Kings Withdraw Four-Year Offer For Iguodala
The Kings made waves last night when news broke that the team who hadn't been a major player in free agency for several years was offering a four-year, $56MM deal to Andre Iguodala. However, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, Sacramento has taken its offer to Iguodala off the table.
Amick reports that when Iguodala wasn't prepared to give a quick answer on the Kings' offer, which was actually worth $52MM, the team "made the calculated decision to go a different direction," though it's not immediately clear which direction that is. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Iguodala's desire to take more time before giving the Kings an answer signaled to Sacramento that the free agent swingman may be reluctant to leave a contending team for a rebuilding club.
With no other major offers on the table at the moment, Iguodala could resume negotiating a long-term contract with the Nuggets, says Wojnarowski. Denver hasn't been willing to offer the kind of annual salary the Kings put on the table, but the Nuggets want to hang on to the 29-year-old and made him a five-year offer earlier in the week, according to Woj's report.
As for the Kings, with Iguodala no longer in their sights, matching an offer sheet for Tyreke Evans, perhaps from the Pelicans, becomes a more realistic possibility. James Ham of Cowbell Kingdom of NBA.com (Twitter link) hears that Evans would prefer to stay in Sacramento if the club is willing to match New Orleans' offer, which is believed to be four years and $44MM.
Nuggets Considering Trading Andre Miller?
Veteran point guard Andre Miller could be traded by the Nuggets this summer, according to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. Tomasson tweets that Miller isn't part of the team's long-term plans and was a favorite of George Karl, who is no longer coaching the team. Chris Herrington of the Memphis Flyer tweets that Denver put Miller on the table during draft-night trade talks with the Grizzlies, but Memphis wasn't interested.
While Ty Lawson is firmly entrenched as the starter at the point in Denver, Miller provided solid numbers for a backup in 2012/13, averaging 9.6 PPG and 5.9 APG while appearing in all 82 games. The 37-year-old is under contract for $5MM in '13/14 and about $4.63MM in '14/15, though only $2MM of that second figure is guaranteed.
When a report yesterday indicated that the Nuggets had been in contact with free agent point guard Jarrett Jack, I noted that, with Lawson and Miller on board, the position wasn't really a spot of need for Denver. But if the club is considering moving Miller, a pursuit of Jack would make more sense.
Mozgov, Nuggets Negotiating Multiyear Deal
Timofey Mozgov has engaged in negotiations with the Nuggets to return to the team on a multiyear deal, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com. Denver extended a qualifying offer to Mozgov, making him a restricted free agent, so even if he were to sign an offer sheet with another team, the Nuggets would have the opportunity to match it.
Of this year's restricted free agents, Mozgov was one of the players whose qualifying offer surprised me most. Still, the Nuggets traded away one of their other centers, Kosta Koufos, in a draft-night deal, so the team appears to be committed to Mozgov, whose QO was worth approximately $3.93MM.
As I noted when I assessed Mozgov's free agent stock back in May, there could be a few potential suitors for the big man besides the Nuggets. The Knicks' interest in the 26-year-old was reported both before and after the trade deadline. The Timberwolves also reportedly made a play for Mozgov, with the Bobcats and Heat making inquiries as well.
If the Nuggets and Mozgov reach an agreement, it could for three years with an option on the final season, a source tells Charania.
Northwest Rumors: Wolves, Jazz, Brewer, Aldridge
With the exception of the defending division champs from Oklahoma City, we've got a little something this morning on every Northwest team, so let's dive in and round up the latest….
- J.J. Redick and Chase Budinger have received four-year contract offers from the Timberwolves, as we heard last night. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (via Twitter) that Redick is the priority for Minnesota, but the team would like to sign one of those two players.
- The Jazz met with Paul Millsap late on Sunday night when free agency opened, according to Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune. While Utah didn't make Millsap an offer, the team expressed a "high interest" in re-signing the big man, who figures to be a Plan B for some of the clubs that fail to land Dwight Howard.
- Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that Corey Brewer is garnering interest from the Pelicans, Hawks, and Nuggets. Brewer is also set to meet with the Rockets, who believe that he would be a strong complementary piece for their top target (Howard).
- Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge does an excellent job of rounding up all the LaMarcus Aldridge trade rumors to date, including the latest from Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune.
Warriors, Nuggets, Mavs Contact Jarrett Jack
The Warriors, Nuggets, and Mavericks are among the teams that have reached out to Jarrett Jack on the first day of free agency, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group has more details on the Warriors' meeting with Jack, describing it as "positive," though no offer was made. While Golden State would like to keep its veteran point guard, the Warriors' financial flexibility is limited, with team salary in such close proximity to the tax. The club may pursue Darren Collison if bringing back Jack isn't possible, according to Thompson.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks are seeking a veteran point guard to complement rookies Shane Larkin and Gal Mekel, but the Nuggets' interest is a little surprising, considering Denver has Ty Lawson and Andre Miller under contract for next season.
Wojnarowski On Copeland, Allen, Oladipo
Adrian Wojnarowski has passed along a few nuggets this afternoon on free agents and the teams chasing them, so let's check out what the Yahoo! Sports scribe has for us….
- The Pacers and Chris Copeland have a "strong mutual interest," according to Wojnarowski, who says Indiana is emerging as a potential destination for the restricted free agent.
- If the Grizzlies are unable to re-sign Tony Allen, the Nuggets may become a real threat to land the defensive specialist, tweets Wojnarowski. The Trail Blazers, Pacers, Bucks, and Knicks have also been identified as possible suitors for Allen, while Ken Berger of CBSSports.com throws the Mavericks into the mix as well (Twitter link).
- In a non-free-agent tweet, Wojnarowski suggests No. 2 overall pick Victor Oladipo will get "major run" at point guard in Summer League play for the Magic.
Kyler’s Latest: Iguodala, Dwight, Lee, Martin
HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler has a few free agent rumors in his NBA AM, so let's dive right in:
- The Nuggets are one of many teams pursuing Andre Iguodala, and they plan to offer him a deal close to the $14,968,250 he made last season in Denver.
- Dwight Howard's camp notes that most marquee free agents sign deals with some kind of player or early termination option, as Chris Paul is doing with the Clippers. Thus, the advantage the Lakers have of granting him a fifth year in a deal is virtually moot, save for the protection it would give Howard against a career-altering injury.
- Sources close to the Warriors are downplaying the team's reported interest in trading David Lee, though if Golden State wants to re-sign both Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, they'll have to clear some money off their cap, Kyler writes.
- Kyler adds the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies to the list of teams pursuing Kevin Martin.
- Marcus Camby appears upset with his inclusion in the Andrea Bargnani trade, and Kyler hears the Raptors would be open to a buyout if they can't find someone willing to take on Camby in another trade.
Pistons Preparing Substantial Offer For Josh Smith
Earlier on Sunday, we heard that the Pistons were one of a few teams expected to target Josh Smith in free agency this week. However, while some of those other suitors may view Smith as a Plan B if their pursuit of Dwight Howard or another top-tier free agent is unsuccessful, the Pistons appear to be prioritizing Smith.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, GM Joe Dumars and the Pistons plan to make Smith a "substantial four-year offer" when they meet with him today. Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News reported earlier tonight Detroit "absolutely" won't make Smith a maximum-salary offer, but the team still has plenty of room to offer a lucrative deal.
When I explored Smith's potential maximum salary back in March, I estimated that rival teams may be able to offer him something close to $74MM for four years. That figure isn't official, and if Detroit doesn't intend to offer the max, the team will probably come in several million dollars below that figure anyway. Something like four years and $60MM may not be out of the question though.
The Pistons also plan to meet with Andre Iguodala, but it's doubtful they'll be willing to outbid the Nuggets for him, says Wojnarowski.
Knicks, Others Express Interest In Monta Ellis
Monta Ellis is drawing plenty of interest from contending teams early in free agency, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who reports that the Knicks are among the clubs to express interest in the veteran guard. The Bulls, Spurs, Nuggets and Suns have also inquired on Ellis, says Berger.
Many of those teams would seem to be long shots for Ellis. The Knicks, for instance, likely won't be able to acquire players via sign-and-trade since they're over the tax line, so they'll only have the mini mid-level exception ($3.18MM) available. Considering he just turned down an option worth $11MM, Ellis seems unlikely to sign with a team that can't even offer him that amount over three years.
Still, Ellis and agent Jeff Fried are "known to be willing to compromise in order to sign with a contending team," according to Berger, so it's probably too early to rule out any suitors, as unlikely as they may appear.
Western Notes: Rockets, Iguodala, Clippers
The Rockets have been expected to waive Carlos Delfino and Aaron Brooks before their salaries become fully guaranteed at the end of today, but Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears the team is still pursuing 11th-hour trade possibilities for the two, despite the slim chance they'll find a deal (Twitter links). That's just one of many news items out of the West with free agency less than 12 hours away:
- With a host of teams vying for Andre Iguodala, Nuggets GM Tim Connelly and coach Brian Shaw will meet with Iguodala on Monday in Los Angeles, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
- Doc Rivers is downplaying talk of a trade involving Eric Bledsoe or anyone else, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times notes. The Clippers have interest in retaining Lamar Odom and Matt Barnes, Turner reports, adding that the Lakers are also high on Barnes.
- Though the Clippers reportedly prefer Andrea Bargnani to DeMar DeRozan, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun notes that Rivers has always held DeRozan in high regard (Twitter link).
- O.J. Mayo is expected to turn down his $4.2MM player option for next season, and while his preference is to return to Dallas, the Mavs won't receive a discount, tweets Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
- Carl Landry's first priority will be to re-sign with the Warriors, but he believes there will be about half a dozen teams pursuing him, and he expects the Blazers to be one of them, the power forward tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Landry reciprocates Portland's interest.
- The Suns won't be in the market for big-ticket free agents, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The team prefers to keep its cap flexibility to accomodate an enticing trade possibility or next year's crop of free agents. The Suns will be in contact with Wesley Johnson, one of their own free agents, Coro says.
- New Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro is promising an "aggressive" approach to the offseason, as Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee observes. The Kings won't simply let restricted free agent Tyreke Evans go without matching his offer or working out a sign-and-trade, writes Voisin, who pegs his market value at between $8MM and $10MM per year.
- Yesterday was the deadline for the Spurs to waive Matt Bonner before his $3.945MM salary for next season, which had been partially guaranteed for $1MM, became fully guaranteed. So, Bonner will be back, unless the team waives him via amnesty, as Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News points out as he examines the Spurs' offseason.