Kings Extend Qualifying Offer To Willie Cauley-Stein

The Sacramento Kings have extended a qualifying offer to Willie Cauley-Stein, Sam Amick of The Athletic writes. The news comes just days after the 25-year-old’s agent expressed an interest in a ‘fresh start‘.

Cauley-Stein will now be a restricted free agent when the 2019-20 season officially begins on Sunday and will have a cap hold of $14 million. It will be interesting to see if the big man opts to sign the qualifying offer worth $6.3 million in order to free himself up for unrestricted free agency next summer.

In 81 games with the Kings this season, Cauley-Stein averaged 11.9 points and 8.4 rebounds and was no small part of the franchise’s most successful campaign in over a decade.

Despite the gradual improvements he and the team have made, Cauley-Stein’s agent wishes that his client would get more of an opportunity to expand his game, citing the turnover among players and head coaches as one of the things holding him back.

Related: All 2019 NBA qualifying offer decisions
Related: CBA Explained – Qualifying Offers