Brooklyn Nets starting point guard D'Angelo Russell is now eligible to receive a $9.16 million qualifying offer from the franchise this summer, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.
If the Nets give D'Angelo Russell the qualifying offer, the lefty will become a restricted free agent, meaning he can sign an offer sheet with another team if he wants to, and then Brooklyn will have 48 hours to match the offer sheet or let Russell walk.
If for some reason Brooklyn doesn't offer Russell the qualifying offer, D-Lo would become an unrestricted free agent and free to sign with any team he wants.
D'Angelo Russell has now met the starter criteria in his contract. The Brooklyn point guard has now started 41 games this season and will be eligible to receive a $9.16M Qualifying Offer as a free agent this summer. The $21M free agent cap hold remains unchanged.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 8, 2019
In 40 games this season for the Nets, D'Angelo Russell is averaging 18.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. The 22-year-old is shooting 42.3 percent from the field, 35.7 percent from beyond the arc and 81.3 percent from the free-throw line.
Despite having a solid statistical season, there are some around the league who believe the Nets could wind up letting Russell walk in the offseason. Brooklyn signed Russell's backup, Spencer Dinwiddie, to a contract extension last month.
Russell and Dinwiddie have co-existed well this season, but if another team offers Russell a lucrative offer sheet, it is not a guarantee that the Nets would match it since they are trying to save cap space to sign a marquee free agent such as Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler and Kevin Durant.
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