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Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Summary
In the '19-'20 season, Bonga played over 1100 non-garbage time minutes, per Cleaning the Glass. However, those minutes decreased this past season, and he mostly fell out of the rotation as the Wizards have improved their depth at the wing.
At 6'9" and athletic, Bonga could potentially be a two-way impact player if he can develop his offensive game. His outside shooting percentages aren't terrible at 34% from three, but he's not generally a threat from out there. He also doesn't finish very well at the rim, as he doesn't have the craft and creativity off drives that he needs to be efficient in the paint. Improving those two areas would be key for his development, and that's before thinking about improving areas such as ball-handling and playmaking.
At only 21 years old still, Bonga is an intriguing free agent, but still needs to develop his game in order to become a rotation-level NBA player.
Cap Considerations
Bonga will be a restricted free agent with full Bird rights and a $2.1 million cap hold and Qualifying Offer. However, the Wizards may not tender him a QO, making him an unrestricted free agent. If a player has a smaller cap hold than his starting salary, his team can use cap space to sign-free agents before using Bird Rights to re-sign its own free agents. Since the Wizards will likely not have cap room, Bonga's cap hold will not play a factor.
Other teams will have multiple ways to sign Bonga as even teams without cap space could possibly use either of the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Taxpayer MLE, or possibly even the Room MLE to sign him to an offer sheet. There's also a chance that Bonga ends up settling for the minimum. However, Bonga being a restricted free agent could lower his interest among teams, as they will worry that the only way to pry him away from Washington would be to overpay him.
Potential Teams: Bulls, Wizards, Celtics, Pacers, Knicks
Predicted Contract: 1-year, $1.7 million with the Bulls
Actual Contract: 1-year, $1.7 million ($200k guaranteed) with the Raptors
I thought Bonga showed enough to potential to get a fully-guaranteed deal, but instead had to settle for a partially-guaranteed contract with Toronto.
Last updated: 8/16/2021
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