Tyreke Evans To Sign Pelicans’ Offer Sheet
9:03pm: Evans has officially given a verbal commitment to the Pelicans that he will sign their offer sheet on July 10, tweets USA Today's Sam Amick. David Aldridge of NBA.com confirms Amick's report via Twitter. The Kings will have three days to match the four-year, $44MM offer.
8:41pm: Stein is now hearing that the Pelicans and Evans are finalizing an offer sheet (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Jason Jones reports that Evans planned on giving the Kings until today to make an offer or he'd agree to the New Orleans offer sheet. There have been conflicting reports regarding where Evans would like to end up, as can be typical when it comes to restricted free agents.
6:07pm: Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee tweets that Evans is waiting on the Kings to make him an offer before committing to New Orleans, presumably in response to the ESPN report. Jones also tweets that while Evans is aware the Kings can always match the offer sheet, he wants to give them every chance to beat it. It is worth noting that it was Jones who reported earlier that Evans would prefer to sign in Sacramento.
5:41pm: We heard earlier today that there was no guarantee that restricted free agent Tyreke Evans would sign the four-year, $44MM contract offer extended to him by the Pelicans, and that a comparable offer from the Kings would ensure he stays put in Sacramento. Now, per a report from Marc Stein and Jeff Goodman of ESPN, it appears that Evans is "ready for a change" and plans to sign in New Orleans. The report cites sources "familiar with his thinking."
Evans has been frustrated by the negotiations with the Kings and is "determined" to leave the organization and sign with the Pelicans on the first day possible, according to the report. Evans has yet to verbally agree to the deal with New Orleans, but it is an "inevitability" for that to happen this week. Evans apparently plans to sign the Pelicans' offer sheet on July 10 – the first day possible per NBA restrictions – and giving the Kings three days from then to either match the offer or pass.
After Sacramento drafted Ben McLemore last week and extended a big offer to Andre Iguodala yesterday, before withdrawing it today, Evans seems to be hurt that the team, and new owner Vivek Ranadive, has yet to make a realistic attempt at bringing him back. According to the source, the Kings could have retained Evans had they showed interest earlier.
Odds & Ends: Celtics, Smith, Billups, Martin, More
The news that the Celtics have landed Brad Stevens to be their next coach has shocked the NBA world. Sean Deveney of the Sporting News points out, via Twitter, that of the twelve new head coaches hired this offseason, eight have now been first timers, adding that the Sixers will probably make it nine of thirteen. The Stevens hire has also led to some speculation that Rajon Rondo will be on his way out of Boston. The Pistons have explored the possibility of trading for both Rondo and/or Rudy Gay, according to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy (via Twitter). For what it's worth, Rudy Gay tweeted tonight that he hopes to play a full season in Toronto this year.
With the NBA offseason in full swing, let's look at some of the news churning out of the rumor mill:
- After meeting with several teams in Los Angeles the past few days, unrestricted free agent Josh Smith will return to his home in Atlanta today to contemplate his future, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports.
- It might be tough for the Clippers to keep Chauncey Billups after their acquisitions of J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley, reports Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears. Billups, 36, has drawn interest from the Cavaliers, Spurs, Mavericks, Kings, Nets and Wolves.
- Per ESPN's Chris Broussard on Twitter, unrestricted free agent Kenyon Martin is drawing interest from the Lakers, Clippers, Spurs, Knicks and Nets. However, Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York tweets that no offers have been made.
- After visiting with the Cavs for two days, Earl Clark was impressed with what Cleveland had to say, writes Sean Deveney of Sporting News, who spoke to Clark's agent. Deveney has been all over the Clark rumors, and really likes how he would fit in Cleveland now that they took Anthony Bennett No. 1 overall.
- Considering the withdrawal of the Kings' offer to Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets are now in a much better spot if they are aggressive in trying to re-sign him, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. Like many of the top free agents, Iguodala's options hinge on Dwight Howard's destination and in the meantime, Dempsey writes, now is Denver's opportunity to strike.
Celtics Hire Brad Stevens As Head Coach
7:54pm: Stevens' deal with the C's is six years, for $22MM, per Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
6:13pm: Stevens will get a six-year contract with the Celtics, reports Steve Bulpett from the Boston Herald, citing a league source (via Twitter).
4:41pm: The Celtics have officially reached an agreement to hire Brad Stevens as their head coach, the team announced today in a press release. Stevens had served as the head coach at Butler University for the past six seasons.
"Brad and I share a lot of the same values," team president Danny Ainge said in a statement. "Though he is young, I see Brad as a great leader who leads with impeccable character and a strong work ethic. His teams always play hard and execute on both ends of the court. Brad is a coach who has already enjoyed lots of success, and I look forward to working with him towards Banner 18."
A report last week indicated that the Celtics intended to target lower-profile coaching candidates, and Stevens certainly qualifies. While he has had success at the NCAA level, the 36-year-old Stevens hadn't been publicly linked to any of the NBA's 12 other head coaching openings this offseason, though Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets that another NBA club considered hiring him a few weeks ago.
After releasing Doc Rivers from the three years and $21MM left on his contract, the Celtics will presumably be paying significantly less to Stevens, though the terms of the agreement aren't yet known. As Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports notes (via Twitter), the Celtics front office has put a greater emphasis on analytics, which Stevens incorporated at Butler.
Pacers Sign Solomon Hill
The Pacers have officially signed first-round pick Solomon Hill, selected 23rd overall, to a rookie-scale contract, the team announced today through their website. During the July moratorium, first-round picks are permitted to sign contracts with their respective clubs.
The 22-year-old Hill will likely receive a 2013/14 salary worth about $1.25MM, as our Luke Adams outlined in our breakdown of salaries for first-round picks. Hill, who spent three years at Arizona, was a surprise selection by the Pacers at 23. The team also reached a deal with free agent Donald Sloan earlier today.
Carl Landry, Clippers In Serious Talks
The Clippers and unrestricted free agent Carl Landry are engaged in "serious contract talks," reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). We heard yesterday that Landry was set to meet with Doc Rivers and the Clips last night.
According to Stein, the Clippers are "optimistic" that they'll be able to sign Landry, but it remains to be seen whether it will cost them their whole mid-level exception. Landry turned down a $4MM player option with the Warriors, so he'll presumably be looking to at least match that salary, if not exceed it.
Even after agreeing to acquire Jared Dudley and J.J. Redick, Los Angeles has the flexibility to use the full non-taxpayer MLE, which starts at $5.15MM. However, the team would also like to bring back Matt Barnes, and can only offer him a first-year salary of up to $1.48MM without dipping into the mid-level.
I would guess L.A.'s preferred outcome would be to sign Landry using the MLE and Barnes using his non-Bird rights, but if Barnes pushes for a higher salary, the team may be forced to choose between the two players. It's not clear what the Clippers would decide in that scenario, though it remains hypothetical for now.
Latest On Chris Copeland
As the market continues to develop for many of this year's restricted free agents, Chris Copeland is drawing interest from a number of teams looking to pry him away from the Knicks. Last night, we heard that the Pacers had extended an offer to Copeland, but the forward continues to meet with and talk to other potential suitors.
Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets that there's still mutual interest between Copeland and the Jazz. Copeland's agent expects further discussions with Utah, though the team hasn't made an offer yet, according to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News (via Twitter). The 29-year-old remains interested in the Knicks, as Genessy tweets, though with New York hoping to use its mini mid-level exception on multiple players (perhaps Copeland and a point guard), the club's ability to match rival offers will be limited.
A league source told Jared Zwerling of ESPN.com (Twitter link) yesterday that the Lakers have made an exploratory offer to Copeland, and a report earlier this week suggested that the Pelicans and Bucks could also be preparing offers for the restricted free agent. However, the Pelicans are stuck in a bit of a holding pattern as they wait to hear back from Tyreke Evans on their offer sheet, and the Bucks have been linked to so many players that it's not clear if Copeland is a top priority or a secondary target.
While it appears Copeland has plenty of possible destinations, the pendulum isn't swinging in any direction yet, according to Zwerling, who says it's still too early in the process (via Twitter).
Poll: Which Team Will Sign Dwight Howard?
As we noted in our round-up of today's Dwight Howard news and rumors, a decision by the All-Star center appears to finally be on the way. Having met with the Rockets, Warriors, Hawks, Mavericks, and Lakers, Howard seems to be done listening to pitches. He and his reps have headed "off the grid" to Aspen, Colorado to weigh the options on the table, with a decision potentially coming by the weekend.
A report earlier today suggested that Howard's choice remains "totally up in the air," even if some options seem more likely than others. So what do you think? Will the sway of an extra guaranteed year convince D12 to return to Los Angeles? Will the appeal of teaming up with James Harden or Dirk Nowitzki mean he flees to Texas? Will he head home to play in Atlanta? Or could the Lakers actually agree to a sign-and-trade that would pair him with Stephen Curry on the Warriors?
Odds & Ends: Wolves, Tanking, Knicks, Robinson
It's been another busy day in NBA free agency, with Manu Ginobili, Garrett Temple, and Donald Sloan agreeing to terms, while O.J. Mayo appears to be closing in on a deal of his own. As we wait to see which player is next to come off the board, let's check in on a few odds and ends from around the NBA….
- A source tells Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities that there has been contact between the Timberwolves and Matt Barnes' camp (Twitter link).
- In his latest chat session, Chad Ford of ESPN.com fielded questions on last week's draft, next year's draft, and the issuing of tanking vs. rebuilding. Ford issued a series of tweets last night suggesting that a lot of teams appear interested in tanking next season, while Tom Ziller of SBNation.com replied with a column suggesting that rebuilding isn't necessarily synonymous with tanking.
- The Knicks, who are hoping to split up their mini mid-level exception on two players, inquired again on Elton Brand today, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. While Brand is receiving plenty of interest, no officials offers are on the table yet, says Zwerling (Twitter links).
- ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton (Insider link) and Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com (via The Basketball Jones) share their thoughts on the Clippers/Suns/Bucks three-way trade, while Grantland's Zach Lowe provides his take on that deal and a number of yesterday's free agent agreements.
- According to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (via Twitter), BDA Sports has signed Thomas Robinson, who had previously been represented by Tony Dutt.
- In a piece for ShamSports.com, Deeks explains the difference between team options and non-guaranteed contracts, and why the distinction can be important.
- When Dwight Howard makes his decision, expect a number of free agent dominos to begin falling, says Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
Spurs In Serious Talks With Marco Belinelli
The Spurs are engaged in "serious talks" with unrestricted free agent Marco Belinelli, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
Belinelli is coming off a one-year deal with the Bulls, having averaged 9.6 PPG while shooting 35.7% on three-pointers in 2012/13. The 27-year-old signed for the bi-annual exception last summer, and figures to be in the market for a mid-level-type deal this time around.
Having reached agreements to bring back Tiago Splitter and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs almost certainly won't have any cap space available during the offseason, but the club should have its full $5.15MM mid-level exception. San Antonio is likely discussing a deal for Belinelli that would use that MLE, though perhaps not the entire thing — the Spurs could break up that exception and use the $5.15MM to sign multiple players, if they so choose.
According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), if the Spurs aren't able to reach an agerement with Belinelli, the club still plans to re-sign its own free agent guard, Gary Neal.
This post was first published on July 4th at 2:27pm CST.
Nets No Longer Pursuing Marco Belinelli?
WEDNESDAY, 2:00pm: Davide Chinellato of Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport (Twitter link) hears from a source that the Nets are no longer pursuing Belinelli, who is now talking to the Pacers.
MONDAY, 4:28pm: The Nets have reached out to free agent guard Marco Belinelli and discussed a multi-year deal for the taxpayer mid-level exception of $3.2MM, sources tell Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld. Sources say that the Nets are debating whether to go with a guard like Belinelli or another big man to bolster the the frontcourt.
While it has been reported that the Nets and Kyle Korver have more-or-less agreed to a deal for the taxpayer MLE, Pincus reports that he could fall outside of the Nets' price range. The sharpshooter has lots of suitors this offseason and could land a deal with a higher average annual value. It's possible that Korver is high enough on Brooklyn to give them a discount and the 32-year-old has done quite well for himself over the years, earning more than $38MM over the course of his career according to Basketball Reference.
The Nets would also like to re-sign Andray Blatche, but the most they can offer is ~$1.4MM without using a portion of their MLE. If he does return at that figure, that would enable Brooklyn to sign Belinelli.
Belinelli spent last season with Chicago and averaged 13.4 PPG, but his 35.7% percentage from downtown was the lowest of his career. The Italian is represented by Excel Sports Management, according to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.