In his 2022-23 campaign with the Brooklyn Nets, Royce O’Neal played two different roles. At the start of the season, he was a starter for the Nets. After Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were traded, that is no longer the case. He then moved into a substitute role once the Nets had a surplus of wing players. O’Neale never compromised and was ready for whatever the team needed. With that, the Nets fully guaranteed O’Neale’s $9.5 million contract for the 2023-24 season.
For the first five seasons of his career, O’Neal played for the Utah Jazz. The Nets acquired him via trade last season for a 2023 first-round pick. He began his international career for a few seasons after coming out undrafted from Baylor. The 2022-23 season was his first year with the Nets.
It’s been a hectic year, to say the least for the Brooklyn Nets. Everyone on the team had to take on a new role once Durant and Irving were traded. There were four new starters after the trade deadline. O’Neale accepted being moved into a bench role and this showed his character as a teammate.
League sources said the Brooklyn Nets will fully guarantee Royce O’Neal’s $9.5 million salary for the 2023-24 season. @tweet. A versatile forward and defender, O’Neale played in 76 games with Brooklyn last season and averaged 8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
– Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 10, 2023
Royce O’Neale’s $9.5 Million 2023-24 Contract Is Fully Guaranteed by the Nets
In the 76 games played last season with the Nets, Royce O’Neal made 53 starts. He only started one game after the trade deadline. Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson were immediately placed above him on the depth chart once Brooklyn acquired them.
O’Neale was never a great player in the NBA, but he shone last season with Brooklyn as a starter. His three-point earned percentage (. 386) last season was well above the league average. On top of that, he played tight defense and was a real two-way threat for Brooklyn.
With their roster the same, O’Neale may once again play that role off the bench. Last season, he scored career-highs (8.8) points, (3.7) assists and (31.7) minutes per game. After the 2023-24 season, O’Neal became an unrestricted free agent. He will turn 31 after which he may be looking to leave for a bigger role elsewhere.