Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has a $13 million player option for the 2019-20 campaign, and if one NBA executive is right, he would be wise to exercise it.
According to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer, an NBA executive has said there is “no way” Kidd-Gilchrist will make back the guaranteed $13 million he would give up if he decides to opt out.
This does not come as much of a surprise.
Kidd-Gilchrist, who just underwent groin surgery, is coming off of a 2018-19 campaign in which he played 64 games and averaged 6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds over 18.4 minutes per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor, 34 percent from three-point range and 77.2 percent from the free-throw line.
The 25-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Kentucky, was originally selected by Charlotte with the second overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft.
Most had high expectations for Kidd-Gilchrist coming into the league, and in his rookie year, he showed some promise, registering nine points and 5.8 boards across 26 minutes a night while making 45.8 percent of his field-goal attempts and 74.9 percent of his foul shots.
However, Kidd-Gilchrist has shown little—if any—progression since then, and his inability to develop a jump shot has rendered him somewhat of a dinosaur in the ever-changing NBA landscape.
Kidd-Gilchrist attempted 47 three-pointers this season, by far the most he has ever taken in a single campaign. His previous high before that was nine attempts, which he posted three times.
So, chances are, Kidd-Gilchrist will opt into his deal for next year and will get one more chance to play for a significant contract.
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