With the NBA free agency on the horizon, many high profile players are set to access the restricted free agent market. any Will the teams hand out the big bid sheets?
Restricted NBA free agency It is the great double-edged sword of the League. It allows a team to match any draft sheet signed by a young player, keeping recent drafts under the team’s control. A team can also spend hours, days, and weeks agreeing terms with a player, only for that player’s previous team to match the contract and conquer any new partnership.
The summer of 2023 will see many high-profile names testing the restricted free agency market. A handful of teams are expected to have enough space to make a paradigm shift: Houston, Indiana, Detroit, Utah, San Antonio, Orlando and Oklahoma City.
While nearly every expiring rookie contract leads to restricted free agency, this article will focus on the big hitters—most of whom could make upwards of $20 million a year if the right team comes along. It is important to note, of course, that there is a difference between signing an offer sheet and joining the team, for the above reasons. It is likely that some of the projected bid sheets will be matched.
NBA Free Agency Signing: Who Will PJ Washington Sign?
The Hornets’ recent draft history is patchy at best, but PJ Washington is a true success story. It’s the prototype of the modern big ball – able to switch between winger or small five ball depending on the match. It’s fast enough to guard against the perimeter and tough enough to battle the mail.
On the offensive end, Washington has gradually expanded his skill range in recent years, exploring the confrontational game and spending more time targeting the mismatch on the inside. He’s a good three-point shooter (34.8 percent last season, 36.6 percent for his career) and his versatility will make it easy to connect him to any system.
The Pistons have really focused on size and physicality in recent years. Washington can floor Cady Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, and he’s very apt next to Jalen Doreen or James Wiseman in the frontcourt if Detroit chooses a winger on draft night.
The Pistons feel like the least desirable destination for free “big money” customers, which could lead them to throw money in Washington’s direction rather than, say, Grant Williams or Roy Hachimura (more on them soon).
predictionPistons offer sheet: Four years, $65 million