4. Terry Rozier
Age: 25
Position: PG
2018-19 salary: $3.1 million
Status: Restricted free agent
Timing can be everything, and in this instance, the timing is not ideal for Terry Rozier. Following a breakout during the Boston Celtics‘ 2018 postseason run, Rozier found himself stuck as a reserve for the majority of last season, starting just 14 games following the return of Kyrie Irving.
So while he is 12 months removed from the stretch that saw the Celtics one win shy of the NBA Finals, Rozier will be hoping that front offices around the league will have long memories. During his momentous 2018 playoff run, Rozier posted 16.5 points, 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 36.6 minutes per game. Given this 19-game run came at the business end of the year, it should serve as a good selling point for Rozier.
Terry Rozier on the Jalen & Jacoby show right now: "I'm looking to start (next season). ... I'm not looking to settle for anything less. I'm willing to work for it too, but that's my ultimate goal."
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) May 14, 2019
However, his overall numbers don’t lie. For his career, the 6’1″ Rozier has shot at just a 38.0 percent clip from the field during the regular season. Furthermore, he doesn’t excel as a distributor, with his 4.6 assists per 36 minutes last season representing a career high.
Granted, the Celtics and Rozier could come to an agreement this summer when taking into the account the extreme uncertainty surrounding All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving.
However, with a number of teams around the league in search of a starting point guard, most notably the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz, Rozier’s asking price could ultimately prove to be an overpay.