Mickael Pietrus is focusing on returning to the NBA in 2014/15, agent Bill McCandless tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, adding that the 32-year-old swingman plans to sit out the remainder of this season. Pietrus rejected multiple “significant” overseas offers, but he’s had no luck finding work in the Association this year, even though a pair of NBA teams were reportedly keeping tabs on him as of January.
Pietrus played last season for the Raptors, appearing in just 19 games but making 16 starts. His minutes were close to his career average, but his scoring, rebounding, assists and field goal percentage were all much lower than usual. He received an invitation to Spurs camp over the summer, but he rejected it, and while he tried to find his way onto the Blazers earlier this season, Portland turned him down.
McCandless suggests the reason that Pietrus has been unable to return to the league is because teams want to save room for this year’s draft class. That seems to indicate that Pietrus has been looking for a multiyear deal, though that’s just my speculation. In any case, if a team makes a suitable offer between now and the end of the season, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pietrus goes back on his plans to stay at home.