The New Orleans Pelicans are making a strong push to bring back all of their free agents, and small forward Dante Cunningham became the third to reach a contract agreement with the franchise this week according to Shams Charania of RealGM. Cunningham agreed to a three-year, $9 million contract offer to return to the Pelicans. The third year on Cunningham’s deal includes a player option, which means he can opt out after the second year of the deal to become an unrestricted free agent again.
Report: Dante Cunningham agrees to three-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans pic.twitter.com/sDkSM3V4Cg
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This a good deal, and it comes after the Pelicans agreed to terms with all-star forward Anthony Davis for five-years and $145 million, and with center Omar Asik for five years and roughly $58 million. Therefore with this signing the Pelicans just confirmed that filling out their bench depth and maintaining what they have is now their priority.
Even though his range doesn’t stretch to the three-point line, Cunningham is an efficient pick-and-pop player on long two-pointers, taking 56 percent of his shots in the 16-23 foot area and making 43 percent of them. He’s a 28-year-old role player already and has probably hit his ceiling, but his role in New Orleans is definitely a need for the team as they look to stretch the floor during games.
Cunningham played 66 games for New Orleans last season, his fifth team he has suited up for in his six-year NBA career. He averaged 5.2 points and 3.9 rebounds on 46 percent shooting.
