NBA veteran Jerryd Bayless still a free agent

Is anyone going to sign the former Wildcat?

At the start of NBA free agency, we listed the four former Arizona Wildcats who were on the open market, in search of a new home.

Three of them have found them. T.J. McConnell inked a two-year deal with the Indiana Pacers while Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson signed with the Toronto Raptors.

Jerryd Bayless, on the other hand, remains unsigned, and it’s been hard to find a single report connecting him to teams.

After being traded by the 76ers to the Timberwolves, the 30-year-old only played in 34 games, missing more than half the season because of ankle and toe injuries.

Bayless wasn’t particularly effective in those 34 games either, averaging 6.1 points and 3.5 assists in 19.3 minutes while shooting 35.7 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from 3, and 57.1 percent from the free-throw line.

The 10-year veteran is coming off a three-year, $27 million deal and has made roughly $50 million in his NBA career, but at this point he will probably have to settle for the veteran minimum (roughly $2.1 million) and try to recoup his value heading into 2020 free agency.

While Bayless struggled last season, he is still a career 36 percent 3-point shooter and a capable distributor and defender. Roster spots are filling up, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see a contender add him as depth or a rebuilding team pick him up for his veteran leadership.

In May, Bayless graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Africana Studies, fulfilling a longstanding promise he made to himself and his family.

“I know the trials and tribulations that athletes go through toward the end of their careers. I know they want to continue playing for as long as possible,” Bayless said. “But you need to figure out the path forward and move on it with it. That was one of my main messages when I spoke to the graduating class.”

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