The Hawks exercised the 2018-19 contract options for 2016 first-round draft picks Taurean Prince and DeAndre’ Bembry today. Under NBA rules teams have until Oct. 31 to pick up option years on rookie-scale contracts.
As the No. 12 overall pick (via Utah) Prince will make $2.53 million in 2018-19. His contract includes another team option for $3.48 million in 2019-20.
Bembry, the No. 21 overall pick, will make $1.63 million in 2018-19. The team option for 2019-20 is $2.60 million.
Prince and Bembry showed enough potential during their rookie seasons that picking up their third-year options is a no-brainer decision for the Hawks. It’s rare for NBA teams to decline picking up the third-year option for even disappointing second-year prospects because it’s usually worth it to keep them under team control and see if they develop.
Prince and Bembry will be eligible for contract extensions before the 2019-20 season in lieu of their options.
Credit: Michael Cunningham
Credit: Michael Cunningham
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