New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Tyreke Evans To Sign Pelicans’ Offer Sheet

July 3rd, 2013 at 9:03pm CST by Alex Lee

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.

Latest On Chris Copeland

July 3rd, 2013 at 4:28pm CST by Luke Adams

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).

FA Updates: Evans, Josh Smith, Pekovic, Clark

July 3rd, 2013 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Tyreke Evans has been one of the most intriguing stories in free agency so far, with the Pelicans having extended a four-year, $44MM offer to the 23-year-old. Still, Evans has yet to agree to sign that offer, and there's no guarantee he'll do so, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets. The situation remains fluid, and Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) believes if the Kings make Evans a comparable offer, he'd prefer to sign it and stay in Sacramento.

Let's round up a few more of today's free agent updates….

As they continue to explore the possibility of making a big splash, the Warriors are trying to set up a meeting with Josh Smith, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (via Sulia). However, Smith doesn't seem as interested in the Warriors, who Thompson says "aren't going to jump as high as others to get him."
Don't expect a whole lot of movement in talks for Nikola Pekovic until after Dwight Howard makes his decision, says Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).
Sean Deveney of the Sporting News says (via Twitter) the Cavaliers are being extremely aggressive in their pursuit of Earl Clark, meeting with him yesterday and again today, though no offer has been extended yet.
Dorell Wright met with the Thunder yesterday and was presented with one- and two-year contract offers, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, adding that Wright received a similar proposal from the Trail Blazers. The Spurs, Grizzlies, and Mavericks also have interest in Wright, says Spears (via Twitter).
Australian forward Joe Ingles is drawing interest from four NBA teams, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com, listing the Pacers, Grizzlies, Bucks, and Clippers as possible suitors for the 25-year-old.

Blazers, Pacers Eyeing Robin Lopez

July 3rd, 2013 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

12:36pm: With Lopez drawing plenty of trade interest, he is unlikely to be released by the Pelicans by Friday, since the team should be able to find a deal, tweets Wojnarowski.

12:15pm: As the Pelicans attempt to move Robin Lopez before his contract becomes guaranteed this weekend, Portland has emerged as a possible destination for the big man, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. According to Wojnarowski, the Pacers are one of the other teams on a short list of potential suitors for Lopez.

Lopez is set to earn about $5.12MM in 2013/14, a reasonable price for a center who was productive (18.9 PER) and durable (82 starts) during his first season in New Orleans. However, that salary is not yet guaranteed, with Lopez set to receive just $500K if he's released on or before Friday. If he's on an NBA roster beyond Friday, however, his salary for both '13/14 and '14/15 ($5.34MM) will become fully guaranteed.

The Pelicans are in hot pursuit of Tyreke Evans, with a lucrative offer sheet on the table for the restricted free agent. Should Evans agree to sign that offer, New Orleans will likely need to trade or release Lopez to clear the necessary cap space. A trade wouldn't necessarily have to be agreed upon by Friday, but the Pelicans would probably lose some leverage at that point, since they'd no longer have the fallback option of releasing Lopez.

Unlike Portland, Indiana doesn't currently have the cap space to absorb Lopez's contract without sending salary back in return, so the Blazers seem to be a likelier trade partner for New Orleans, unless the Pacers can get creative.

Kings Offer Iguodala Four-Year, $56MM Deal

July 2nd, 2013 at 10:08pm CST by Zachary Links

10:08pm: The Kings offered Iguodala a four-year, $56MM deal, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). That comes out to an average annual value of $14MM.

8:42pm: The Kings have made signing free agent Andre Iguodala their top priority, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, Tyreke Evans is being pushed closer to the Pelicans, as the Kings are leaning strongly against matching his four-year, $44MM offer sheet.

It remains to be seen whether the Kings and their new ownership group can assemble an offer big enough to steal Iguodala away from the Nuggets, who are determined to hang onto him. Making matters even more difficult, Iguodala is also drawing interest from other suitors including the Pistons and Warriors.

The Kings' current stance, according to sources, is that matching the Pelicans' offer sheet for Evans would be too pricey, especially after Sacramento drafted Ben McLemore with the No. 7 pick.

Kyler On Pekovic, Spurs, Iguodala, Pelicans, C’s

July 2nd, 2013 at 11:09am CST by Luke Adams

Here's the latest on free agency from Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld:

The Trail Blazers are expected to extend a "massive" offer to Nikola Pekovic, according to Kyler. After acquiring Thomas Robinson, Portland won't have the necessary cap room to make a huge offer, but perhaps the team has another move in mind to clear some space.
Al Jefferson, who is expected to meet with the Bobcats this week, has been linked to the Spurs as well. Kyler also hears from sources that San Antonio "kicked the tires" on a possible Marcin Gortat trade, so the Spurs are exploring ways to add a big man.
The Mavericks may make Andre Iguodala a "serious offer" if they miss out on Dwight Howard, says Kyler.
If Tyreke Evans wants to join the Pelicans, New Orleans would be open to moving Greivis Vasquez or Austin Rivers, either in a sign-and-trade with the Kings or in a separate deal, according to Kyler. However, the team seems more inclined to hang on to Eric Gordon.
Sources close to Rajon Rondo say the Celtics have pledged to be aggressive in putting together a roster around him that will be competitive in 2013/14 and beyond, writes Kyler.

Latest On Tyreke Evans

July 2nd, 2013 at 8:26am CST by Luke Adams

While a number of unrestricted free agents reached agreements with teams yesterday, one restricted free agent was making headlines as well, as word broke that the Pelicans had extended a four-year offer sheet worth a reported $44MM to Tyreke Evans.

Evans also met with the Pistons and Kings on Monday, and according to Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter), the 23-year-old old left the meeting with Sacramento encouraged by the team's message. It's not clear how the meeting with Detroit went, though with the Pistons also pursuing Josh Smith and Andre Iguodala, they may not be inclined to top New Orleans' offer for Evans.

According to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter), Evans has another meeting scheduled for today with the Hawks, who have the cap flexibility to match or exceed the Pelicans' offer if they so choose.

As for the Pelicans, they'll probably want an answer on their offer sheet by later this week, since the team will likely have to trade or release Robin Lopez by July 5th to clear the necessary space for Evans. ESPN.com's Marc Stein tweets that New Orleans' preference is to sign Evans without having to trade Eric Gordon.

Should Evans sign the Pelicans' offer sheet, it's not certain whether the Kings would match it or let him walk. However, Amick does provide one interesting detail on Sacramento's meeting with Evans, tweeting that Chris Mullin is involved on some level with the Kings and was discussed during the meeting. Sacramento offered Mullin a position as a consultant last month, and according to Amick (via Twitter), it's clear the ex-Warrior is advising the team on some level, even if he doesn't have an official title.

Northwest Rumors: Wolves, Jazz, Brewer, Aldridge

July 2nd, 2013 at 7:58am CST by Luke Adams

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.

Pelicans Trying To Unload Robin Lopez

July 1st, 2013 at 5:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pelicans have made a lucrative offer to restricted free agent Tyreke Evans, and to clear space for it, the team is trying to rid itself of Robin Lopez's contract, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Lopez is set to make about $5.1MM this season, but that contract is only guaranteed for $500K as long as he's waived on or before Friday. If he's still on the roster after that, his $5.34MM salary for 2014/15 becomes guaranteed, too, making the team's decision doubly important.

I'd imagine the Pelicans would seek trade options for Lopez before simply cutting him loose. The rumored offer to Evans, at four years and $58MM, would push New Orleans to roughly $53.5MM worth of guaranteed salary for 2013/14, not including Lopez's deal. The Pelicans also have backup big man Jason Smith on the books for $2.5MM next season, after his contract became fully guaranteed when he wasn't waived yesterday.

The Kings are considering telling Evans that they're prepared to match the deal, but if they inform him otherwise, he's likely to sign the offer sheet from the Pelicans, Sam Amick of USA Today reports. An agreement would no doubt accelerate talks with other teams, and though Lopez is by no means a frontline starting center like his brother, Brook Lopez, he represents a viable option at the five spot that should be attractive to many around the league.

The Kings may also try to engineer a sign-and-trade with Evans to send him to New Orleans, according to John Reid of The Times Picayune (Twitter link), so perhaps Lopez could be a part of those talks, though that's just my speculation.

Pelicans Offer Four-Year Deal To Tyreke Evans

July 1st, 2013 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

3:51pm: The value of the Pelicans' offer sheet seems to be growing by the minute, as Sam Amick of USA Today now tweets that it's worth $48MM. While various outlets can't seem to agree on the exact amount, Amick notes that it's unlikely the Kings would match an offer of $44-48MM.

3:44pm: The Pelicans' four-year offer to Evans is worth $44MM, tweets TNT's David Aldridge.

3:27pm: After meeting with Tyreke Evans overnight, the Pelicans made a "lucrative" four-year offer to the restricted free agent, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter). According to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News (via Twitter), the offer is worth $40MM over four years. Evans is scheduled to meet with the Pistons and Kings today.

If Evans, 23, were to agree to terms with the Pelicans, he wouldn't be able to sign an offer sheet until the July moratorium is lifted on the 10th. Once he signed, the Kings would have three days to decide whether to match the offer or let Evans walk.

Of course, there's no guarantee Evans will sign the Pelicans' sheet. It's possible that the Pistons, Kings, or another club could top that offer, and it's not clear what sort of fit Evans would be in New Orleans anyway. There's a belief that the 23-year-old is reluctant to join a team where he'd be playing small forward, and New Orleans' backcourt appears crowded, with Jrue Holiday, Greivis Vasquez, and Eric Gordon all under contract through at least next season.

If Evans were to end up with the Pelicans, the team's intention would be to use him off the bench in a role similar to Manu Ginobili's with the Spurs, tweets Deveney.