Flight Risk Indicator + Landing Spots for Top 10 2025 Rookie-Scale Restricted Free Agents | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

Contract forecast: $22 million, three years (team flexibility in season three)
Possible landing sites: Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets

Evaluation: After reinvesting in Nicolas Claxton this offseason, will the Nets pay to keep Day'Ron Sharpe as his long-term replacement? Sharpe, who will miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury, is a powerful 6-foot-1, 265-pound center who collected 6.4 rebounds in just 15.1 minutes per game last season. At 22 years old, he needs more opportunities to blossom, which may not be the case in Brooklyn.

The Nets are the only franchise expected to have significant cap space next season ($56-82 million, depending on which players they choose to retain, Dorian Finney-Smith's player option, and which ones draft position they have).

The next closest team would be the Washington Wizards in the $22 million range. While others may be able to create space through trades or other means, the Nets arguably have the monopoly on true flexibility this summer.

Considering that, if they want to keep Sharpe, they will. If not, he could get up to a mid-level exception for a team room, starting at a projected $8.8 million. If Claxton doesn't miss time, Sharpe may not have enough minutes to audition for more.

Flight risk level: medium