The free agent market is about to open, but not every player has the confidence to jump out of contract and become a full free agent. Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd Gilchrist opted for the executive player option. Gilchrist signed the Hornets to a four-year, $52 million extension in the summer of 2016, and his salary next season will remain $13 million.
Gilchrist was named the 2012 winner and was very famous both in high school and college. While attending the University of Kentucky, Gilchrist played alongside Anthony Davis, averaging 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his freshman year and was named the NCAA Southern Division Player of the Year. Moreover, Gilchrist also won the 2012 NCAA Championship with Davis.
Gilchrist is 2.01 meters tall and has an arm span of 2.13 meters, which gives him the basic conditions to become a top defender. But After Gilchrist was selected, it became another draft "failure" for Jordan. Beal, who finished third, is now an All-Star, averaging 25.6 points, five rebounds and 5.5 assists per game this season. Lillard, who finished with the 6th overall pick, finished all-Four, and now averages 25.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. Drummond, who is ninth overall, made two All-Stars and averaged 17.3 points and 15.6 rebounds per game this season.
How has Gilchrist, who is at the top of the charts, performed this season? He played in 64 games for the Hornets, averaging just 6.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1 assist per game. Gilchrist has not developed enough stable outside projection in his career, and although his shooting posture has changed again and again, and Jordan has personally directed his shooting, he has never succeeded. Gilchrist is only 25 years old now, but he is already clearly starting to take a career downhill.
Gilchrist was able to get a four-year, $52 million contract in large part because the league's salary space skyrocketed in the summer of 2016, and teams offered incredible sky-high contracts. Gilchrist became the beneficiary of the time, getting the contract that was much higher than his true worth. Next season, if Gilchrist continues this downturn, it is likely that what awaits him is a basic salary contract.