Just 24 games into the 2018-19 season, Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein has met the requirements needed to acquire a bigger qualifying offer.
Per ESPN's Bobby Marks, Cauley-Stein has just met the criteria set forth by the league, explaining;
“Willie Cauley-Stein has now met the starter criteria for his 2019 Qualifying Offer. The criteria is based on a player either starting 41 games or playing in at least 2,000 minutes during the 2018-19 season. A player can also reach the criteria if he averages 41 starts or 2,000 minutes over the course of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 season. Cauley-Stein has averaged 41 starts and is now eligible to receive a $6,265,631 Qualifying Offer. Failing to reach the criteria and the Qualifying Offer would have been $4,485,665. The $14.1M cap hold will not change”
The seven-footer has shown marked improvement in his last two seasons after being selected sixth overall by the Kings in 2015.
He has doubled his point average since his rookie season, jumping from seven to 14 points a game. Cauley-Stein's rebounding and assist numbers have also grown, from 3.3 to 5.8 and 0.6 to 2.4 respectively.
When he is on the floor, Willie Cauley-Stein provides an imposing defensive presence, as well as a consistent lob threat when paired with second-year point guard De'Aaron Fox.
Perhaps most importantly, the big man has earned the trust of his organization, starting all 24 of the Kings' games so far this season, one of the key factors for his qualifying offer.
While this is great news for Willie Cauley-Stein, the Kings must decide whether they are ready to commit this money to their center or find a substitute once the season is over.
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