Kelly Oubre Jr. has bounced around a bit to kick off his NBA career. In six years in the NBA, Oubre Jr. has played on three different teams, this last one coming with the Golden State Warriors. He’s only 25 years old and has always proved to be a solid scorer. The Oubre Jr. free agency discussions are here for the first time in his career.
Oubre Jr. remains on the free agent board, but there are reports that there are few suitors for him. He had hoped to be in for a massive pay day, but that doesn’t seem to be the case as he remains unsigned.
Kelly Oubre free agency rumors
Oubre Jr. took a bit of a step back last season, averaging 15.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He regressed on his shooting from the field, from 3 and especially from the line, where his 69.5% was his worst mark from the free throw line since his rookie season.
But there is enough potential for the young forward. He’s a reliable third option on offense and has improved his defense to the point where it’s become an underrated part of his game. He can play multiple positions, coming off the bench or as a starter. His versatility makes him a viable option for any type of team.
Let’s look at some teams who could be inking Oubre Jr. to a contract.
Spurs
Not only do the San Antonio Spurs have an interest in Oubre Jr., he reportedly has an interest in them. It’s understandable why Oubre Jr. would want to be coached under Gregg Popovich and help the team get back to the playoffs.
The Spurs are in a weird spot where they could go into a rebuild or bring in guys to contend. The DeMar DeRozan trade smells like a rebuild and the fact they didn’t bring back Patty Mills. But Oubre Jr. is young enough that he could be a part of a new young care in San Antonio.
Hornets
Losing a good young player like Malik Monk hurt the Charlotte Hornets. They took a step this season with LaMelo Ball, but need to bring in someone else to play with Ball and Gordon Hayward with Monk gone.
The have pieces that could play in front of Oubre Jr and have him come off the bench. Rozier may slide to a shooting guard role if Ball takes over starting at the point. The Hornets also have Miles Bridges who is a bigger than Oubre Jr. but can fill the small forward role.
For a young, developing team, they might not necessarily need Oubre Jr., but he could be a depth piece to add if Michael Jordan thinks the team can take a leap again this year.
Warriors
The Golden State Warriors expressed interest in re-singing Oubre Jr. The fact that he didn’t cash in like he wanted to makes that seem more likely.
With Klay Thompson coming back, that may push Oubre Jr. to the bench, but it’s a role he’s had before. The Warriors liked what he brought last season and may run it back on a deal that they didn’t think would be there for them when free agency started.
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Oubre should take the money now because he’s not worth 20 mil. a year now or in the future.