Al-Farouq Aminu is a free agent coming off the type of season all free agents want to have. He exceeded his current pay grade, turning into a solid energy player off the bench who can crash the glass, defend multiple positions and make timely cuts to the rim.
He's not a star, despite entering the league as a high lottery pick, but Aminu is useful, and some team may be willing to pay more than the Mavericks are willing to offer. Here's ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon with more:
"Aminu is much more likely to command most, if not all, of the midlevel exception, which will have a starting salary of $5.46 million this summer. One minor problem: The Mavs won’t have access to that midlevel exception if they operate as an under-the-cap team. In that case, the Mavs would have the cap-room exception, which will be in the $2.8 million range. In other words, to pay market value for Aminu, the Mavs would have to use a chunk of their cap space."
Is Aminu worth that? Perhaps. But it all depends on how much another team is willing to pay. Either way, Aminu is definitely happy the Mavericks gave him a chance to succeed, and other free agents who are now in the position he was last season will surely take note.
(h/t: ESPN Dallas)
Photo Credit: Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports
