Dante Cunningham declines 3.1m player option

[All Metro]

Good news right?

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/1...ome-free-agent

[DroopyDawg]

He may try to negotiate for more. So if they want to keep him, then no its not good. If they are moving on form him, then great news.

[Mr. West]

Bad news. Him at 3 million was a great contract.

[NMThreeMVP]

This was expected. It's not good news, but it was expected.

[Champ]

If I'm Demps I keep tight lipped on who he is after this offseason. Especially when someone may have known what Loomis&Payton really wanted in the NFL draft. Don't talk to people in restaurants, don't take a picture of your war room.

[luckyman]

Eh. They need more dynamic wing players. Cunningham still isn't really a wing. More of a stretch 4.

[Mythrol]

Of course he did. If we keep his cap hold then we can go over the cap to resign him. I'm not opposed to bringing him back. I don't think he would cost a ton either. Maybe 5/6m a year.

Depends how free agency goes.

[Impose]

I was hoping he wouldn't do this, but it is the best decision for him. I think team management has to do what it takes to keep him here. A SF/PF who is reasonable on D and has great chemistry with the team you have to keep.

If the Pels lose Dante it will be a low key tragedy.

[Buckwheat]

Maybe he sees this team as a disfunctional mess under Alvin Gentry.
It was the same others have said including Buddy, Evans, Gordon and Anderson.
I don't blame Dante for wanting a better opportunity

[billfromfinance]

Maybe the guy wants more money and can get it because of his improved 3 point shooting, low usage role playing. Let alone the fact that the salary cap was 70 million when he was signed on his current contract and is set to be what, like $102-3 million this coming season. MLE is going to be around 8.4 mill.

edit: Unless another team throws crazy money at him and the Pels don't want to match he should be back. The team loves him, they have invested heavily in him. He also loves the lifestyle he is afforded here.

[TPDG22]

It was the best move for Dante to do. He'll get more money. That simple.

Now, although Dante improved his 3-Pt. shooting over the course of last season he is still replaceable. Could Cheick Diallo supplant him? I believe so.

[Topdawg26]

Let him go! Diallo can replace him at the 4 and Josh Hart (hopefully we get him) will replace him at the 3

[Mythrol]

Diallo can absolutely NOT replace him. Diallo is a 20 year old raw prospect.

People are grossly undervaluing Cunningham. He actually had the highest 3pt % of any non contract player on our team on nearly 3 attempts a game. Yes this includes higher than Crawford, even guys we traded like Galloway and Buddy.

There is a reason he opted out. Because he will get more money. Diallo might develop into a capable big but I don't know if he will ever have the same skill set as Cunningham. Dante is a very valuable player. Low usage, high % 3pt shooter, that can defend 3 positions. He's similar to PJ Tucker but with a better 3pt shot.