The Golden State Warriors rolled the dice in 2017, paying out $3.5 million to the Chicago Bulls for the rights to Jordan Bell, later shelling out an extra $2.2 million for his services over a two-year span.
Now the Oregon product could put the back-to-back champions in some deep tax trouble, hitting the second guaranteed year of his contract and facing either a potential rookie-scale extension or a potential gamble in free agency with plenty of suitors willing to open their checkbook.
“It can be good or bad,” Bell told Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “It’s kind of like betting on yourself. Some people, if you have a longer contract right away, four years (like all first-rounders), you have a longer time to develop. Two-year contract, you gotta perform both years if you want your money in that free-agency year. I don’t mind betting on myself, though. I think it was a good thing for me, especially at my age.”
Besides the ankle injuries, Bell managed to become an impactful part of this star-studded roster, even getting some playing time in the playoffs and the NBA Finals, as the Warriors' smaller lineup took precedent in a quick 4-0 series.
The Warriors won't be able to make Bell a juicy offer, already elbows-deep in the luxury tax and bound to be a repeater team (above the luxury tax in three of the last four seasons) — but the athletic power forward is hoping there's a space in this roster for him, whether it is via extension or a free agency commitment.
“Yeah, (I) definitely (want to stay),” Bell said. “I don’t like moving, I like the team we have, I like the way things are run. Just like everyone else here, really, nobody wants to leave Golden State. We’ll see how this year turns out, how I play, all that stuff.”
Most players have grown adept to the success and the culture in this team, but players like Zaza Pachulia, JaVale McGee, and Nick Young won't be returning for next season.
The Warriors have made it clear they value Bell as a clear asset for this team, but only time will tell how they decide to retain his services, now bound to pay a hefty price for every extra dollar spent on this roster.
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