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NBA Rumors: Hornets, Kidd-Gilchrist finalizing extension

By Cody Williams

Jan 31, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Charlotte Hornets are reportedly set to lock-up Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to a four-year extension

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist showed vast improvement in his third season in the NBA and with the Charlotte Hornets last season. He showed tremendous growth in terms of his offensive game and continued to develop into one of the most underrated defenders in the league. Without question, MKG emerged as one of the most important pieces for the Hornets.

In the heart of the offseason, it seems like Charlotte is trying to keep MKG around as one of their cornerstones. According to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports on Monday, the Hornets and Kidd-Gilchrist are close to finalizing a four-year contract extension worth approximately $52 million. The deal is expected to be signed and to have a press conference announcing the deal some time this week.

Undoubtedly this extension comes as Charlotte wants to avoid Kidd-Gilchrist going into restricted free agency in the summer of 2016. Though they would have the right to match any offer that MKG could sign next summer, being able to control the price themselves before the salary cap jumps is a much more sensible move.

In terms of on-the-court repercussions, there are certainly some fans that might be sour on the idea of re-signing Kidd-Gilchrist. After all, his averages of 10.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game last season aren’t exactly ideal for a player who was selected with the second-overall pick in 2012 (stats per ESPN).

However, MKG’s value to the Hornets proved to be quite substantial last season. In 1,587 minutes with Kidd-Gilchrist on the floor last season, the Hornets averaged 99.4 points and gave up just 96.3 points per 100 possessions. Meanwhile, in 2,394 minutes that Charlotte played without Kidd-Gilchrist on the floor, their offensive output dropped to 96.5 points per 100 possessions and their defense collapsed to the tune of allowing 104.1 points per 100 possessions (per NBA.com).

Obviously the biggest concern with Kidd-Gilchrist as he entered the NBA wasn’t his defensive ability but instead his offense, his jump shot in particular. Though it’s still not at an incredible level, it’s improving exponentially as he continues to work on that area of his game. In the 2013-14 season, Kidd-Gilchrist shot an abysmal 28.3 percent on 138 total jump shots. Last season, that percentage climbed to 36.1 percent on 244 total jumpers (NBA.com). While that could be more efficient, that’s tremendous growth on a major weakness for a 21-year-old player.

Kidd-Gilchrist isn’t a finished product or even close to a perfect player. However, he’s a massive asset on the defensive end of the floor and an improving commodity offensively. For the price that the Hornets are getting him at and considering the potential he still has ahead of him at such a young age, this extension was an easy call for the Hornets to make.

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