This is wrong. BKN is the only team that will almost certainly have 25% max cap space next offseason. SAS and WAS could have it, but it's unlikely, since it would require them to let FA's walk without bringing back any returning salary via trade this season. Everyone else won't have cap room once you taken into account their realistic plans (extensions, re-signings, draft picks etc.). Hence the money out there for Jalen and/or Sengun (or any of the other RFA's) is scarce. Keith Smith is good for tracking this:
Interesting to see who he models his game after. He names 2 guards to 1 forward. Clearly he sees himself as a guard, let's see I Ime agrees.
Pretty much the same list of teams I was thinking could extend him an offer ..... but some of them will have to do some maneuvering to do it. Some make more sense than others ... As much as I criticize Jalen, I wouldn't want to be the GM that let him walk and he absolutely blows up for his next team - that possibility is pretty real because his problem is such a simple and fixable one, I'm just not sure how you can justify paying the guy the max if this season has efficiency numbers similar to the last 3.
Really, they are three guards - Jimmy Buckets was a SG for much of his career. He just has the size to play the 3 spot too and that suits him well being older now.
I was merely responding to the teams that could use his services. I don't know which teams can or can't create the cap room necessary to sign him. I could see the Rockets try and get him for much cheaper this upcoming offseason if what you're saying is true. Seems like it will be a pretty dry market coming up for him. One way or another, Jalen would have to basically play like March Jalen for like...most of the season for the Rockets to even entertain a large offer.
A lot of that newer generation seems to make the transition seamlessly. Fewer busts than in the 90s, 00s.
There's still plenty of busts taken in the top 5 nowadays, James Wiseman showed to be the black Darko Milicic just a few years back.
There was something a little Westbrook about that play in that he wasn't necessarily scanning for teammates - it was a "you can't stop me" drive to the hoop. Super cool and hopefully something he can utilize more to get easy buckets.
