This time last year, Kelly Oubre, Jr. was still a free agent. After averaging over 20 points a game for the lowly Hornets, the veteran wing figured to have a robust market. He did not, eventually settling for a veteran minimum deal with the Sixers in September.
To Oubre’s credit, he took advantage of the opportunity, became a key cog for the Sixers, and parlayed that into a two-year, $16.3 million deal with the team at the beginning of free agency.
In this new CBA climate, where teams are avoiding the second apron like a pack of mosquitoes, it appears the NBA’s “middle class” is having trouble getting proper value.