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I thought Delfino was a UFA?
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....1f4e7bd9.html
NBA: Spurs at front of line for Maggette
Web Posted: 07/04/2008 12:59 AM CDT
Jeff McDonald
[email protected]
Three days into the NBA’s free agency period, Corey Maggette is still talking to teams and weighing his options. It appears the free-agent swingman is heading into the holiday weekend a little bit closer to becoming a Spur than he was before the week began.
A source close to the negotiations said Thursday that, though no deal is imminent, talks between the Spurs and Maggette are serious and the interest is mutual.
The Spurs are believed to have offered Maggette a multi-year deal, starting with their $5.8 million mid-level exception. Maggette became an unrestricted free agent this week when he opted out of the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Meanwhile, published reports out of Orlando suggest the team perceived to be the Spurs’ stiffest compe ion for Maggette might be near dropping out of the race altogether.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic are formalizing a contract offer for free-agent point guard Chris Duhon, perhaps by the end of the week. In that event, Orlando would be all but forced to abandon courtship of Maggette.
The Spurs’ most significant challenger for Maggette’s services might now be the new NBA champions.
The Boston Celtics have made an offer to Maggette as well, one he told the Boston Globe on Thursday he is seriously considering. The most the Celtics could offer Maggette is the mid-level exception, same as the Spurs.
Looming over all of this is the question of what happens with Elton Brand.
Brand, like Maggette, opted out of his Clippers contract this week, ostensibly to re-sign at a bargain and allow Los Angeles to nab Baron Davis. But now Brand is pondering an offer worth an estimated $90 million over five years from Golden State.
If he rejects the Warriors’ offer, Golden State could use its ample cap space to make a run at Maggette. Maggette might wait until Brand makes his decision before making up his own mind.
Under NBA rules, teams cannot sign free agents until Wednesday, but they can elicit oral commitments before then.
The Spurs’ ongoing pursuit of Maggette could affect what happens with a pair of their own unrestricted free agents — Brent Barry and Michael Finley, who split time at the same position Maggette might soon occupy.
Since opting out of his contract on Monday night, Barry has talked to Houston, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as the Spurs.
The Spurs have also expressed interest in bringing back Finley, but his agent, Henry Thomas, says talks have not gone much further than that.
Though Finley’s preference is to remain in San Antonio, where he has spent the past three seasons, Thomas said he expects to field inquiries from other teams.
“We’ll be talking to other teams,” Thomas said. “I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if we didn’t.”
As Maggette mulls his options, the Spurs continue to look at other free-agent possibilities.
They have inquired about Washington forward Roger Mason, Detroit guard Jarvis Hayes and Denver forward Eduardo Najera, none of whom are likely to command the full mid-level exception.
Denver guard J.R. Smith and Toronto guard Carlos Delfino remain possibilities as well. Both are restricted free agents, affording their current teams the right to match any offer they receive.
Last edited by Marcus Bryant; 07-04-2008 at 01:07 AM.
I thought Delfino was a UFA?
According to nba.com and espn.com he's not.
ok, Toronto did extend him the QO.
thats good news, after much thought, i really dont see maggette going to another team for the MLE, no other teams really make sense.
thats makes him a lot harder to get then, im sure for the LLE the raptors would love to match..
As original Spurs' broadcaster Terry Stembridge would always say during a tense game - "Do we dare hope?"
The Boston Globe reported that an offer had been made. But...
source
The Celtics do offer Maggette a shot at a ring, but not the minutes nor the starting spot. Though it does look they would have the cap flexibility in 2010 to be able to give Maggette a long term guaranteed deal, assuming Ray Allen retires or takes a smaller money deal. And they don't add anyone else between now and then. And Rondo doesn't cost much to retain. And they don't end up paying much to retain some other key parts of their supporting cast (ie Powe).
I'm assuming they make a run at Maggette only if Posey moves elsewhere.
Shoot me...
Cause its working out wayyyy too much.
Whether Delfino is restricted or not makes a lot of difference in the way that reports of the Spurs' "offer" to him are interpreted.
Generally, an offer to a restricted free agent is only talked about after it is accepted -- thus narrowing the teams down to two and tying up the money for the waiting period.
The accounts of an "offer" to Delfino by the Spurs seemed much more iffy -- more like an offer to an unrestricted FA that had not yet been accepted.
Sounds like the Spurs are considering splitting their MLE if they miss out on Maggette. Of course, it's McDonald so it's probably just him speculating. I could see Najera getting most of the MLE, if not all, from someone.They have inquired about Washington forward Roger Mason, Detroit guard Jarvis Hayes and Denver forward Eduardo Najera, none of whom are likely to command the full mid-level exception.
ing Celtics.
Go sign posey mfers.
Sounds about as positive as possible regarding Maggette. I really don't see how anyone could say Maggette could fit on the Celtics. How are Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Maggette going to split the swingman minutes? Coming off the bench is something I doubt Maggette wants if he's going to take only the MLE.
Spurs can offer Maggette a starting spot, as many shots during the regular season as he wants, plenty of minutes and the possibility to rip up his contract in two years and pay him more. The Celtics can't offer him any of that.
I still think it will come down to the team's with salary cap space. Maggette could love the Spurs this minute but if next minute Golden State comes calling with a deal that is significantly better, I don't see him turning it down. If Brand goes to the Warriors, Maggette would almost for sure either re-sign with the Clippers or get signed-and-traded somewhere. The Sixers, with their whole at shooting guard, could very well come calling if they fail at getting Josh Smith. Even the Grizzlies might come out of hibernation and want to take on Maggette if they thing they can woo him for a bargain price.
The Spurs are looking about as good as possible regarding Maggette but I still think it's a longshot. The Spurs will need the other teams with salary cap space to find money to spend elsewhere and then at that point, it'll come down to personal preference. Maggette could very well prefer the Spurs over any other team if everything is equal ... I don't have reason to doubt that.
A source close to the negotiations said Thursday that, though no deal is imminent, talks between the Spurs and Maggette are serious and the interest is mutual.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic are formalizing a contract offer for free-agent point guard Chris Duhon, perhaps by the end of the week. In that event, Orlando would be all but forced to abandon courtship of Maggette.
Duhon sure would look good in a Magic uniform.
The Boston Celtics have made an offer to Maggette as well, one he told the Boston Globe on Thursday he is seriously considering. The most the Celtics could offer Maggette is the mid-level exception, same as the Spurs.
Maybe I'm ignorant, but I just can't see him sacrificing both minutes and cash for Boston.
It's looking to me that if it comes down to playing for the MLE, Maggette will be in the black and silver next year.
I'm not convinced he'd be able to turn down the kind of jack G.S/Philly could potentially offer him, but I'm starting to feel a little more optimistic.
God, COME ON. JUST GO FOR IT COREY!!!!
Spurs need Brand to re-up with the Clippers and Philly to land Smith. I think Brand ends up back with the Clippers. It looks like he and Davis opted out so they could end up on the same team. The Warriors have thrown a monkey wrench in the works with their large offer to Brand, but my guess is that in the end, the Clippers will up their offer to Brand. This is more key than what happens with the Sixers, since a Maggette free to re-sign or be sign and traded by the Clippers creates about 20 suitors for him. Should Brand stay with the Clippers then you will have 3, at most.
I don't see the Warriors making an offer to Maggette. Maybe they do just to get some talent out of free agency, but they are already kinda stocked with talent at the swingman positions. Perhaps they make a run at Smith if they lose out on Brand. That would make a lot of sense. Also, Maggette would be more of a piece if they were a playoff contender, but I think that's no longer the case with Davis leaving.
It will be interesting to see what the Sixers do if they lose out on Smith. What would really suck is if they made a run at, oh, say both Maggette and Thomas with their cap room. The Spurs could blow that up by offering Thomas more using his Bird Rights. Then, of course, the Sixers may end up being content to land Maggette and soldier on. Maybe they make a run at Biendrins if they really want a big out of free agency.
Would the Sixers prefer to go after UFA Maggette or RFA JR Smith? They're going after a RFA now, though he's obviously preferable to both Maggette and Smith.
As for the Grizz, perhaps they are being opportunistic and waiting to see how the top 3 free agents shake out before stepping in to the free agent pool. I'm not sure. I haven't really seen anything about them actively contacting greater than MLE worthy free agents. Given their situation and the draft night trade they made they seem to be all about paring down payroll and going with a young crew. If they were to get active, I would think that JR Smith would make more sense for them.
Can't just once, the FA gods look down and smile on the Spurs.
Things look about as good as the Spurs could hope for at this point. They had no chance with Maggette free to pull off a S&T with anyone in the league. Now he's got 3 possibilities, one of which seems unlikely (Memphis), another which doesn't really need him (Golden State), and the last (Sixers) which could use him but who is doggedly pursuing a power forward RFA with all of their cap room.
The Spurs have also expressed interest in bringing back Finley
Hopefully the Spurs are just being nice to Finley at this point in case everything else doesn't work out. If the Spurs sign Maggette, I fail to see the point of Finley. Even if Maggette isn't signed, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Finley makes sense.
Unless Finley agrees to a Steve Smith in '03 type role, him being on the team next year would likely lead to disaster.
I notice you didn't put Boston there.
source
Great. This thing may drag on through the weekend.
I like Finley but I think it's just way past his time now. Even if we don't get Magette, I'd rather hope to keep Barry than the Fin.
His comments about having enough money and wanting to play for a winner, also bodes well for the Spurs.(assuming he was honest)
G.S, Memphis, Philly, aren't contenders but they do have alot of jack.
I guess he'll prove to be Spurs material if he's able to turn down the cash, for a shot at a ring.
Don't have cap room greater than the MLE.
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