than $3.1 million.

 

Other teams will have multiple ways to sign Chandler 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: Rockets, Clippers, Celtics, Trailblazers, Raptors

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

Actual Contract: N/A

As of the start of the regular season, Chandler remains unsigned, and his NBA career could be over.

Last updated: 12/31/2020

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