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According to The Charlotte Observer's Rod Boone, Kelly Oubre Jr. is unlikely to return to the Charlotte Hornets next season. With the expiration of his two-year extension that he signed in 2021, along with the number of wings on the team (Brandon Miller, Gordon Hayward and possibly Miles Bridges), Oubre might get waived by the Hornets,
In the scenario that Kelly Oubre Jr. does get waived by Charlotte, here are the top five teams that can sign him.
5) Boston Celtics
After the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis from the Wizards in exchange for Marcus Smart, Celtics general manager Brad Stevens is still looking to improve the roster.
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Similar to the need for another big to support Al Horford and Robert Williams III, Boston also needs another wing coming off the bench. This player will be tasked with keeping the offense from going stagnant when Jayson Tatum is resting on the bench. Oubre Jr. is a capable scorer who can add a scoring punch to the Celtics' bench unit.
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4) Memphis Grizzlies
After the Grizzlies made it clear that Dillon Brooks will not be returning to the team after a subpar season, Memphis is on the market for a wing replacement.
As the team continues to build around its young core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., Kelly Oubre Jr. can be a nice complement to that roster as he helps with the team's offense and has also grown into a decent finisher at the rim.
3) Cleveland Cavaliers
Despite a disappointing finish last season with a first-round exit, the Cavaliers are still in a prime position to be a quality team in the upcoming regular season.
However, they still needed to add a few pieces who can add to the scoring efforts of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. The team could use some added depth in its wing unit aside from Cedi Osman, Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert. After a good season with the Hornets, Kelly Oubre Jr. has shown tremendous strides in his offensive game.
2) Orlando Magic
Entering NBA free agency, the Orlando Magic have enough cap space to acquire quality players for the improvement of the team's roster.
With a promising young core of players in Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Anthony Black and Markelle Fultz, a quality wing who can give the team a scoring boost will be huge. Oubre Jr. can add to the team's offensive flow under a new environment with the Magic.
1) Houston Rockets
The Rockets are entering a new era under coach Ime Udoka. With a good cast of young players in Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, and Amen Thompson, the Rockets roster oozes a lot of offensive firepower.
Similar to the Orlando Magic, the Rockets have more than enough in their cap space to sign Kelly Oubre Jr. to a good deal after coming off his best season yet.
Kelly Oubre Jr.'s stats from his 2022-23 season with the Charlotte Hornets
During the 2022-23 regular season with the Hornets, Oubre Jr. averaged 20.3 points per game (43.1% shooting, including 31.9% from 3-point range) and 5.2 rebounds.
After playing for different teams throughout his career (Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets), he finally had his best season average in 2022-23.
