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Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
2022 Free Agents - Jalen McDaniels
Summary
After getting few minutes in his rookie season, McDaniels got some legitimate playing time in the '20-'21 season, even starting 18 games when the Hornets were short-handed. However, those minutes have declined a bit in '21-'22. At 6'10" and long, McDaniels has good size for a wing. He can also defend multiple positions due to his quickness. He's a below-average outside shooter, but he seems to have some potential in that regard. Perhaps more importantly, he's not afraid to let it fly from outside and seems to get respected decently enough by defenses, at least in the regular season when teams are not as in-tuned to their opponents weaknesses on a night-to-night basis.
If McDaniels can become an above-average outside shooter, even if it's only in spot-up situations and not off-the-dribble, McDaniels could develop into a solid rotation-level wing. He already finishes well at the rim and rebounds well for his position. McDaniels hasn't shown that he's anything more than a minimum-level player, but I think he's shown enough to stick around in the league a little longer.
Cap Considerations
McDaniels has a $1.9 million team option for 2022-2023, and the Hornets may decline this option to make McDaniels a restricted free agent in 2022, rather than picking up the option and having McDaniels hit unrestricted free agency in 2023.
If the Hornets decline the option, McDaniels will be a restricted free agent with a $2.2 million cap hold and Qualifying Offer. However, the Hornets could refuse to tender the QO, which would make McDaniels an unrestricted free agent in 2022. I don't think the Hornets will feel the need to lock McDaniels down in 2022, and would expect them to pick up his option.
If his option is declined, other teams will have multiple ways to sign McDaniels as even teams without cap space could use any of the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Taxpayer MLE, or possibly even the Room MLE to sign him to an offer sheet. However, McDaniels being a restricted free agent will greatly lower his interest among teams, as they will worry that the only way to pry him away from Charlotte would be to overpay him. If the Hornets don't give McDaniels a QO, this likely means he could be had for the minimum.
Potential Teams: Hornets, Thunder, Pistons, Rockets, Jazz
Predicted Contract: Opt-In: $1.9 million
If option declined: 1-year, $1.9 million with the Thunder
Actual Contract: Opt-In: $1.9 million
As expected, the Hornets picked up the option on McDaniels, and he will hit unrestricted free agency in 2023 unless he and the Hornets agree to an extension before then.
Last updated: 6/28/2022
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