Grant Jerrett, the No 40 pick in the 2013 NBA draft, did the Thunder a huge favor last season.
Though Oklahoma City had to offer Jerrett a contract to retain his rights, Jerrett never signed it and joined the D-League instead. That route – rather than signing with the Thunder and then getting assigned to the D-League – meant making D-League wages.
Perhaps, Oklahoma City is rewarding Jerrett for his loyalty/foolishness now.
With about a week left in the season, the Thunder signed Jerrett, dramatically raising his salary. He didn’t play in the NBA, but he now qualifies as a player with a year of service. Then, Oklahoma City surprisingly extended Jerrett a qualifying offer – a one-year guaranteed contract offer worth $1,016,482.
I kept waiting for him to accept that salary above the minimum, but he parlayed it into a multi-year deal.
Like Troy Daniels received in the same situation, I’m guessing I’m guessing this is a minimum-salary contract – $816,482 this season and $947,276 next season, a total of $1,763,758. For Jerrett’s sake, I hope at least $1,016,482 – the amount of his qualifying offer – of that is guaranteed.Jerrett was a highly rated recruit who struggled through one season at Arizona but turned pro anyway. He’s an intriguing stretch four who, at 21, has a long way to as a player before he’s NBA-ready.If the Thunder see a developmental path for him, it’s a decent time to take a flier on a young player.