FA Updates: Evans, Josh Smith, Pekovic, Clark
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Point Guard Rumors: Calderon, Telfair, Mavs
With free agent rumors coming in fast, we have enough updates on point guards alone to dedicate a whole post to the position. Here's the latest:
- Chris Broussard of ESPN.com hears the Pistons are intent on bringing back Jose Calderon (Twitter link), though an earlier report indicated that the team is unwilling to exceed a deal worth $7MM a year to re-sign him.
- Sebastian Telfair has drawn interest from the Knicks, Nets, Heat, and Thunder, sources tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (Twitter link).
- Finding a starting point guard remains a top priority for the Mavericks, who hope to have Shane Larkin and Gal Mekel compete for backup minutes, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News suggests keeping an eye on Greivis Vasquez, though he's more of a secondary option for the Mavs, since the Pelicans may not be inclined to trade him even with Jrue Holiday on board.
- The Jazz, who had plenty of free agents come off their roster last night, were no doubt busy, but they did reach out to Jamaal Tinsley, tweets Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Nemanja Nedovic, who says he's ready to come stateside next season if the Warriors want him, was "shocked" when Golden State drafted him. He had worked out for the Pistons, Cavaliers, Hawks, Knicks, and Bucks, but not the Warriors, prior to the draft (Twitter links via Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle and Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group).
- The Sixers didn't extend a qualifying offer to Charles Jenkins, making him an unrestricted free agent, notes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Knicks Rumors: Camby, J.R. Smith, Copeland
The major news out of New York is last night's agreement on a trade that will bring Andrea Bargnani to the Big Apple. Marcus Camby is one of the players headed to the Raptors in return, and he caused a stir overnight, releasing a statement in which he said "it was unfortunate that I didn't get a meaningful chance to contribute" with the Knicks this past season, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports tweets. Camby also said that while he has an affinity for Toronto and Raptors fans, he wants to be with a title contender and will evaluate his options, Spears tweets. Since Camby's under contract through 2015, he doesn't appear to have many options, and this morning he backtracked a bit via Twitter, at least on the Knicks side of the affair, thanking the Knicks and their fans for their treatment of him during his time in New York (hat tip to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com). Zwerling has much more on the Knicks this morning, so let's dive in:
- J.R. Smith agreed to meet last night with Knicks coach Mike Woodson and members of the team's front office to discuss a future in New York for the reigning Sixth Man of the Year.
- Plenty of teams are in the market for Chris Copeland, and a source tells Zwerling that the Pelicans and Bucks are prepared to make attractive bids for the forward. The Jazz and Lakers were the first two teams to inquire about Copeland when free agency started last night.
- A source close to Kenyon Martin is "confident" that the veteran wants to return to the Knicks, Zwerling writes.
- The Knicks are interested in Aaron Brooks, who was waived Sunday by the Rockets. Leon Rose, Brooks' agent, also reps Bargnani, Carmelo Anthony and Smith.
- DeJuan Blair is not a candidate to join the Knicks because of the team's limited financial flexibility, Zwerling hears.