Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
2025 Free Agents - Braxton Key
Key has bounced around on 10-day contracts and two-way contracts over the last several years, and played well enough in the G-League in '24-'25 to get a standard NBA contract from the Warriors at the end of the '24-'25 season. Key was a pretty productive G-League player in '24-'25, averaging over 18 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He is a little bit between positions, as he's not a true wing forward but not a big either. At 6'8", he can get some blocks and has also been fairly disruptive getting steals in his limited NBA minutes. He has tried stretching the floor a bit, but only shot 28% from 3 in the G-League on just under three attempts per game. Key is already 28 years old, so he's not someone that will be seen as a young prospect. If he can continue to be this productive in the G-League, he might get more NBA minutes to prove himself.
Summary
Key will be an unrestricted free agent with a $2.3 million cap hold and Non-Bird rights. This means that the highest starting salary the Warriors could offer him using the Non-Bird Exception is $3 million. This should be enough to retain Key, since he settled for the minimum to come to Golden State. Alternatively, the Warriors could use their Mid-Level Exception or Bi-Annual Exception (if available) to retain him. Other teams will have multiple ways to sign Key as even teams without cap space could use the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Room MLE, Taxpayer MLE, or Bi-Annual Exception to sign him. It's also likely that Key only gets minimum offers again, and may not even get fully-guaranteed offers.
Cap Considerations
Kessler Edwards (2-1 year minimum, 2022) Kenneth Lofton (1 year non-guaranteed minimum, 2024) Kendall Brown (Two-way contract, 2024)